Does ending affirmative action in college admissions lower the percent of minority students applying to college?

The purpose of this study is to determine how ending affirmative action in public colleges in Texas affected the percent of minority high school graduates applying to college. I find the end of affirmative action significantly lowered the percent of Hispanic students applying to college by 1.6 percentage points and significantly lowered the percent of black students applying to college by 2.1 percentage points. The end of affirmative action in public colleges in Texas did not significantly affect the percent of white students applying to college. A year after the end of affirmative action in Texas. The Texas State Legislature passed a percent plan that guarantees students who graduate in the top ten percent of their high school class admission to any public college in Texas. The percent of minority students applying to college increased significantly when the percent plan was accompanied by changes in financial aid. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.