<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1LKSE3_0vhwlxUD00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1LKSE3_0vhwlxUD00" width="1040" height="632" ></figure>Iqra Athar ’26On Sept. 18, 2023, the Trinity Tripod interviewed Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid Matthew Hyde about the admissions landscape at Trinity College following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to end affirmative action in college admissions. The ruling is part of the Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard/UNC case that has forced institutions nationwide to reevaluate their admission strategies for maintaining diversity without racial categorization or quotas.During the interview, Hyde shared how Trinity has adapted by shifting toward holistic reviews and approaches to understand a candidate’s background. “The enormity of a young person can’t fit into the confines of a common application,” Hyde explained. He elaborated on the college’s efforts to assess the “merit beyond academics” of each applicant, focusing on how they engage with the world and their potential to contribute to a dynamic campus environment.Despite the ruling, Trinity remains committed to fostering a diverse educational community. “We’ve consistently evaluated academic merit. Beyond that, we now delve deeper into how students from historically underrepresented backgrounds might enrich our community,” Hyde remarked. The college introduced an optional essay prompt for students to discuss the identities they claim and the challenges they face, providing new avenues to understand applicants’ unique experiences and perspectives. Hyde emphasized that this move was designed to adapt to Justice Roberts’ allowance for considering the “experience of race” rather than race itself.In the data shared by Hyde (see figure), the Class of 2028 shows an increase in domestic students of color, rising from 23% last year to 31% this year. Notably, the Hispanic or Latino student population nearly doubled from 6.9% to 13.9% and Black or African American representation grew from 4.6% to 7.3%. Conversely, Asian student representation declined from 5.6% to 3.7% and White students decreased from 76.2% in the Class of 2025 to 66.2% in the Class of 2028, reflecting ongoing efforts to diversify future classes. Additionally, the international student population which was a point of scrutiny last year due to perceived reductions has been intentionally adjusted. “We’ve dialed back our offers internationally… not dramatically, but intentionally,” Hyde explained. The Class of 2028 has international students making up roughly 11.7% of the body, a decrease from 12.3% in the Class of 2027 and 16.1% in the Class of 2026, which had the largest proportion of international students in Trinity’s recent history. This adjustment aligns with the goal of balancing resource investment, with Hyde noting, “International students are an absolute priority for us, but we strive to find a balance that allows us to be sustainable in our approach to investing our finite resources of financial aid.”Addressing the transparency of these demographic insights, Hyde emphasized the college’s ongoing commitment to clear and open reporting. “We share the backdrop and demographics of our class at matriculation, and then with our communications office in terms of how the class has come together and the diversity in that class,” he said. This data is finalized at the census date at the end of September each year, ensuring accurate reporting. Hyde also detailed the enhanced financial aid strategies aimed at reducing dependency on loans and making Trinity more accessible across economic backgrounds.Comparatively, other institutions have reported mixed outcomes in their diversity metrics this year following the Supreme Court’s decision. Yale University, for example, maintained stable enrollment figures for Black and Latinx students with 14% African American and 19% Hispanic or Latino in their Class of 2028. In contrast, institutions such as MIT and Amherst College experienced declines. MIT saw Black student numbers fall from 15% to 5% and Hispanic or Latino students decrease from 16% to 11%. Amherst reported a drop in Black students from 11% to 3% and Hispanic students from 14% to 10%.</div></body>

Mountain View, CA

NewsBreak

Trinity College Navigates Post-Affirmative Action Landscape with Rise in Domestic Diversity: Hispanic and Black Enrollments Surge

On Sept. 18, 2023, the Trinity Tripod interviewed Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid Matthew Hyde about the admissions landscape at Trinity College following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to end affirmative action in college admissions. The ruling is part of the Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard/UNC case that has forced institutions nationwide to reevaluate their admission strategies for maintaining diversity without racial categorization or quotas.