Trump Orders Colleges to Submit Admissions Data on Race

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Trump Orders Colleges to Submit Admissions Data on Race originally appeared on L.A. Mag.
President Donald Trump has issued a directive asking colleges and universities to hand over detailed admissions data, including applicants' race, gender, test scores and GPAs. The executive action, signed on Thursday, directs Education Secretary Linda McMahon to ensure compliance from institutions that receive federal financial aid. Noncompliance could trigger penalties under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965. The directive also mandates rigorous accuracy checks and public release of admissions statistics.The memorandum claims that despite the 2023 Supreme Court decision abolishing affirmative action, colleges continue to use "diversity statements" and other "racial proxies" in their admissions processes, which some conservatives consider illegal discrimination. Thus, the administration seeks to expose and possibly penalize colleges suspected of ignoring the ruling.
The Trump administration has already forced data-sharing settlements with Columbia University and Brown University in exchange for restoring their federal research funding. This directive establishes that model nationally.Supporters see it as a step toward greater transparency and compliance with the Supreme Court's ruling. But critics argue the move is designed to pressure schools into abandoning legally permissible diversity efforts.
Richard Kahlenberg, an advocate for class-based affirmative action, warned that collecting race data without socioeconomic data could risk misrepresenting admissions outcomes. For example, data might appear to show that Black and Hispanic students were admitted with lower test scores, in defiance of the Supreme Court decision, when a college might have actually been using information about students' family income as a factor."By failing to request the socioeconomic data, it looks like the administration is going to take us down this very extreme path where a university that achieves racial diversity is suspect, even if it uses a race-neutral means like socioeconomic status,' Kahlenberg said to the NYTimes.In the aftermath of the 2023 Supreme Court ruling, colleges have adapted by adding personal essays to gauge applicants' lived experiences. The ruling allowed race to be discussed if tied to a student's character or resilience, although banning it from explicit consideration.
Data from the first admissions cycle after the ruling showed mixed results. Some schools, like MIT and Amherst, saw steep drops in Black student enrollment, while other schools, like Princeton and UVA, held steady.The University of California system, which struck down affirmative action in 1996, could offer a glimpse into the potential long-term effects. Within two years of the ban, Black and Hispanic enrollment dropped by half at UC Berkeley and UCLA. The system has since implemented programs aimed at low-income and first-generation college students to expand racial diversity at each campus.Though Trump's executive order leans on existing federal data requirements, legal challenges may emerge. Critics point to potential violations of the federal student privacy law, arguing that the administration's goal is not necessarily enforcement, but ideological transformation.The directive represents a significant expansion of federal oversight into college admissions practices, particularly those involving race and diversity.
This story was originally reported by L.A. Mag on Aug 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
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