Which case struck down many state policies on gender-based admissions in higher education?

• A. United States v. Virginia
• B. Reed v. Reed
• C. Brown v. Board of Education
• D. Regents of the University of California v. Bakke

Answer: (A)

The main idea being tested is how courts treat gender-based classifications in state higher-education policies and the level of justification required. United States v. Virginia struck down the Virginia Military Institute’s male-only admissions policy because sex-based classifications must meet a higher standard of justification under equal protection. The Court held that the state failed to provide an exceedingly persuasive justification for excluding women, so the policy violated the Equal Protection Clause. This decision signaled that many gender-based admissions rules in higher education would face strong constitutional scrutiny and helped propel broader inclusion of women in public universities. The other cases involve different issues—Reed v. Reed deals with gender discrimination in estate administration, Brown v. Board of Education addresses racial segregation, and Regents of the University of California v. Bakke concerns race in admissions—so they do not address the gender-based admissions question in the same way.