The Justice Department has accused Yale University of illegally using race as a factor in admissions to its medical school, marking the second such allegation by the federal agency this month. In a letter to Yale's legal counsel, Harmeet Dhillon, assistant attorney general for civil rights, stated that an investigation found Black and Hispanic students were admitted at disproportionately higher rates than white or Asian students, despite lower grade-point averages and test scores.
"Yale has continued its race-based admissions program despite the Supreme Court and the public’s clear mandate for reform," Dhillon said. "This Department will continue to shed light on these illegal practices, and demand that institutions of higher education comply with federal law."
Yale responded by affirming its admissions process as rigorous and stating it would review the Justice Department's findings. The university emphasized its commitment to admitting exceptional students who go on to excel in clinical care, research, and public service.
The Justice Department cited data showing disparities in GPA and MCAT scores among admitted students. For example, Black students in Yale's most recent class had a median GPA of 3.88 and a median MCAT score in the 95th percentile, compared to Asian students with a median GPA of 3.98 and white students with a 3.97 GPA, both groups scoring in the 100th percentile for MCAT.
The DOJ described Yale’s holistic admissions process as a mechanism for racial consideration, pointing to Yale’s own brief in the Supreme Court case that led to the 2023 ban on affirmative action. The agency warned that if Yale does not comply voluntarily, it may enforce Title VI of the Civil Rights Act through litigation.