New California Law Bans Legacy and Donor Admissions. What That Means [Video]

A new law has been signed in California that bans private, nonprofit colleges and universities from giving special preference to students with “personal connections.”

legacy and donor preferences during the admissions process at private nonprofit colleges and universities.

In a press release published Monday, Sept. 30, California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office announced AB 1780 had officially been signed into law. The bill, written by Assemblymember Phil Ting, a Democrat representing San Francisco, was proposed after the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling in June 2023 restricting the use of race in college admissions. 

Proponents of the new law said the goal is “ensure that factors like wealth or personal relationships do not unduly influence admissions decisions,” according to Newsom’s office.

The new law means that students who have parents that previously attended a specific private, nonprofit school will not have an advantage in the admissions process over students with no parental connection to the …