Posted on August 25, 2021

Half of Black Americans Say Race Puts Them at a Disadvantage for Higher Education

Natalie Colarossi, Newsweek, August 21, 2021

More than half of Black Americans believed their race puts them at a disadvantage when it comes to opportunity and access to higher education in the U.S., according to a new poll.

The survey, which released by Axios/Ispos poll Saturday, found that 51 percent of Black Americans feel their race hurts them when it comes to accessing higher education, while only 5 percent believes it puts them at an advantage. In comparison, just 9 percent of white respondents said they believe their race puts them at a disadvantage.

{snip} Overall, 48 percent of Asian Americans, 43 percent of Black Americans, and 39 percent of Hispanic Americans said colleges are biased toward white values and beliefs, while just 31 percent of white Americans held the same view.

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Despite those findings, the poll found that white respondents were four times more likely than Black respondents to say affirmative action – or an admissions process that gives favorable consideration to applicants from disadvantaged communities – is discriminatory against white Americans.

Additionally, just 43 percent of white respondents said higher education should keep making changes to give students of other colors equal opportunities. In contrast, 65 percent of Asian Americans, 67 percent of Hispanic Americans, and 81 percent of Black Americans said the same.

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