In May 2021 Colorado became the first state in the nation to ban legacy admissions for public colleges. Gov. Jared Polis believes this action will increase meritocracy in higher education.

The bill says that “state-supported institutions of higher education shall not consider a legacy preference… as eligible criteria for admission standards.”  The change will affect Colorado public universities and excludes private schools such as the University of Denver and Colorado College.

Polis also signed a bill in May 2021 making standardized tests such as the ACT and SAT optional for applicants to Colorado public colleges and universities moving forward.