The Justice Department accused the University of California, Los Angeles law school of illegally considering race during admissions processes on Thursday. The department stated that the law school discriminated against white and Asian American students by giving preference to Black and Hispanic applicants for its incoming classes in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
Analysis from the department found that the average LSAT score for admitted Black applicants was lower than that for admitted white applicants. Furthermore, admissions staff at the law school reportedly instructed applicants during recruitment events, such as the “Diversity Admissions Open House,” on how to disclose their race within essays.
In response to the accusations, the UCLA School of Law denied the claims. The law school maintained that it remains dedicated to making admissions decisions that comply with all applicable laws.
A federal judge previously halted efforts to force higher education institutions to release data covering the race and sex of applicants, admitted students, and enrolled students.
Harmeet Dhillon, head of the justice department’s civil rights division, stated, “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, head of the justice department’s civil rights division
