COLLEGE STATION, Texas — The U.S. Supreme Court ended affirmative action Thursday, getting rid of race-based admissions to public and private colleges and universities.
In a 6-3 decision against the University of North Carolina and a 6-2 decision against Harvard University, the action was considered unconstitutional.
But the decision will not affect the admissions process at Texas A&M and Baylor University.
Neither university uses race as a factor in its admission decision but uses merit.
The use of race in admissions is prohibited, according to Texas state law.
Baylor provided a statement stating the university uses a "holistic approach" that looks at grade point average, class rank, academic achievements, extracurricular activities and personal essays and letters of recommendation.
Jeffery Dixon, an associate professor of political science at Texas A&M University Central Texas, says the ruling will affect some universities like University of Texas in Austin and other out-of-state universities.
"If Texans want to attend a university elsewhere say Harvard, that would be a potentially major issue for them," Dixon said.
Dixon says affirmative action was created to make admissions fairer.
"The Supreme Court had ruled previously that having a diverse classroom provides a better educational experience for everyone, not just minorities, but also the majority,"Dixon said.
"Today's Supreme Court decision says that alone is insufficient."
Although neither university was affected by the decision, both universities say it is committed to enrolling students with diverse perspectives and experiences.