Black Student Enrollment Grows Despite Supreme Court Ruling

The Supreme Court’s ruling against race-conscious admissions has not reduced Black student representation in the 2024 incoming college class, according to a new analysis.

Instead, Vector Solutions, a leading education software and data provider, found a slight increase in Black student enrollment, driven by growth at small public institutions.

Increase in Black Student Enrollment

Many feared that the Supreme Court’s ruling would drastically lower the number of Black students and other students of color in higher education.

However, Vector Solutions’ data, which includes responses from over 624,000 first-year students at more than 350 colleges and universities, found that Black student representation grew by 1.18% compared to 2023.

The most significant increase was seen at small public institutions, where Black student enrollment rose by 5.09%.

This finding contrasts some high-profile, selective schools like MIT that have reported declines in the diversity of their incoming classes.

Read: Yale And Princeton’s Black And Latine Enrollments Stable, Asian American Dips

Small Schools Lead the Way in Diversity Growth

In addition to the rise in Black student numbers, the overall representation of first-year students of color increased slightly by 0.23% nationally. Small schools, defined as those with fewer than 5,000 students, saw the biggest jump in diversity, with a 4.44% increase in students of color.

On the other hand, medium and large private institutions struggled, with representation of students of color dropping by 2.22% and 5.03%, respectively.

Black incoming first-year students at these institutions were also slightly down compared to last year, although this drop was less than students of color overall.

Adjusting to the Post-Affirmative Action Era

Rob Buelow, General Manager of Education at Vector Solutions, emphasized that while affirmative action is no longer part of the admissions process, many colleges are still finding ways to ensure diverse student bodies. 

“The end of Affirmative Action does not mean the end of equitable education opportunities at large,” Buelow said in a statement.

“[B]ut it will no doubt require adjustments and concerted efforts on the part of higher education institutions to continue positive change.”

However, as Buelow noted, colleges must focus on not only enrolling diverse students but also supporting them throughout their educational journey.

“Data collected through Vector Solutions’ trainings show that sense of belonging and perceptions of campus climate are far less positive for students of color,” he said, stressing the need for ongoing efforts to ensure these students succeed.