Affirmative action in College Admissions: An argument against Racial Preferences and the Promise of Economic Affirmative Action

In June of 2003, the debate over the use of race-based preferential treatment in university and college admissions reached the chambers of our nation’s highest court. In two controversial cases, the United StatesSupreme Court upheld the use of race as a “plus” factor in the college admissions process. While the decision was a victory for advocates of racial affirmative action, the use of preferential treatment of racial minoritiesdoes not address the real problem of college admissions: the growing economic segregation on America’s campuses of higher education. It is the belief of the author that affirmative action in college admissions mustcontinue, but that preferences should target economic disadvantage rather than race in the admissions process