California Governor Gavin Newson signed a law to put a stop to legacy preferences at private universities. (File Photo: AFP)
The legislation will impact some of the USA’s renowned institutions including Stanford University and the University of Southern California.
California has banned the legacy admission to private universities and colleges in the state. Governor Gavin Newson signed a law to put a stop to legacy preferences at private universities where the children of alumni and donors were given preference in the admission process. The new law aims to address the growing concerns about equity in college admissions. The legislation which is set to be effective in September 2025 will impact some of the USA’s renowned institutions including Stanford University and the University of Southern California.
With the new legislation, California has become the fifth state to end the legacy admissions following Colorado, Illinois, and Virginia and Maryland. The law draws attention to the fact that connections with alumni of colleges and universities and wealth influence the admissions decisions at elite schools.