Harvard Law Sees Sharp Drop in Black and Hispanic Enrollment Post-Affirmative Action Ruling

The Supreme Court's 2023 decision on race-conscious admissions has significantly impacted diversity at Harvard Law, with Black enrollment hitting a 60-year low.

Harvard Law's first-year class of 2027 includes only 19 Black students, down from 43 in 2023, marking the lowest Black enrollment since 1965.
Hispanic enrollment also declined sharply, with 32 students in the current class compared to 63 the previous year, while Asian enrollment increased from 103 to 132 students.
The Supreme Court's 2023 ruling barring race-conscious admissions has prompted universities, including Harvard, to revise their admissions processes to comply with the decision.
While overall racial and ethnic diversity in law school enrollment nationwide remained steady, Harvard experienced one of the most significant declines in Black and Hispanic enrollment among top law schools.
Harvard Law officials emphasized their commitment to fostering diversity and cautioned against drawing broad conclusions from one year of data.