College Board Discontinues Demographic Tool

On Tuesday, the College Board, which aims to assist schools and students in the admissions process, announced it is discontinuing its tool that provided colleges with demographic information regarding schools and neighborhoods.

This information was useful for understanding university and neighborhood income levels, helping colleges make informed assumptions about their student populations. The decision to shut down this service comes as a result of evolving federal and state policies. The College Board noted, “Since 2016, Landscape has provided consistent information about high schools and neighborhoods to help universities get a better understanding of where students live and learn. As federal and state policies continue to evolve around how agencies use demographic and geographic information, we are making changes to continue to serve students and institutions effectively.”

The tool was developed intentionally without incorporating data on race or ethnicity. However, it enabled schools to make assumptions that were aimed at promoting diversity within student organizations.

Even after a recent Supreme Court ruling prohibiting the consideration of race in admissions, some institutions have still found ways to target recruitment efforts in specific areas, subtly guiding students to discuss race within their application essays. Under the previous administration, certain racial mandates were also prohibited due to the Supreme Court’s decision and civil rights laws.

A memo on February 14 from the Department of Education detailing how the administration would enforce compliance with this ruling was blocked by a federal court. Despite that, the department has opened numerous investigations based on the Supreme Court’s decision.