President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Aug. 7 mandating that colleges submit admissions data to prove they do not consider race, his latest move that transforms college admissions decisions and leaves students amid a process defined by political upheaval.
This order builds on Trump’s earlier moves, including anti-DEI policies and a high-profile pause on federal grants and loans to colleges, a blow that many elite institutions like Harvard, Duke and Columbia felt. Additionally, the administration suspended enrollment of international students at Harvard in another executive order, citing national security and the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling against DEI efforts as reasons for this suspension.
Trump has already revoked visas for 6,000 foreign students since the start of his second administration, discouraging many from enrolling in U.S. institutions. As high school seniors at Harker, some of whom are international students, prepare their college applications, many are reflecting on Trump’s decision to limit the number of international students entering American colleges.
“It’s a shame that students from other countries are going to have a harder time in order to learn from the American higher education system,” an anonymous senior said. “His limitation obviously targets students from more wealthy countries like China or Britain, but it also restricts people from countries with less developed higher education institutes from accessing a good education.”
The cumulative effect of funding cuts, heightened scrutiny on foreign influences and confusion surrounding financial aid, shifting visa policies and ambiguous admissions criteria has created an environment where students must prepare for unpredictability at every turn. Assistant Upper School Division Head Kelly Horan commented on how Harker’s policies should not change.
“Our philosophy on education is timeless,” Horan said. “How we approach education and how we approach what we want for you all at the next level doesn’t necessarily change when the policies do.”
In a time of political volatility, how colleges react to federal mandates has become a test of their identity and values. Harvard is challenging Trump’s restrictions through legal action, while many are critical of Columbia for shifting in its stance and adjusting policies to match shifting political pressures.
“A college’s response speaks to who they are institutionally.” Horan said. “The ones that give me the most pauses are the ones that waver back and forth. The ones that come out and say, ‘This is who we are. This is who we’ve always been,’ better weather the tests of time no matter what the administration is doing.”
As the Trump administration continues to reshape the educational landscape, students are left weighing more than just academic programs and campus culture. For many, college choices are now entangled with shifting legal frameworks and ideological battles.