One of the most durable “progressive” beliefs is that it helps to make a more just society when colleges and universities adopt programs to give admission preference to students from “disadvantaged” backgrounds. They won’t necessarily get a better education, and may be mismatched so that they either pursue a less challenging major or drop out.

In today’s Martin Center article, Jenna Robinson writes about such a program in North Carolina.

The program is called the Carolina College Advising Corps, and it aims to get students from low-income families, first-generation college students, and those from underserved communities into Chapel Hill. Robinson writes, “This is a laudable goal. Often, low-income students don’t receive high-quality counseling from their parents or high-school counselors. But there is evidence that students from CCAC schools are being admitted at higher rates than students at other N.C. public high schools. And that they are performing worse once they arrive at Carolina.”

Robinson argues that the advising aspect of this program is fine but should be separated from the admissions office.

Read the whole thing.