Strategy for Race-Conscious College Essays

Yesterday was Ivy Day, the day when all eight Ivy League schools release their Regular Decision results (with varying levels of detail). Many colleges are set to release their admissions decisions in the coming days as well. This will be the first admitted class since the Supreme Court ruling barring race-conscious admissions. Several theories have circulated as to what first-year classes will look like as a result. Many are worried that these classes will lack much racial and socioeconomic diversity.

Last year, the Supreme Court ruled that race can no longer be a factor in admissions decisions. What this means in practice is that colleges will no longer see the race(s) indicated by students in the personal section of their application. Therefore, colleges can’t use this information in admissions decisions. However, there is a loophole: A student can still write about their personal experiences involving their race in the admissions essays they submit as part of their application. 

Recently, Ivy Link’s founder, Adam Nguyen sat down with The Philadelphia Inquirer to talk about how a student might present their race when writing a personal essay. In the interview, he notes that simply writing about race will not sway admissions officers in a student’s favor. “We have to take each student and their background and look at the race component in the full context of who they are and what they achieved,” he said

Students should not just write about race as a way to exploit the loophole. They need to be able to connect their background directly to their achievements. They need to decide how to introduce their race into an essay organically, and without presenting this factor as some kind of “victim story.” This is easier said than done. 

At Ivy Link, we work with students individually throughout the essay writing process. From brainstorming to self-reflection to proofreading, we are there for it all. We have a number of programs available, including some that include advising on how to obtain last-minute profile boosters. Don’t wait to reach out, as spaces become full the closer we get to college application season.