The elite US universities used to be the go-to education hub for the children of rich individuals, including big politicians, celebrities, and rich donors. However, the US is slowly abolishing the "legacy admissions" promoting merit-based education. This Monday, California became the fifth state to do so as Governor Gavin Newsom signed the bill into law.

Newson, while signing the bill, stated, "In California, everyone should be able to get ahead through merit, skill, and hard work." "The California Dream shouldn't be accessible to just a lucky few, which is why we're opening the door to higher education wide enough for everyone, fairly," he added.

Phil Ting, the Democratic state legislator who wrote the bill, highlighted that "hard work, good grades, and a well-rounded background should earn you a spot in the incoming class – not the size of the cheque your family can write or who you’re related to.” 

legacy admissions
Image Source: Shiksha

This ban not only applies to public educational institutions, but it also stretches its branches to private and nonprofit institutions. The bill is expected to commence in September 2025. Colorado was the first state to impose the ban on legacy admissions in 2021, after which other states like Illinois, Maryland, and Virginia followed in its footsteps, and California is the latest addition to the list.

This ban in multiple states follows the US Supreme Court's decision to abolish race-based admission in college admissions, a decision seen by critics as targeting mainly Black students. The case highlighted how white scholars were getting admissions through the means of practices like legacy admission.

Cases of Legacy Admissions in California

According to reports and data, six California colleges and universities gave special preference to the relatives of alumni and donors in the fall of 2023. The list featured the University of Southern California with the top 1,791 students admitted in this category, Stanford University with 295 students, and Santa Clara University with 38 students under legacy admissions. However, the ban is expected to bring in some transparency in the admissions system.

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