Poll: Most in U.S. say race should play role in admissions

63% — with little divide along political or racial lines — say Supreme Court should not block policy at colleges

WASHINGTON — As the Supreme Court decides the fate of affirmative action, most U.S. adults say the court should allow colleges to consider race as part of the admissions process, yet few believe students’ race should ultimately play a major role in decisions, according to a new poll.

The May poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found 63% say the Supreme Court should not block colleges from considering race or ethnicity in their admission systems. The poll found little divide along political or racial lines.

But those polled were more likely to say factors including grades and standardized test scores should be important, while 68% of adults said race and ethnicity should not be a significant factor.

The poll reflects general support for affirmative action even as the future of the practice remains in doubt. The Supreme Court is expected to rule soon on lawsuits challenging admissions systems at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina. With a conservative majority on the court, many college leaders are bracing for a decision that could scale back or eliminate the use of race in admissions.

Americans’ views on race in admissions generally line up with the way colleges say they use it.

Many colleges say race is one of many factors that officials can weigh when choosing which students get accepted. They say it is not a large influence but may sometimes give an edge to underrepresented students in close decisions.

Critics, however, say the impact is much stronger than colleges let on. A 2009 analysis by sociologist Thomas Espenshade at Princeton University found, at highly selective private colleges, the boost for Black applicants was equivalent to 310 points on the SAT exam, compared to a 130-point bump given to poor students.

It’s unknown how many colleges consider race in admissions, and the practice has been outlawed in nine states, including California, Michigan and Florida.

Layla Trombley sees it as a matter of fairness. White students have long had the upper hand in admissions because of institutional racism, said Trombley, 47, who is half Black. Affirmative action helps even the playing field, she said.

“It seems like it’s hard to get in if you don’t have that help, just because we’re not traditionally thought of as industrious or smart or hardworking,” she said.

She said she experienced that kind of bias growing up in a mostly white area.

To Jana Winston, college admissions should be a matter of merit and nothing more. Students should be chosen based on their grades, test scores and extracurricular activities, she said.

“I don’t think race should have anything in the world to do with it,” said Winston, of Batesburg-Leesville, who is half white and half Cherokee.

Giving a preference to students of certain races is unfair to others who are just as academically qualified, she said.

“There’s a lot of kids that work really, really hard, and I don’t like the idea of them being pushed out of the way just because the college feels like they need to do something politically correct,” said Winston, 50, who is politically moderate and works at Walmart.