Elimination of Legacy and Early Decision Admissions at Virginia Tech – My MBA Career

Last Updated on August 3, 2023 by Robert C. Hoopes

Title: Virginia Tech Eliminates Legacy Status and Early Decision Applications in Response to Supreme Court Ruling

Word Count: 365

Virginia Tech, a prominent university renowned for its exceptional academic programs, has recently announced significant changes to its admissions process. Starting in the 2023-2024 academic year, the university will no longer consider legacy status or accept early decision applicants. These alterations have been prompted by the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down affirmative action in June, which prohibits schools from using an applicant’s race as a consideration in admissions.

In an effort to improve the admissions process and provide equal opportunities to all qualified applicants, Virginia Tech has taken this bold step to eliminate legacy admissions and early decision applications. Legacy students, although comprising only 12% of applicants, make up over 20% of the incoming class, suggesting that they possess competitive academic and extracurricular qualifications.

To level the playing field for all prospective students, the university will remove the early decision application deadline and shift the early action application due date to November 15th. Additionally, early decision agreements will no longer be binding, ensuring that students from all income backgrounds have an equal chance of admission.

Virginia Tech aligns itself with universities like Wesleyan University, which have also eliminated legacy admissions to foster diversity within their student bodies. By embracing these changes, Virginia Tech aims to promote equal access to education and opportunity for all aspiring students.

Following suit, the University of Virginia will remove checkbox options regarding an applicant’s race or ethnicity. Instead, students will be given the opportunity to express their backgrounds and experiences through an essay, allowing for a more holistic approach to evaluating applicants.

In response to the Supreme Court’s decision, other universities such as Howard University, Bowie State University, and American University are similarly exploring ways to promote diversity and provide equal access to education for underrepresented populations.

As these changes promise to transform the landscape of college admissions, students and families are encouraged to sign up for breaking news and daily headlines from ‘My MBA Career’ via email to stay informed about this ongoing development.

In conclusion, Virginia Tech’s decision to eliminate legacy status and early decision applications is a definitive move towards creating a fairer and more inclusive admissions process. By aligning with other universities in promoting diversity, these institutions are actively reshaping the landscape of higher education to provide equal opportunities for all qualified students.