What is affirmative action? And how does it affect students’ chances of getting into college? The answer is simple: it no longer does. On June 29, 2023, the Supreme Court decided to end affirmative action in college admissions. Now, a new question has been asked; what does this decision mean for this year’s applicants? 

Affirmative action was created in college admissions to help prestigious schools create a diverse student body, after years of segregation and discrimination against minorities. Studies have found that without affirmative action, there could be a steady decline in the enrollment of Black, Latinx, and Indigenous students. Overall, without the practice, school admissions could change dramatically. 

Why did this change happen in the first place? The case that led to the ban was Students for Fair Admissions (SSFA) vs. Harvard. The group sued Harvard and the University of North Carolina, arguing that affirmative action violated the fourteenth amendment, which forbids discrimination against race. The case was tried by the Supreme Court in June of this year. In the end, the verdict was in favor of SSFA and affirmative action in college admissions was officially banned in colleges all over the United States. 

This has been a very polarizing Supreme Court ruling. There are many people in favor of it and many others who are not. Mariah Brooks, a senior here at Joliet West, is not in favor of the ban. “This ban will make it harder for minorities to get into better colleges. The Supreme Court did not make the correct decision.” Along with Brooks, senior Aaron Sprindys is against the ban of affirmative action. Although, he does not feel much will change. “I do not support the ban of affirmative action,” Sprindys stated. “I don’t really think the major institutions will change. Major colleges want diversity, whereas small colleges will not care as much.” All in all, this year’s college admission process will differ from the ones before.