Wesleyan University Ending Legacy Admissions

MIDDLETOWN, CT – Wesleyan University, located at 45 Wyllys Ave., in Middletown, has decided to end its legacy admission, according to a statement released by university president Michael S. Roth.

“In the wake of the recent Supreme Court decision regarding affirmative action, we believe it's important to formally end admission preference for “legacy applicants,” Roth stated.

On Thursday, June 29, the U.S. Supreme Court ended race-conscious affirmative action policies used for decades by colleges and universities, forcing institutions of higher learning to find other ways to achieve more diverse student bodies.

Roth said they still value the ongoing relationship from multi-generational Wesleyan attendance, but there will be no “bump” in the selection process.

“As has been almost always the case for a long time, family members of alumni will be admitted on their own merits,” he said.

When they are choosing which students to admit to the university, Roth said they’ve never been fixated on a student’s racial identification or family affiliations but rather focused on the individual’s history, talent, potential to contribute to the university and to get the most out of a Wesleyan education.

“We have long taken an individualized, holistic view of an applicant's lived experience as seen through the college essay, high school record, letters of recommendation and interactions with our community," he said.

“Applicant’s achievements and promise are carefully considered in the context of their respective schools, public engagement and personal circumstances,” Roth said. “We will continue to do all of this.”

Read the full news release here.