Democratic socialist mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani’s SAT score of 2140, below the median for Columbia University’s 2009 admitted students, has been revealed in a new report. The score, obtained through a leaked database, casts doubt on his admissions claims and highlights the racial categorization debate in college admissions following the Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling against race-conscious admissions policies.
Independent journalist Christopher Rufo reported that Mamdani, who identified as both ‘Black/African American’ and ‘Asian’ on his 2009 Columbia application, scored below the median SAT range for admitted students. This revelation comes amid scrutiny over his college application, which was part of a recent data breach targeting Ivy League institutions. Mamdani’s parents, both of Indian descent, have lived in East Africa for generations, but he has denied intermarriage with native African groups. The incident has sparked broader questions about the accuracy of racial self-identification in college admissions and the implications of the Supreme Court’s decision to eliminate race-conscious admissions policies. The report also highlights the controversy surrounding Mamdani’s campaign strategies, including his emphasis on African heritage and South Asian identity, as he challenges incumbent Mayor Eric Adams in the New York City mayoral race.
Mamdani, who is the Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City, identified as ‘Black or African American’ on his 2009 Columbia University application even though he now says he does not consider himself Black. The New York Times reported that internal data from a leaked database of past Columbia applications, which was part of a recent hack targeting the Ivy League school, has revealed this information. Mamdani, then a high school senior, also checked ‘Asian’ and reportedly wrote in ‘Ugandan’ in the space for additional background. He was ultimately not accepted to Columbia even though his father is a professor at the elite school.
His parents are both of Indian descent. His father, Columbia professor Mahmood Mamdani, has lived in East Africa for generations, but Mamdani said there had been no intermarriage in the family with native African groups. Mamdani has leaned into his South Asian and Muslim identity on the campaign trail. During a June speech at Al Sharpton’s National Action Network, he also stressed his African roots: ‘I was born in Kampala, Uganda… I was given my middle name, Kwame, by my father, who named me after the first Prime Minister of Ghana.’
Mamdani has proposed a list of policy changes to radically alter New York City more in line with his democratic socialist vision. He is running to unseat incumbent New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who was elected as a Democrat but is now running for re-election as an independent. Former New York Democratic Mayor Andrew Cuomo is also running for mayor as an independent. Fox News Digital reached out to Mamdani and Columbia University for comment but did not receive a response prior to publication.