July 24, 2023
For One College, Dropping Legacy Admissions Is Good PR — Among Other Things
Michael S. Roth is open about why his institution recently ended legacy admissions: It got him in the news.
“I got to talk with many people about the work we’re doing to recruit veterans or work we’re doing in Title I high schools,” said Roth, president of Wesleyan University, in Connecticut, of the dozens of media interviews he did in the 24 hours since the university announced its decision. “Or work we’re doing in Africa now to create a cohort of African students on full scholarship every year.” It’s also a way, Roth said, to communicate to high-school students from backgrounds that are underrepresented at selective colleges — Black and Latina/o students, first-generation students — that Wesleyan might accept them.
“I got to talk with many people about the work we’re doing to recruit veterans or work we’re doing in Title I high schools,” said Roth, president of Wesleyan University, in Connecticut, of the dozens of media interviews he did in the 24 hours since the university announced its decision. “Or work we’re doing in Africa now to create a cohort of African students on full scholarship every year.” It’s also a way, Roth said, to communicate to high-school students from backgrounds that are underrepresented at selective colleges — Black and Latina/o students, first-generation students — that Wesleyan might accept them.