The Supreme Court’s decision to end race-based affirmative action in college admissions sent counselors scrambling and students worrying about their chances. For two seniors, it made them totally rethink their applications – in very different ways. 

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When high school senior Demar Goodman found out that the Supreme Court had struck down race-based affirmative action, he immediately called his best friend. 

“So,” Demar said. “Safe to say Harvard is out, right?”

Thousands of miles away in Tennessee, another high school senior, Cole Clemmons, was at an international summer program. When he heard the news, the opposite crossed his mind – that the decision may help his chances. 

Education reporter Hannah Natanson followed both teens over the following months as they rethought where to apply and reworked their essays. 

Today’s show was produced by Sabby Robinson. It was mixed by Rennie Svirnovsky. It was edited by Maggie Penman. 

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