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New data shows minority enrollment at Arkansas colleges has increased rather than declined since the 2023 Supreme Court decision outlawing race-based admissions.
Between 2023 and 2025, black freshman enrollment increased by about 25 percent and Hispanic enrollment increased by more than 22 percent, according to Arkansas Department of Higher Education data reviewed by Arkansas Business.
In contrast, enrollment of new white students grew just 1.9 percent during that time, the journal found.
“The increases at some of Arkansas’ largest universities are even more dramatic,” the report added. “Enrollment of new Black students at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, the state’s largest university, increased 30.3%, and Hispanic freshman students increased by 36.1% from 2023 to 2025.”
Comparatively, white freshman students only “grew by 4.9% at the school during that time.”
Some education experts have argued the Supreme Court ruling is not a factor driving enrollment demographics, instead citing expanded outreach efforts, increased financial aid opportunities, and the removal of application fees.
But not everyone agrees that properly explains the trends.
“Outreach and financial aid alone should not cause dramatic shifts in student demographics,” Wenyuan Wu, executive director of the Californians for Equal Rights Foundation, told The College Fix.
She said test-optional admissions policies implemented in Arkansas several years ago may be a factor.
“Going test-optional or test-free has long been suspected as a proxy for racial balancing,” Wu said. “Universities and colleges are circumventing the ruling in innovative ways.”
According to Wu, it is still too early to determine whether the increases represent a lasting trend.
She argued a fuller analysis would need to examine whether newly admitted students demonstrate similar levels of academic preparedness and performance.
As The College Fix previously reported, another possible factor might be the “cascade effect.”
Research has found that instead of applying to attend highly selective out-of-state universities in the wake of the Students for Fair Admissions ruling, minority students are choosing instead to enroll at regional public flagships and state colleges.
“While black student enrollment fell significantly at highly selective colleges following the Supreme Court’s ban on race-conscious admissions, total black enrollment at four-year institutions held steady due to increased participation at less selective schools,” The Fix reported in February.
MORE: U. Arkansas cancels race-related lectures over concerns about state law
