Legacy admissions at top U.S. universities perpetuate socioeconomic and racial disparities by benefitting wealthy, mostly white applicants. Evolving from a means to preserve Anglo-Protestant control, these policies continue with tenuous connections to alumni giving. In the absence of race-based affirmative action, legacy preferences are antithetical to meritocratic principles. This paper explores their origins, unequal effects, and increasing legal challenges, contending that ending legacy admissions is necessary for a more equitable higher education system.
