Bipartisan Senate Bill Would Tie Accreditation to Banning Legacy Admissions

On July 23, 2026, a bipartisan group of senators reintroduced the Merit-Based Educational Reforms and Institutional Transparency Act, which would require colleges to eliminate preferential treatment for applicants with ties to alumni or donors as a condition of maintaining their accreditation. Notably, the MERIT Act would not prohibit colleges from considering “demonstrated interest”—such as campus visits and proactive outreach—as long as those opportunities are clearly defined and equally accessible to all applicants, and it includes a carve-out allowing faith-based institutions to make admissions decisions consistent with their religious values. Higher Ed Dive reports that while legacy admissions have already declined significantly (from 49% of four-year colleges using the practice in 2015 to 24% today), the practice persists at many selective institutions such as Stanford, which chose to forgo California state student aid rather than abandon its legacy and donor preferences.