DOJ Finds Race Discrimination in GW Medical School Admissions
The Justice Department says George Washington University’s medical school intentionally discriminated based on race in admissions for its 2024 and 2025 incoming classes, placing the Washington, D.C., institution under federal civil-rights scrutiny.
The finding, announced Thursday, August 27, 2026, concerns the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, located at Ross Hall, 2300 Eye Street NW, in Washington, D.C.
What the Justice Department found
According to the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, GW Med used essays and other application information to identify applicants’ race or ethnicity after the Supreme Court’s 2023 decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, which the department said barred race discrimination in higher-education admissions.
DOJ said George Washington University had issued universitywide guidance stating that applicants could not receive a preference or favorable assessment based on racial or ethnic identity disclosed in application checkbox data. The department alleged that GW Med nevertheless used other parts of applications to discover applicants’ race.
The department said GW Med’s essay questions were designed to elicit information about race or ethnicity and that admissions officers used that information in selecting applicants for interviews. DOJ said Black applicants had a significantly higher probability of being selected for interviews and received disproportionately higher interview scores than comparable Asian applicants.
DOJ also said admitted Black students had significantly lower MCAT scores than admitted white or Asian applicants in the 2024 and 2025 classes. The department alleged that GW Med regularly denied admission to white and Asian applicants in favor of Black and Hispanic applicants whom it described as having lower credentials.
Those comparisons and allegations are findings by the Justice Department, not a final court judgment. DOJ said the alleged conduct violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling.
Settlement talks could come before a lawsuit
The Justice Department said it is negotiating with GW to bring the school’s admissions practices into compliance with federal law. If those negotiations fail, DOJ said it will file suit.
No settlement or lawsuit was announced with the August 27 finding. A direct response from George Washington University to the announcement was not located in the available research.
What GW’s published admissions materials say
GW’s current MD admissions materials describe a broader review process that considers academic achievement, personal attributes and experiences. The school lists GPA, MCAT scores, graduate coursework, letters of recommendation, essays, medically related experiences, research, extracurricular activities, work experience, community service, clinical public-health experiences and leadership among the factors considered.
For the 2027 application cycle, GW’s published requirements say applicants must submit MCAT scores and complete the AAMC PREview professional-readiness exam within the listed testing period. The school says PREview is considered one part of its process and that the admissions committee reserves the right to make a final decision without a PREview score.
GW’s MD admissions FAQ says the program uses rolling admissions. It lists November 2 as the AMCAS application deadline and December 2 as the deadline for the secondary application and supporting materials.
Those public admissions pages provide institutional and process context, but they do not independently confirm or resolve the Justice Department’s allegations.
What remains unclear
The announcement does not establish whether GW has agreed to change its current admissions procedures, whether applicants will receive a remedy, or whether the department will ultimately bring a lawsuit.
Prospective applicants should rely on future updates from the Justice Department and George Washington University for information about any changes to application requirements, review procedures or possible remedies.
Sources
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