Stanford to continue legacy admissions and withdraw from Cal Grants
15 days ago
- #legacy preferences
- #education policy
- #college admissions
- Stanford University will continue to consider legacy status in admissions for fall 2026, withdrawing from the Cal Grant program to comply with California's AB 1780 law.
- California's AB 1780 prohibits legacy and donor preferences in admissions at independent universities, effective September 2025.
- Stanford will replace lost Cal Grant funding with university funds to maintain financial aid for students.
- California is the fifth state to ban legacy admissions, with private institutions like USC and Stanford previously favoring legacy applicants.
- Stanford's decision to continue legacy admissions has faced criticism for favoring wealthy alumni and donor families.
- Legacy admissions have been scrutinized for racial disparities, with white students disproportionately benefiting from such preferences.
- The Supreme Court's ruling against race-conscious admissions has intensified debates over legacy preferences and racial equity in college admissions.
- The U.S. Department of Education will now require colleges to report race and sex data for applicants, admitted students, and enrollees.