>> Reporter: THE SUPREME COURT OVERTURNED AFFIRMATIVE ACTION. FOR JONATHAN, A STUDENT AT CORNELL, THE ADMISSIONS PROCESS WAS NOT EASY. >> I CAME INTO THE PROCESS WITH LIMITED RESOURCES. >> Reporter: HE THINKS AFFIRMATIVE ACTION WAS IMPORTANT FOR HIS ACCEPTANCE INTO AN IVY LEAGUE. >> I DO NOT THINK -- AFFIRMATIVE ACTION HELPED CORNELL ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT I NEEDED TO THRIVE. >> Reporter: JONATHAN WITH CORNELL'S CHAPTER STARTED LOBBYING NEW YORK LAWMAKERS TAKING AIM AT ANOTHER PRACTICE THEY BELIEVE IS MORE PERVERSE. LEGACY ADMISSION. >> THE SUPREME COURT IS ARGUING THAT NO STUDENT SHOULD RECEIVE ANY PREFERENCE BECAUSE OF THEIR RACE. NO ONE SHOULD RECEIVE ADMISSIONS COMMISERATION BECAUSE OF THEIR MOM AND DAD ATTENDED THE SCHOOL. IN IT'S CALLED UNFAIR AND DISCRIMINATORY. THE STUDENTS THAT BENEFIT TIVOLI COME FROM WEALTHIER BACKGROUNDS AND PARENTS WHO GIVE MONEY. ROUGHLY 30% OF INSTITUTIONS CONSIDER LEGACY STATUS. ACCORDING TO ADVOCACY GROUPS, STATES LIKE VIRGINIA, COLORADO, MARYLAND, PROHIBIT THE PRACTICE. LEAVING STATES LIKE CALIFORNIA TO WORK TOWARD AN OFFICIAL BAN. OVER 40% OF INSTITUTIONS CONSIDER LEGACY STATUS. >> WHY SHOULD WE ALLOW PREFERENCES TO INCREASE TO GIVE KIDS WHO WERE BORN WITH A SILVER SPOON IN THEIR MOUTH MORE ? >> Reporter: A GROUP THAT IS OVERWHELMINGLY WHITE WITH LEGACY STATUS PLAYING A BIG PART . NOT EVERY IVY LEAGUE GRADUATE IS WHITE. >> THE SCHOOL SHOULD LOOK AT THEM IN THE SAME WAY THEY LOOK AT THE CHILDREN FROM GENERATIONS. >> Reporter: HE WANTED HIS DAUGHTER TO GO TO THE SAME SCHOOL. EVEN THOUGH SHE WOULD NOT LOOK LIKE THE TYPICAL STUDENT THERE OR THE AVERAGE LEGACY APPLICANT. >> I WOULD HOPE SHE WOULD FEEL MORE ACCEPTED THERE THAN I DID. >> Reporter: TOP SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAVE GOTTEN MORE DIVERSE OVER DECADES, NICK BELIEVES A COMBINATION OF ENDING THE LEGACY ADMISSIONS AND AFFIRMATIVE ACTION WILL NEGATIVELY AFFECT PEOPLE OF COLOR DISPROPORTIONATELY. HIS DAUGHTER ENDED UP GOING TO JAIL -- >> HOW WITH A COMBINATION AFFECT DIVERSITY ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES? >> Reporter: IT IS AFFECTING IT HERE AT MIT. ONE OF THE STUDENTS SAYING HE CAME HERE BECAUSE HE WANTED TO BE IN A CLASS THAT HAD A LOT OF DIVERSITY. HE FOUND OUT THAT NOW BECAUSE OF THE ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE SUPREME COURT, THE CLASS HERE IS 47% ASIAN. ONLY 5% AFRICAN AMERICAN. 37% IS WHITE AMERICANS. THAT IS A BIG DIFFERENCE. IT IS MAKING A BIG DIFFERENCE FOR STUDENTS ON CAMPUS. THEY ARE SAYING THEY HOPE THEY WILL BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING TO MAKE THOSE NUMBERS MORE REFLECTIVE OF OUR SOCIETY AT LARGE LOOKS LIKE. THESE THINGS THAT HAPPENED