New analysis using federal fall-enrollment data after Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard shows large differences at highly selective institutions. The Chronicle analysis found that nearly 70% of the most selective colleges (admitting fewer than 15% of applicants) saw declines in underrepresented minority enrollment from fall 2022 to fall 2024. Across those elite campuses, underrepresented minorities fell by 15%, and Black first-year enrollment declined by 26%, according to the report. Nationally, the Chronicle found underrepresented minority enrollment shares increased by 11% and Black shares by 8%, with increases spread across many institutions. The data set also indicates rising shares of students choosing not to disclose race, adding complexity to admissions and reporting metrics. For higher education leaders, the key operational takeaway is that compliance and admissions strategy changes are producing uneven demographic outcomes across selectivity tiers and individual campuses.
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