Algorithms are increasingly used by both public bodies and private companies to analyze voluminous data and make informed decisions. Their effects are perhaps most visible in baseball, where they have transformed defensive positioning, the way teams use pitchers, and drastically shifted the strategy behind the game. Properly used, algorithms can be a boon for society and limit our reliance on arbitrary, incomplete, and sometimes inaccurate personal judgements. However, fearing that algorithms reinforce racial biases, many social justice advocates fight against their use in areas like policing and college admissions.
Algorithms in college admissions have been longstanding. Before a 2004 Supreme Court decision, the University of Michigan had a 150-point measure where various factors had fixed weights. However, due to the consistent shortfall of black students, algorithms that use SAT/ACT scores have been limited at a growing share of selective colleges. Indeed, the Bar Associations is on the cusp of ruling that the LSAT will no longer be required for law school admissions. These changes have occurred even though these exams are consistent predictors of freshmen grades, entrance into STEM majors, and law school performance. For just these reasons, MIT recently defended its reinstitution of SAT/ACT scores in its admissions process.
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