Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management

This study examines the effect of banning race-conscious admissions policies on the postsecondary enrollment and degree attainment of underrepresented minority students using a difference-in-differences identification strategy. This exogenous shock is found to be associated with reallocation of underrepresented minority students not only between institutions but also across academic programs within an institution. On average, the ban decreased black enrollment (completion) by 0.39 (0.28) percentage points at four-year institutions. The ban’s effect is larger at high-selectivity institutions with a decrease of black enrollment (completion) by 1.58 (1.02) percentage points. No statistically significant effect is found on students’ college major choice at four-year institutions; however, the effect becomes significant once institutional selectivity is controlled. In particular, black students are dissuaded from selecting STEM majors at high-selectivity institutions. One possible explanation could be the strong correlation between one’s actual major choice and the composition of intended majors among own racial group. Taken together, the results imply that supports for underrepresented minority students in STEM should be supplemented to enhance racial equity across majors which has been worsened by the elimination of race-conscious admissions policies.