DOJ alleges Ohio State medical school discriminates against White and Asian applicants

Federal lawyers announced that Ohio State University College of Medicine runs an admissions system that discriminates against White and Asian candidates in favor of Black and Hispanic students, breaching Title VI as interpreted by the 2023 Supreme Court ruling. The department alleges the school’s holistic review, “Super Screeners” who see race, and a side-door process give underrepresented minorities substantially higher interview and acceptance odds—Black applicants 7.7 times more likely than Asians and 4.6 times more likely than Whites in 2025, with similar advantages for Hispanics.

It also claims socioeconomic scores are used as a proxy for race. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon called the practice “plainly illegal.” Ohio State responded that it does not consider race or protected classes in admissions and will contest the allegations. The DOJ seeks a voluntary settlement to bring the school’s practices into compliance.