Merit and Opportunity in the Changing World of STEM

According to recent commentary from the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), Asian students are a key component to addressing America’s shortage of STEM talent. The opinion piece, titled Asian Students Are America’s STEM Advantage: Why Merit Should Matter, offers plenty of data to support this, but the commentary also raises some big questions on whether recent changes to merit-based admissions policies are hurting not only students of Asian descent, but the country as well.

In 2023, 18 percent of Asians graduating with a bachelor’s degree majored in a STEM field, tripling the six percent among White students and the general population. While many students nationwide gravitate toward non-STEM majors, Asians rank Computer Science and Electrical Engineering in their top three degrees, a trend that’s even more pronounced among naturalized citizens and international students.

Yet, as institutions move away from merit-based admissions, high-achieving Asian American students are often faced with new barriers. The Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard Supreme Court case revealed that Asian American applicants were systematically given lower subjective “personal ratings,” despite strong academic and extracurricular records. Similarly, when Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, one of the nation’s leading magnet schools, changed its admissions process, the share of Asian American students dropped significantly.

What happens when achievement is treated as something to be adjusted rather than recognized? It’s a simple question that’s wrapped inside a more complex issue. Yes, merit matters, but representation should also matter. Policies that lift up marginalized minorities (in this case, providing a path to higher education to those who may not otherwise have one) should always be lauded, but Asian American students and the pipeline of STEM candidates they represent may be paying the price for this.

If America’s going to continue to innovate and stay competitive, it’s got to recognize talent no matter where it exists while also giving opportunities to those who have historically been left out. The data from the ITIF thought piece reminds us that Asian American students aren’t just participants in this effort, they’re a central part of it. Supporting their success rather than curbing it strengthens everyone, ensuring that the nation’s future in science and technology is about both fairness and achievement.

But we shouldn’t have to choose between equity and excellence. We should strive for both.

Photo by Diane Serik/Unsplash