New regulations from the U.S. Department of Education: Gradually cancel "legacy admissions" to promo

The U.S. Department of Education today (July 23, 2025) issued new rules requiring universities that receive federal funding to phase out "legacy admissions," the practice of giving priority to children of alumni. This policy is intended to reduce barriers to privilege in higher education and promote a more level playing field for admissions. The new rules will take effect in the fall semester of 2026 and are expected to affect top schools such as Harvard and Yale that have long relied on legacy admissions56.

1. Main content of the new rules

Scope of application: All universities that receive federal funding, including private and public institutions.

Implementation time: Freshmen entering in the fall of 2026 will be the first to be subject to the new rules.

Prohibited measures:

It is prohibited to consider applicants' alumni relatives (such as parents, grandparents, etc.) during the admission process.

It is prohibited to give admission preferences based on donor status7.

Compliance requirements: Universities must submit annual reports to the Department of Education to prove their compliance with the new rules, otherwise they may face federal funding cuts5.

2. Policy background: controversy over legacy admissions

Intensifying educational inequality: Studies have shown that the beneficiaries of legacy admissions are mostly wealthy white families. The admission rate of children of Harvard alumni is 6-8 times that of ordinary applicants, and nearly 70% of them are white56.

Impact of the Supreme Court ruling: In 2023, the US Supreme Court ruled that the "Affirmative Action" in college admissions was unconstitutional, prompting the Ministry of Education to strengthen supervision of other unfair admissions policies5.

Many states have already banned it: California, Maryland and other states have enacted laws to prohibit public universities from adopting legacy admissions, and California has recently extended the ban to private universities (such as Stanford and USC)67.

3. University response and adjustment

Some prestigious universities have taken the initiative to reform:

Johns Hopkins University (cancelled legacy admissions since 2014, and the proportion of alumni children has dropped from 8.5% to 1.7%)3.

Carnegie Mellon University (cancelled preferential treatment for alumni children in 2023)8.

Wesleyan University, Amherst College, and others have also terminated the policy5.

Harvard, Yale, and others face pressure:

Harvard University was previously sued by civil rights organizations for legacy admissions, and data shows that the admission rate of its alumni children is much higher than that of ordinary applicants5.

Yale, Princeton, and others have not yet completely canceled legacy admissions, but may be forced to adjust their policies under the new regulations6.

4. Potential impact

✅ Positive impact:

Promote educational equity: More students from ordinary families have the opportunity to enter top universities.

Improve academic competitiveness: Admission standards focus more on academic ability rather than family background5.

Reduce legal risks: Avoid facing lawsuits or federal penalties due to discriminatory admissions policies5.

⚠️ Challenges and controversies:

Alumni donations may decrease: Some universities are worried that canceling legacy admissions will affect alumni's willingness to donate (although cases such as Johns Hopkins show that the impact is limited)3.

Difficulty of implementation: Some private universities may seek legal challenges or retain preferential policies in disguised form7.

Adjustment during the transition period: Universities need to modify their admissions systems, which may affect the admissions process in the short term6.

5. Future Outlook

More states may follow up with legislation: The California model may be emulated by other states, further compressing the space for legacy admissions6.

The key to the attitude of the Supreme Court: If the new regulations face litigation, how the conservative-majority Supreme Court decides will determine whether the policy survives or fails5.

Long-term educational equity: The policy may reshape the elite education system in the United States and reduce class solidification, but the actual effect still needs to be observed36.

Conclusion: The new regulations of the U.S. Department of Education mark a major progress in the equity of higher education, but whether the "legacy privilege" can be completely ended still depends on the university's willingness to comply, legal challenges and the continued promotion of public opinion.