Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Ensures Transparency in Higher Education Admissions

Ensuring Accountability in Higher Education:President Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum requiring higher education institutions that receive federal financial assistance to be transparent about their admissions practices.The Secretary of Education is directed to revamp the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) to make admissions data more accessible and understandable for parents and students.The scope of required reporting for admissions data will be expanded, and accuracy checks will be increased. Remedial action will be taken if institutions fail to submit timely, complete, or accurate data.Ending Discriminatory Race-Based Admissions:The fact sheet references the 2023 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that consideration of race in higher education admissions violates students’ civil rights.Concerns remain about the use of “diversity statements” and other racial proxies in admissions.The Memorandum requires institutions to submit data to verify that admissions do not involve unlawful discrimination, providing the public with a more holistic view of admissions factors.Advancing Reforms in Higher Education:President Trump’s administration has taken several actions in 2025, including an Executive Order to end DEI preferences, a Proclamation suspending entry of foreign nationals to Harvard, and resolutions with universities to restore women’s sports records and ensure merit-based hiring and admissions.Settlements with Columbia and Brown Universities require access to all relevant data to assess compliance with merit-based commitments.