Universities Ramp Up Enrollment of Low-Income Students Amid Policy Changes

Thu Dec 11 2025 10:00:48 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In response to the end of affirmative action policies, elite U.S. colleges are seeing historic increases in the enrollment of low-income students, employing various strategies to attract diverse talent.

Following the Supreme Court's ban on affirmative action, prestigious universities are prioritizing low-income enrollments, leading to record numbers of Pell Grant recipients. Institutions like Princeton, MIT, and Swarthmore are implementing strategies such as free tuition and targeted recruitment efforts in economically disadvantaged areas. However, concerns arise over potential legal implications and the impact on racial diversity.

In a pivotal shift in higher education policies, several elite universities across the United States are making significant strides to increase the enrollment of low-income students. This change has become imperative since the Supreme Court imposed restrictions on affirmative action, prompting institutions to focus on economic diversity instead.

While America’s top colleges continue to showcase a wealth of students from affluent backgrounds, many institutions are proactively reaching out to underserved communities, both urban and rural, and offering incentives like free tuition to attract students from lower-income families.

Princeton University, for instance, has reported that about one in four students in its latest freshman class qualify for federal Pell grants, a jump from less than 10% two decades ago. Princeton's president, Christopher Eisgruber, emphasized the necessity of intentional policies focused on socioeconomic diversity to ensure greater inclusivity.

The ongoing federal scrutiny into this approach raises potential challenges. The previous administration claimed that prioritizing applicants based on family income or location could be a 'racial proxy' that violates recent Supreme Court decisions. Nonetheless, college leaders feel confident in their legal footing.

Despite these accomplishments, there's concern that focusing primarily on economic status could inadvertently affect racial diversity. For example, while Swarthmore College reported a significant rise in low-income student enrollment, the percentage of Black students has dwindled from 8% to 5% this year.

Notably, other prestigious institutions such as Yale, Duke, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have followed suit by setting records for Pell-eligible students as their admissions strategies evolve. These institutions attribute the uptick not only to federal expansions making more students eligible for grants but also to their dedicated recruiting efforts. MIT, for example, has raised low-income student admissions by 43% over two years, reflecting their commitment to equitable access to education.

As colleges work to create a more inclusive environment, the implications of differing admissions practices on racial diversity will continue to be scrutinized while they strive to navigate the evolving landscape of higher education policy.