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DOJ Determines UCLA Law School Illegally Considered Race in Admissions
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DOJ Finding on UCLA Law Admissions
The U.S. Justice Department announced that the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law violated federal law by using race as a factor in its admissions decisions for the 2023, 2024, and 2025 entering classes. The department’s analysis concluded that the school favored Black and Hispanic applicants over white and Asian-American candidates, resulting in a lower average LSAT score among admitted Black students than among admitted white students. Investigators also said admissions staff directed prospective students during recruitment events—such as a “Diversity Admissions Open House”—on how to disclose their race in personal-statement essays.
Legal Context and Prior Actions
Affirmative-action programs in college admissions were declared unlawful by the Supreme Court in 2023, though institutions may still consider applicants’ broader backgrounds. California voters had already prohibited race-based admissions in public colleges through a 1997 ballot measure, a change the UC system later argued caused a sharp decline in enrollment of underrepresented minorities at its most selective campuses. The Justice Department’s finding follows earlier allegations that UCLA’s medical school and other UC campuses, including UC Berkeley Law and UC San Diego’s medical school, engaged in similar discriminatory practices.
Data Highlighted in the Investigation
- Admission years examined: 2023-2025
- Race groups favored: Black and Hispanic applicants
- Race groups disadvantaged: White and Asian-American applicants
- Academic metric: Admitted Black students’ mean LSAT score was lower than that of admitted white students
Official Statements & Responses
The Justice Department, through its Civil Rights Division, emphasized its commitment to enforcing equal treatment under the law in all law schools.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Like many of its peer institutions, UCLA Law School runs a two-tiered admissions system whose academic bar for acceptance shifts up or down depending on the color of your skin,” — Harmeet Dhillon
The department’s findings could prompt UCLA to modify its admissions practices voluntarily or face further legal action if compliance is not achieved.