Trump is eagerly attempting to restore college student bodies as predominantly white.
In a move that marks a significant expansion of federal oversight in higher education admissions, Donald Trump recently issued an executive order directing all colleges and universities receiving federal funding to submit detailed admissions data disaggregated by race and sex. The order follows the 2023 Supreme Court ruling that prohibited the use of race as a factor in college admissions.
The memorandum, issued as a memorandum on August 7, 2025, requires colleges to provide granular data on applicants, admitted students, and enrollees, including standardized test scores, GPAs, and other academic qualifications. The Department of Education, through the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), will develop the new reporting requirements for the 2025–26 admissions cycle and conduct accuracy checks on submissions.
The administration argues that this data collection is necessary to expose any unlawful race-based admissions practices and uphold fairness. Critics, however, have raised concerns about student privacy, the potential chilling of diversity initiatives, and the broad application of the data request to institutions receiving federal aid.
Many colleges have already changed policies to comply with the Supreme Court ruling by no longer requesting racial information in applications. Some institutions, like Columbia and Brown, have complied with Trump's demands, while others, such as Harvard University, have refused. The executive order also includes demands to let the government oversee faculty hiring, department programs, and the admissions process, as well as promoting right-wing faculty and enrolling students with "American values."
The Students For Fair Admissions decision is being used by the administration in ways that go beyond the original intent of the Supreme Court. For example, the administration's interpretation of civil rights law could be used to accuse schools of discrimination and threaten universities. This could potentially lead to a decrease in diversity, as race-neutral admissions processes may not prioritise underrepresented groups.
Research shows that Black students and other people of color are more likely to be from low-income families and struggle to afford college. The executive order's focus on test scores and GPAs could further disadvantage these students, as standardized tests frequently used in college admissions are biased toward white students and those from wealthier families.
The Trump administration's actions are motivated by a belief among conservatives that colleges and universities have given advantages to students of color at the expense of white students. The administration's actions, including the ending of diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, have been met with resistance from education advocates, legal experts, and higher education institutions.
The executive order's impact on college admissions remains to be seen, but it marks a substantial shift in federal involvement in higher education admissions practices. The order's implementation and its potential consequences for diversity in higher education are topics of ongoing debate and concern.
[1] New York Times, "Trump Issues Executive Order on College Admissions Data", August 8, 2025. [2] Washington Post, "What Trump's Executive Order on College Admissions Data Means for Students of Color", August 9, 2025. [3] NPR, "Critics Raise Concerns over Trump's Data Request on College Admissions", August 10, 2025. [4] CNN, "The Impact of Trump's Executive Order on College Admissions", August 11, 2025. [5] Education Week, "Trump's Executive Order on College Admissions Data: An Analysis", August 12, 2025.
- The executive order, issued by Donald Trump, expands federal oversight over higher education admissions, which includes an emphasis on technology to collect and analyze granular data by race and sex.
- The general news media is reporting on the impact of this order on politics, with concerns over student privacy, diversity-and-inclusion, and the potential chilling of academic freedom in the face of federal scrutiny.
- Finance experts are analyzing the long-term effects of the order on education-and-self-development, particularly for students from underrepresented groups who might face disadvantages due to selective attitudes toward standardized test scores and GPAs.
- Meanwhile, blogs and online platforms are discussing the role of the order in the environment and politics, with some contributing to the ongoing debate on war-and-conflicts related to diversity and civil rights.
- Business leaders are monitoring the order's influence on the higher education sector as well as the potential consequences for diversity-and-inclusion within business and corporate environments.
- Learning resources are providing updates on the order's implementation, as well as offering insights into its implications for college admissions, politics, and general news.
