The U.S. Department of Justice says UC Davis School of Medicine crossed a legal line with how it built its incoming classes, concluding in a June 10 findings letter that the school violated federal civil rights law by using race conscious measures in admissions. Investigators say UC Davis relied on a scoring tool known as the “Davis Scale” that adjusted the weight of GPA and MCAT scores based on applicants’ socioeconomic disadvantage, and that 2023 through 2025 admissions data show sharp disparities by race. UC Davis, for its part, says it strongly disagrees with that characterization and plans to head into settlement talks with the DOJ rather than back down quietly.
DOJ Letter Says School Sought Racial Balance
According to the U.S. Department of Justice’s 12 page findings letter, investigators reviewed applicant level data and internal materials produced by the school and concluded that Davis Med deliberately discriminates by using race correlated proxies to shape its classes. The Justice Department cites internal presentations and remarks, including an associate dean’s comment that “that’s how we skirted the issue,” as evidence that the school pursued racial balancing even after the Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling limited race conscious admissions.
How the "Davis Scale" Changed Decisions
The findings describe the Davis Scale as a continuous socioeconomic disadvantage score that adjusted academic metrics and boosted applicants whose life experiences or perceived “mission fit” aligned with the school’s goals. As reported by CBS Sacramento, DOJ analysis found that 93% of admitted White and certain Asian students had MCAT scores at or above those of Black admittees, and that Black and Hispanic applicants were admitted at rates up to six times higher than White and Asian applicants from 2023 through 2025.
UC Davis Response and Next Steps
In a statement to CBS Sacramento, UC Davis School of Medicine said it “strongly disagrees with any characterization of its admissions practices as discriminatory” and defended what it called a “rigorous, individualized, and merit-based” review process. The DOJ told the university it will first try to negotiate a voluntary settlement, but warned that if settlement negotiations fail it will sue, a move that could trigger enforcement under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.
Where This Fits Into a Larger DOJ Push
The UC Davis determination is the latest sign of wider federal scrutiny of medical school admissions this spring. The agency has issued similar findings for other high profile programs and opened multiple civil rights probes, according to reporting by The Associated Press. If the department presses enforcement, potential remedies include negotiated corrective measures, long term oversight of admissions processes, or, in rare cases, threats to federal funding tied to noncompliance.
For now, the immediate drama centers on those settlement talks and whether UC Davis revises how it weighs socioeconomic and experiential factors. Whatever deal emerges, the DOJ’s finding is likely to send other medical schools back to the whiteboard to reconsider how they translate applicants’ life experience into adjusted academic metrics.
