The Supreme Court will make a major ruling regarding the future of affirmative action in college admissions by the middle of next summer. This issue is controversial, and both sides of the argument are being considered.

However, more attention needs to be given to the possibility that affirmative action isn’t an effective way to lay the basis of our society. The only way to create a society with true racial equality is to stop considering race in the admission process.

By considering race, we are drawing lines and creating differences where none have to exist. A truly just admissions process would review each applicant holistically. It would look at each applicant in a multifaceted way, emphasizing their academic and extracurricular achievement while looking for strength of character in personal essays.

In this model, for example, the strength of a student’s essay on his or her perspective of the world being of a certain race can be a great reason to consider admitting the student; however, race alone shouldn’t be factored into the admissions decision. The color of someone’s skin doesn’t tell you anything about the traits that qualify them for college. The color of someone’s skin also does not tell you anything about that individual’s socioeconomic background.

Yes, it’s true that if you look at national averages, some races are more likely to come from impoverished backgrounds and lower-performing schools. However, it is this strategy of clinging to averages while ignoring applicants’ individual situations that drives the inefficient process of affirmative action. There are several applicants that come from impoverished backgrounds and lower-performing schools who aren’t of a race that is covered under the affirmative-action umbrella. At the same time, in modern America, there are several individuals that come from more fortunate backgrounds who are of a race that is covered by
affirmative action.

If America’s colleges really want to help create a truly just, racially equal society, it should retire the theory that certain races need extra consideration to succeed and adopt the better theory that students from impoverished backgrounds need special consideration to succeed, no
matter their race.