Democratic socialist and New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani is facing scrutiny over a college application he submitted to Columbia University in 2009, in which he reportedly identified as both “Asian” and “Black or African American.” The information surfaced following a report by journalist Christopher Rufo and a leaked internal Columbia database, reportedly accessed in a recent cyberattack.
Mamdani’s SAT score at the time—2,140 out of 2,400—was within Columbia’s admitted range for the Class of 2013 but fell below the median. The university used race-conscious admissions policies in 2009, a practice the U.S. Supreme Court struck down in 2023.
Mamdani told The New York Times that his intent in checking multiple racial categories was to reflect his complex background, not to gain an admissions edge. He noted he was born in Kampala, Uganda, to Indian parents and has emphasized his South Asian and Muslim heritage throughout his political career. He also said he does not currently identify as Black.
Mamdani is running as the Democratic nominee to unseat incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, now an independent, in a three-way race that also includes former Governor Andrew Cuomo. Neither Mamdani nor Columbia University responded to requests for comment.
