Episode 15: Is Race-Conscious Admissions Wrong?

Everyone is asking us about the affirmative action case that was being argued in front of the U.S. Supreme Court last week. Due to the conservative makeup of the Court, race-conscious admissions may be deemed illegal, which would eliminate colleges' ability to use race as a factor in the admissions process. If affirmative action is ruled unlawful, the Class of 2024, the current high school juniors will be the first group of students in decades to go through the admissions process without it. What does all this mean? With so much to unpack, we called in an admissions and Affirmative Action superhero to break it all down. As one of the leading advocates for diversity, equity and justice in college admissions, Marie Bigham has few peers who can mirror her extensive college admissions knowledge and experience. As the Founder and Executive Director of ACCEPT (Admissions Community Cultivating Equity & Peace Today), she leads an advocacy group and community that centers on racial justice in the college admissions process and profession. Recently named a “Global Game Changer” by Facebook, Marie is a national leader in college admission redesign and reform. In 2018, ACCEPT received the Excellence in Education Award from the National Association for College Admissions Counseling, awarded to “those who use their prominence to advance equity and access in education”. If anyone knows about this case and its implications, it’s Marie. Listen up and learn. A lot.