California recently passed a law banning legacy and donor preferences in admissions at private, nonprofit universities, becoming the second state in the U.S. to do so, following Maryland. Signed by Governor Gavin Newsom, the law, effective September 2025, prohibits schools from giving admission advantages to applicants related to alumni or donors, aiming to promote fairness in college admissions. The bill was introduced after a series of scandals, including the 2019 Varsity Blues case, and following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision restricting race-based affirmative action.
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