Questions and Answers About Undergraduate Admissions Following the 2023 Supreme Court Ruling

Earlier today, MIT Admissions shared demographic statistics regarding the incoming Class of 2028, the first cohort approved following the Supreme Court’s ruling in Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) v. Harvard, which abolished the consideration of race in undergraduate admissions. Stu Schmill ’86, the Dean of Admissions and Student Financial Services, predicted in a blog post last June the decline in the proportion of first-year students from historically underrepresented racial and ethnic groups.

MIT News engaged with Schmill to discuss the implications of this shift, the significance of diversity in the MIT educational experience, and the future steps. Schmill also penned a personal reflection on the MIT Admissions blog.

Q: What impact does the Supreme Court’s decision have on MIT’s Class of 2028?
A: In June, the Supreme Court mandated that educational institutions receiving federal funds must not factor in race during undergraduate admissions. As outlined in a previous blog post, this policy change led to a decrease in the representation of Black, Hispanic, and/or Native American and Pacific Islander students in the Class of 2028, dropping from around 25% in preceding years to approximately 16%.

This alteration reflects a sizable demographic transformation in the upcoming class compared to recent enrollments. However, Schmill clarifies that this shift does not affect the predetermined criteria used to evaluate academic potential at MIT, emphasizing that the current cohort remains equally primed for success academically.

Within the realm of MIT admissions, the institution only selects applicants who surpass their rigorous standards of academic readiness. Acknowledging the value of diversity in education, MIT strives to compile a versatile and outstanding student body encompassing a broad spectrum of interests, competencies, and experiences.