Full Breakdown
DOJ Finds GWU Medical School Discriminated in Admissions
8/30/2026, 11:27:54 AM
Core Findings
The Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division concluded that George Washington University’s School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS) “intentionally discriminated” against White and Asian applicants while giving preferential treatment to Black and Hispanic candidates for the 2024-2025 admission cycles. SMHS selected Black applicants for interviews at a higher rate, awarded them higher interview scores, and admitted Black students whose MCAT scores were lower than those of White or Asian peers. The DOJ says the school used essay questions designed to infer race despite university guidance prohibiting reliance on self-reported racial data after the 2023 Supreme Court ruling in *Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard*.
Background & Context
The 2023 Supreme Court decision barred explicit racial preferences in college admissions, allowing race only as one factor among many. Since the start of the Trump administration’s second term, the DOJ has launched a broad crackdown on DEI programs, opening investigations at more than 50 institutions. Earlier this year, the DOJ announced findings of illegal race-based admissions at Duke University School of Law and three University of California medical schools, and it opened investigations into 15 additional medical schools in June.
Data & Statistics
- Interview selection: Black applicants received interviews at a markedly higher rate than comparable Asian applicants.
- Interview scores: Black candidates earned disproportionately higher interview scores than Asian peers.
- MCAT performance: Admitted Black students in 2024-2025 scored lower on the MCAT than admitted White or Asian students.
- Enrollment trends: One source reports SMHS enrollment fell from 2,107 in 2024 to 1,847 in 2025, with White enrollment down about 2 %, Black and Hispanic enrollment also down roughly 2 %, and Asian enrollment up 0.4 %. Another source notes under-represented minorities comprised 25.7 % of the Class of 2028.
Official Statements & Responses
- DOJ: Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet K. said the department is negotiating a settlement with GWU and will file suit if talks fail.
- University leadership: President Ellen Granberg, in a campus-wide email, said officials are “closely reviewing” the DOJ letter but are limited in what they can disclose.
- University spokesperson: Katelyn Deckelbaum echoed Granberg’s position, stating the admissions process “fully complies with the law” and that the university is “disappointed” by the DOJ’s conclusions.
- Provost’s office (2023): Updated admissions guidelines to replace explicit race-based criteria with a “resilience rating” and introduced essay prompts intended to capture applicants’ personal identities without self-reported race data.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Enrollment figures: The decline in total enrollment and modest drops among White, Black, and Hispanic students differ from the claim that under-represented minorities now represent 25.7 % of the incoming class, a metric that does not address overall enrollment size.
- Scope of investigation: DOJ officials have not disclosed whether SMHS was among the 15 medical schools investigated in June, leaving the precise breadth of the probe unclear.
- Antisemitism complaints: Separate DOJ correspondence cites eight discrimination complaints related to Jewish or Israeli identity between April 25 and May 1, 2024, which the university allegedly failed to address meaningfully; the current admissions finding does not elaborate on this issue.
What’s Next
The DOJ has indicated it will seek a settlement to bring SMHS’s admissions practices into compliance with Title VI and the 2023 Supreme Court decision. If negotiations fail, the department plans to file a civil lawsuit. The university has not confirmed whether it will contest the allegations in court, but it has pledged to continue reviewing its admissions procedures for compliance.
