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Page Number: 36

Cite as:  570 U. S. ____ (2013) 

19 

THOMAS, J., concurring 

of,  not  the  solution  to,  this  clustering.    There  is  some 
evidence  that  students  admitted  as  a  result  of  racial  dis-
crimination  are  more  likely  to  abandon  their  initial  aspi-
rations  to  become  scientists  and  engineers  than  are 
students with similar qualifications who attend less selective
schools.  See, e.g., Elliott, Strenta, Adair, Matier, & Scott, 
The Role of Ethnicity in Choosing and Leaving Science in 
Highly Selective Institutions, 37 Research in Higher Educ. 
681,  699–701  (1996).5    These  students  may  well  drift 
towards  less  competitive  majors  because  the  mismatch
caused  by  racial  discrimination  in  admissions  makes  it
difficult for them to compete in more rigorous majors. 

Moreover,  the  University’s  discrimination  “stamp[s] 
[blacks  and  Hispanics]  with  a  badge  of  inferiority.” 
Adarand,  515  U. S.,  at  241  (opinion  of  THOMAS,  J.).  It 
taints the accomplishments of all those who are admitted
as  a  result  of  racial  discrimination.    Cf.  J.  McWhorter, 
Losing  the  Race:  Self-Sabotage  in  Black  America  248 
(2000)  (“I  was  never  able  to  be  as  proud  of  getting  into 
Stanford as my classmates could be. . . . [H]ow much of an
achievement  can  I  truly  say  it  was  to  have  been  a  good 
enough  black  person  to  be  admitted,  while  my  colleagues 
had been considered good enough people to be admitted”).
And, it taints the accomplishments of all those who are the 

—————— 

5 The  success  of  historically  black  colleges  at  producing  graduates 
who go on to earn graduate degrees in science and engineering is well
documented.  See,  e.g.,  National  Science  Foundation,  J.  Burrelli  &  A. 
Rapoport,  InfoBrief,  Role  of  HBCUs  as  Baccalaureate-Origin  Institu-
tions  of  Black  S&E  Doctorate  Recipients  6  (2008)  (Table  2)  (showing
that, from 1997–2006, Howard University had more black students who
went  on  to  earn  science  and  engineering  doctorates  than  any  other
undergraduate  institution,  and  that  7  other  historically  black  colleges
ranked  in  the  top  10);  American  Association  of  Medical  Colleges, 
Diversity  in  Medical  Education:  Facts  &  Figures  86  (2012)  (Table  19) 
(showing that, in 2011, Xavier University had more black students who 
went on to earn medical degrees than any other undergraduate institu-
tion and that Howard University was second).