WASHINGTON — Isabel Jernigan is a junior at North Carolina Central University, a historically Black college. She says she chose to go there because she wanted to experience a different perspective.
"I’ve been exposed to so much more than I would’ve been if I had gone to a predominantly white university and I’m really grateful for it," she explained.
She disagrees with the Supreme Court's ruling, striking down affirmative action because she says it closes opportunities for certain groups of people.
"Obviously it’s a really terrifying decision," she said, "I think our country is moving in a direction that is shutting people out."
Meanwhile, Maryland Congressman Glenn Ivey, who represents Prince George's County, was not happy with the Supreme Court's decision.
"I was disappointed but not surprised," he said.
He says it could change the landscape of what student body populations will look like, especially at schools where acceptance rates are less than 3% like Harvard, where the Congressman is an alum.
"It could have an impact on how many people get into the highly selective schools," he explained.
But what will this do in the big picture of education in America? According to Professor Jamil Jaffer at the Antonin Scalia School of Law at George Mason University, it further highlights the inequities among students based on socioeconomics.
"What we have to recognize as a nation is that we are not treating everybody the same way when it comes to their educational opportunities," he explained, "and we can't just solve that problem when you get to college through a race-based methodology."
This all could have a trickle down effect on schools like Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Virginia. WUSA9 followed this story closely for years in which a federal appeals court upheld the constitutionality of a new admissions policy that critics said discriminated against Asian American students.
"To the extend that race is a critical factor in deciding who gets into TJ, that may have to change as well," said Professor Jaffer.
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