The U.S. Department of Education has ordered nearly 2,200 colleges to compile seven years of admissions data under the Admissions and Consumer Transparency Supplement (ACTS), with institutions required to submit detailed breakdowns by March 18. The rush to comply has landed as a heavy administrative burden on small offices: John Brown University’s single institutional-research director reported spending weeks extracting legacy records. Colleges warn the speed and scope of the collection could lead to compliance errors and steep penalties, including fines or loss of federal aid. The requirement follows the Supreme Court’s 2023 ban on affirmative action and reflects the administration’s intent to police admissions practices; institutions say the formal notice and tight timeline have strained registrars and data teams.