For years, University of Maryland College Park emphasized grades and scores in its undergraduate admissions review process for first-year applicants. Yet, this August, when University of Maryland College Park released its supplement to the Common Application, the university added a new essay prompt about diversity for students to respond to in 650 characters or fewer. Considering the recent Supreme Court ruling striking down race-based preferences in college admissions, how the information provided in student responses to this new prompt is assessed by the university’s admissions officials will determine whether University of Maryland has taken a 650-character leap into lawlessness or a legal loophole to June’s Supreme Court ruling. Read the full article here.
