DOJ Claims UCSD Med School's Diversity Tactics Discriminate Against White, Asian Applicants

WHO:

Fox News - The Trump administration, UC San Diego's medical school, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon, admissions director Brian Zeglen.

WHAT:

Fox News - The Justice Department's investigation found that UC San Diego's admissions director Brian Zeglen proposed moving up to 62 applicants with lower MCAT scores and GPAs into the interview pool through a "bump up Group C" plan.

Fox News - The Justice Department stated that Black applicants were admitted at a much higher rate than White applicants, with 6.18% of Black applicants admitted in 2023 compared to 2.45% of White applicants, and similar disparities in 2024 and 2025.

Fox News - The Justice Department's findings indicated that admitted Black and Hispanic students consistently had lower median MCAT scores than admitted White and Asian students in the incoming classes of 2023, 2024, and 2025.

Fox News - The Justice Department stated that admitted Black and Hispanic students had consistently lower median MCAT scores than admitted White and Asian students.

Fox News - In 2023, Hispanic students had a median MCAT score in the 80th percentile, Black students in the 88th percentile, while White students had a median score in the 95th percentile and Asian students in the 94th percentile.

Fox News - The Justice Department accused UC San Diego's medical school of illegally discriminating against White and Asian applicants in favor of Black and Hispanic students.

Fox News - The investigation found that from 2019 to 2025, Black applicants were admitted at more than twice the rate of White applicants.

Fox News - In 2023, 6.18% of Black applicants were admitted compared to 2.45% of White applicants; in 2024, the rates were 5.25% and 2.1%, respectively; in 2025, they were 5.14% and 1.96%.

Fox News - The Justice Department stated that admitted Black and Hispanic students had consistently lower median MCAT scores than admitted White and Asian students.

WHERE:

Fox News - UC San Diego, California.

WHEN:

Fox News - The Justice Department's investigation was launched in March.

Fox News - The admissions director's plan was devised in June 2023.

WHY:

Fox News - The Justice Department alleges that UC San Diego's admissions practices unlawfully prioritized race over academic qualifications.

Fox News - The Trump administration is intensifying efforts to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

Fox News - The Justice Department alleges that UC San Diego's admissions practices unlawfully prioritized race over academic qualifications.

HOW:

Fox News - The admissions committee at UC San Diego used applicants' responses to a "hardship" essay question as a proxy for race in deciding who advanced in the admissions process.

Fox News - The admissions committee used applicants' responses to a "hardship" essay question to determine their racial and ethnic backgrounds.

Fox News - Brian Zeglen proposed a "bump up" plan to move applicants with lower MCAT scores and GPAs into a higher interview pool based on their personal essays.

(UPDATED July 22, 2026 04:06 UTC)

The Justice Department's investigation into UC San Diego's admissions practices revealed that the admissions director, Brian Zeglen, proposed a plan to move up to 62 applicants with lower MCAT scores and GPAs into the interview pool, raising concerns about unlawful prioritization of race over academic qualifications. The findings indicated significant disparities in admission rates, with Black applicants admitted at 6.18% compared to 2.45% for White applicants in 2023, and similar trends were observed for the incoming classes of 2024 and 2025. Additionally, the data showed that admitted Black and Hispanic students consistently had lower median MCAT scores than their White and Asian counterparts, with Hispanic students scoring in the 80th percentile and Black students in the 88th percentile, while White and Asian students scored in the 95th and 94th percentiles, respectively.

(UPDATED July 21, 2026 22:20 UTC)

The Justice Department's investigation revealed that UC San Diego's admissions director, Brian Zeglen, proposed a plan to move up to 62 applicants with lower MCAT scores and GPAs into the interview pool. The findings also showed that Black applicants were admitted at significantly higher rates than White applicants, with 6.18% of Black applicants accepted in 2023 compared to just 2.45% of White applicants, a trend that continued in the following years. Additionally, the admissions committee utilized responses to a "hardship" essay question as a proxy for race when determining which applicants advanced in the admissions process.

(UPDATED July 21, 2026 19:27 UTC)

The Justice Department has accused UC San Diego's medical school of illegally discriminating against White and Asian applicants in favor of Black and Hispanic students, claiming that from 2019 to 2025, Black applicants were admitted at more than twice the rate of their White counterparts. The investigation revealed that in 2023, only 2.45% of White applicants were admitted compared to 6.18% of Black applicants, with similar disparities noted in the following years, while also highlighting that admitted Black and Hispanic students had consistently lower median MCAT scores than their White and Asian peers. The admissions director, Brian Zeglen, implemented a plan that involved using applicants' responses to a "hardship" essay question to influence their racial and ethnic backgrounds, which the Justice Department argues unlawfully prioritized race over academic qualifications.