The College Board recently revised eligibility requirements for its National Recognition Program, a decision projected to reallocate substantial scholarship opportunities from Black and Latino students to their white peers. Historically, colleges utilized these distinctions to identify and financially support academically exceptional students from demographics historically underrepresented in higher education. Prior criteria recognized achievement across five groups: Black, Hispanic, Native American, first-generation college-bound students, and those from rural or small-town backgrounds. Racial classifications have now been removed from the program.

Under the updated guidelines, rural and small-town students can still qualify by ranking in the top 10% of PSAT scores within their state’s non-urban cohort. First-generation students retain eligibility under similar conditions, but racial identity no longer factors into award consideration.

Critics argue the change undermines efforts to address systemic inequities. Rachel Perera, a governance scholar at the Brookings Institution, remarked, “This reversal signals a retreat from confronting racial disparities. The unspoken debate here is whether structural racism still warrants targeted intervention.”

The College Board cited the 2023 Supreme Court decision banning race-conscious admissions as partial rationale, though the awards themselves pertain to scholarships, not enrollment. “Evolving legal landscapes have reduced the practicality of these distinctions,” the organization stated. The move aligns with broader conservative critiques of race-based policies, including former President Trump’s opposition and state-level bans on racial considerations in financial aid.

During the 2023–24 cycle, 115,000 awards were granted, with nearly half previously tied to racial categories. In prior years, Black, Hispanic, and Native American students received over 80,000 designations. While the College Board does not directly distribute funds, universities historically used these accolades to allocate scholarships. Communications Director Holly Stepp confirmed the organization does not track which institutions relied on racial criteria.

Launched in 1983 to honor Hispanic scholars, the program expanded in 2020 to include Black, Native American, rural, and first-generation students. Eligibility requires a B+ GPA and high PSAT performance. Rural areas, ranging from low-income regions to affluent towns like Aspen, Colorado, remain part of the criteria.

Analysts note that eliminating racial categories will disproportionately impact Black and Hispanic students, who historically trail white and Asian peers on PSAT averages. Last year, white students averaged 994 on the PSAT, compared to 821 for Black students and 852 for Hispanic students. Asian students led with an average of 1108.

Wil Del Pilar of EdTrust criticized the shift: “Adopting race-blind metrics ignores the uneven playing field in education access and test preparation resources.” Conversely, conservatives like the Heritage Foundation’s Jonathan Butcher applauded the change, labeling race-conscious policies as discriminatory and counterproductive. “Racial preferences can harm students by placing them in environments where they may lack preparation,” he argued.

This year introduced a category for students scoring in the top 10% of their high school’s PSAT results. However, experts doubt colleges will broadly fund such a large pool. The University of New Mexico announced it will phase out using College Board designations by 2026–27, with Communications Director Steve Carr stating, “We’re overhauling our scholarship approach comprehensively.” In 2023–24, UNM granted 149 Black, Hispanic, and Native American students $15,000 scholarships through the program.

The University of Arizona similarly awarded scholarships via racial designations last year but now reassesses its strategy. Spokesperson Mitch Zak confirmed the institution will “evaluate how best to support students” amid the changes.

Eligibility also requires a score of 3+ on two AP exams taken in grades 9 or 10, though many high schools restrict early AP access. Del Pilar emphasized, “Merit discussions are flawed without acknowledging unequal K–12 resources and test-prep disparities across communities.”