How Career Clarity Helps High School Students in College Planning Post SFFA v. Harvard, UNC

Uncertainty hangs over many high school students, parents and guardians, school counselors and higher education consultants right now. 2024 will be the first college admissions cycle since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that affirmative action in the admissions process is unconstitutional. While the decision was not a complete surprise, its full impact is unknown.

Your student’s unique career path

What we do know is that all students must clearly communicate their individual qualities in the admissions process, which is where some self-clarity about one’s career path and areas of study comes in. Here is one example. While colleges cannot admit one student over another due to race, they can consider a student’s description of how their race impacts their career direction and major choices, such as a desire to improve the diversity in a career field (such as law enforcement, STEM, politics, teaching, business).

For all students, career and major exploration can lead to better communication about one’s individual perspective and goals for the future.  This doesn’t mean students have to make a final choice of career or major. They just need a little direction and self-clarity based on real data.

When students,

• reflect on the high school classes and activities they like and do well in,

• identify their strongest Holland personality types, and

• identify a few Career Key work groups of careers or majors (Realistic example) that interest them,

they can gain a sense of confidence about where they will fit in and be successful.

When a student feels safe to start the career conversation with “I don’t know,” chances are after a few exploration and assessment activities they will start to reach a few conclusions. Students will,

• become more curious about the majors colleges offer.

• start to see a more complete picture of themselves and how majors and careers apply to their future, and

• write more effectively about their career interests in college essays.

Learn more

To dive deeper into the current college admissions landscape, visit NACAC’s excellent resource page on the Supreme Court and Race-Conscious Admissions.

It includes new (Aug. 14, 2023) Q and A guidance from U.S. Departments of Justice and Education to higher education. (PDF)

Here is a short summary of the race-neutral strategies colleges and universities are now exploring to increase student diversity:

1. Preference for Economically Disadvantaged Students: Some institutions have implemented policies that give preference to economically disadvantaged students of all races. This approach aims to address socioeconomic disparities and promote diversity.

2. Admitting Top Proportion of Students from All High Schools: Another approach is to admit the top proportion of students from all high schools in a state. This strategy ensures representation from a wide range of schools and can help increase diversity.

3. Geographic Representation: Colleges may prioritize applicants from geographically underrepresented areas where there may be fewer students from certain racial or ethnic backgrounds. This approach aims to enhance diversity by considering regional disparities.

4. Discretionary Factors: Some institutions may put more weight on discretionary factors such as personal qualities, life experiences, or unique talents. This approach allows for a holistic evaluation of applicants and can help identify diverse candidates