Supreme Court: Race can’t be considered in college admissions

The Supreme Court, in a ruling issued Thursday, outlawed the use of race in college admissions. Here, activists demonstrate in October outside the court when it heard oral arguments in the two cases that formed the basis of Thursday’s ruling. (J. Scott Applewhite/Associated Press)

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Thursday struck down affirmative action in college admissions, forcing institutions of higher education to look for new ways to achieve diverse student bodies.

The court’s conservative majority overturned admissions plans at Harvard and the University of North Carolina, the nation’s oldest private and public colleges, respectively.