Copyright MassLive
After experiencing a steep decline in the number of domestic students of color last year, Amherst College’s numbers this year have begun to rebound, according to newly released data. At the same time, the number of international students has dropped by 6% — from 16% the previous year to 10% this year. An Amherst College spokesperson didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment about the data. This data comes as the United States is facing the most significant decline in international students entering the country in August since the pandemic due to a federal crackdown on immigration. In August, President Donald Trump signed an executive order requiring colleges to submit data to prove they do not consider race in admissions. The federal administration accused colleges of using personal statements and other proxies to consider race, claiming this constitutes illegal discrimination. Read more: Top colleges are losing diversity. State and community schools are seeing a boost The number of U.S. students of color attending Amherst in the fall of last year dropped by 9% compared to the previous year. This year, the percentage of incoming U.S. students of color rebounded to 44%. The decrease last year came after a Supreme Court ruling struck down affirmative action in higher education. In a case sparked by challenges to admissions plans at Harvard and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the court’s conservative majority barred colleges from considering race, leaving many searching for new ways to promote student diversity. The demographic group that declined the most last year was Black or African American students, from 15% to 6%. Latinx students also declined from 12% to 8%. This year, Black or African American and Latinx student numbers doubled from the previous year, to 12% and 16% respectively. White students also increased from 51% the prior year to 59%. Asian American students declined from 25% the prior year to 20%.
