"Philadelphia Colleges Buck the Trend as Nationwide Diversity Drops"
The Supreme Court's 2023 decision gutting affirmative action has had an unexpected consequence in Philadelphia: increased diversity among university students. Data from Temple, La Salle, and other local institutions shows a significant surge in black student enrollment, while Ivy League schools nationwide have seen a decline.
At Temple University, the share of white freshmen plummeted from 56.9% to 28.5% between 2018 and 2024, with an even steeper drop-off in the number of Asian students – dropping by nearly 6 percentage points. In contrast, black student numbers skyrocketed, rising from 12.3% to 29.7% over the same period.
Similar trends can be seen at La Salle University, where white students comprised 46.9% of the freshman class in 2018, compared to 26.3% by 2024. Meanwhile, black student numbers increased dramatically, from 18.7% to 37.7%.
These shifts are attributed to a "cascade" effect, where college admissions teams previously considered racial identity as one factor among many in their decision-making process. The loss of this consideration following the Supreme Court ruling has led to an increase in diversity at state universities and other institutions with more relaxed admissions standards.
The University of Pennsylvania is notable for its lack of change in diversity numbers. White students still make up around 21.9% of the freshman class, while black student numbers remain steady.
While some Philadelphia colleges have bucked the trend, others are experiencing similar drops in diversity. Drexel, Villanova, and Saint Joseph's universities all saw decreases in white student enrollment, with modest gains in black and Hispanic students.
Critics caution that this shift may be driven by the loss of "safety schools" for underrepresented groups, forcing them to seek out less selective institutions as they displace one another. This raises concerns about the long-term impact on diversity and student outcomes.
As the nation grapples with the implications of affirmative action, Philadelphia colleges are taking a different path – one that prioritizes diversity in a post-racial admissions landscape.
The Supreme Court's 2023 decision gutting affirmative action has had an unexpected consequence in Philadelphia: increased diversity among university students. Data from Temple, La Salle, and other local institutions shows a significant surge in black student enrollment, while Ivy League schools nationwide have seen a decline.
At Temple University, the share of white freshmen plummeted from 56.9% to 28.5% between 2018 and 2024, with an even steeper drop-off in the number of Asian students – dropping by nearly 6 percentage points. In contrast, black student numbers skyrocketed, rising from 12.3% to 29.7% over the same period.
Similar trends can be seen at La Salle University, where white students comprised 46.9% of the freshman class in 2018, compared to 26.3% by 2024. Meanwhile, black student numbers increased dramatically, from 18.7% to 37.7%.
These shifts are attributed to a "cascade" effect, where college admissions teams previously considered racial identity as one factor among many in their decision-making process. The loss of this consideration following the Supreme Court ruling has led to an increase in diversity at state universities and other institutions with more relaxed admissions standards.
The University of Pennsylvania is notable for its lack of change in diversity numbers. White students still make up around 21.9% of the freshman class, while black student numbers remain steady.
While some Philadelphia colleges have bucked the trend, others are experiencing similar drops in diversity. Drexel, Villanova, and Saint Joseph's universities all saw decreases in white student enrollment, with modest gains in black and Hispanic students.
Critics caution that this shift may be driven by the loss of "safety schools" for underrepresented groups, forcing them to seek out less selective institutions as they displace one another. This raises concerns about the long-term impact on diversity and student outcomes.
As the nation grapples with the implications of affirmative action, Philadelphia colleges are taking a different path – one that prioritizes diversity in a post-racial admissions landscape.
! I mean, who would've thought that losing affirmative action would lead to more diversity on campus? It's like the pendulum swung in a weird way and now Philly colleges are reaping the benefits 
. The fact that Temple and La Salle are bucking the trend is amazing - it shows that they're not afraid to take a stand and prioritize diversity, even if it means going against the national average.
. I guess you could say that the loss of affirmative action was like a wake-up call for these institutions, making them realize that diversity is still super important 
.
. Who knows, maybe this will inspire other colleges to take a closer look at their admissions policies and make some positive changes too! 
temple university used to be like 90% white lol now it's like 70% black students thats wild but idk if its a good thing or bad thing im not sure about the whole affirmative action thing can't say i agree with the supreme court decision
It's like they're saying, "Hey, we want to be diverse and inclusive, even if it means being different from everyone else." 
Temple University's numbers are crazy, btw - 29.7% black students? That's like, major progress! 
And I'm not surprised La Salle is seeing a rise in diversity too, they've always been pretty chill about admissions. 
The whole "cascade effect" thing makes sense, though. If colleges used to consider racial identity alongside other factors, that changes the game when those factors become less relevant. 
So yeah, I'm all for Philly taking the lead on this and making diversity a priority! 
I'm also kinda stoked that Temple University is like, totally embracing its new black student vibe – 29.7% is no joke! 
by this trend of Philly colleges bucking the national decline in diversity! I mean, what's up with everyone else just giving up on being inclusive and welcoming to all students? 
Like, how can we expect everyone to succeed if we just abandon our support systems? I'm all for competition and meritocracy, but not at the expense of equity and access. This shift is a step in the right direction, Philly colleges are showing us that diversity matters 
But at the same time, I'm concerned about the potential long-term implications for diversity and student outcomes. What if this shift leads to less diverse classes? 
like it's just one factor in college apps who cares if they consider race? schools should be all about makin' sure everyone gets a shot, regardless of their background. and yeah, Philly colleges are killin' the game right now 
Drexel & Villanova can't touch these universities that are actually tryna create a diverse student body
anyway i think it's kinda cool that they're making an effort to increase diversity, even if it is because of a weird circumstance 
when schools prioritize diversity over grades, who's really getting an education? 
[image of a person with a question mark above their head]
... anyway back to Philly colleges, I guess it's kinda cool that they're bucking the trend and becoming more diverse, but at the same time, isn't it weird that the Supreme Court decision had such an unexpected effect? Like, did we really expect universities to just magically become more inclusive or something? 
. I mean, what's really going on here? Are these schools just magically becoming more inclusive overnight? Or are they just attracting a different kind of student who happens to fit the new admissions criteria? 
. Like, how does one decision lead to this massive shift in diversity numbers? Is it just a coincidence that colleges started considering racial identity as a factor again after the Supreme Court ruling? 
.
Like, who exactly is displaced here? The students who get in and the ones who don't?