Illustration: Nicolas Ogonosky

After Texas acted last year to restrict diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at public colleges statewide, students like Kaitie Tolman were eager to offer the programming their institutions no longer could. But when Tolman and her peers tried to determine what exactly was being eliminated on their campus, they were met with vague email responses from administrators and a couple of confusing meetings.

They're not alone. 

Legacy preferences have weathered an enormous wave of public disapproval and political attacks since last summer’s decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to strike down the use of race-conscious college admissions.

Now, a critical battle for legacy’s future is playing out in Connecticut’s state legislature, which is currently considering a bill to ban preferences for legacy applicants, as well as relatives of donors, at both public and private colleges.

Reaching underserved students for dual-enrollment programs requires clearly identifying their interests and potential career pathways, note two studies from the Community College Research Center. CCRC recommends a model rooted in guided pathways, which allows learners to explore programs supported by their career and educational goals.

This revamped strategy, known as “dual enrollment equity pathways," loops in both underserved students and their families to encourage program participation. The model also links course offerings to career-technical associate and bachelor’s degree programs in potentially lucrative fields.