Currently, American University (AU) uses a legacy preference when considering which applicants to admit into the University. The legacy preference (also known as legacy admissions) gives an advantage to applicants based on their familial ties to alumni of that institution. It mostly benefits white students and those from affluent families, undermining efforts to make the campus more socioeconomically and racially diverse. It is not an indicator of the intelligence or potential of a student.
More than 100 universities have eliminated the legacy preference in college admissions, including John Hopkins University, the University of California at Berkeley, the University of Washington, Cambridge University, and Oxford University.
AU’s college admissions practices must align with its goals of being a place of leadership, inclusivity, and global education where diversity of identities and experiences is celebrated. The legacy preference contradicts this as it is an outright example of systemic racism. AU must eliminate this century’s old practice and open more seats to first-generation college students and students of color from Washington, D.C!
Tell American University to abolish the legacy preference!