So, make them illegal. The answer to colleges using non-merit based factors isn’t allowing them to use even MORE non-merit based factors.

First, class-based affirmative action isn’t under attack. It’s available for any institution that wants to use it, and many do. Yes, most should weigh it more heavily, but it’s already part of the mix.

Second, and this is really important, research has shown conclusively that race-blind class-based affirmative action will generally benefit white students more than students of color. This is partly because of weaknesses in how the programs measure “class” — if you score an applicant based on family income rather than wealth, for instance, you’re going to favor relatively privileged people. But it’s also because the persistence of racism in the US means that of two identically economically situated students, one white and one black, the white student is still likely to have educational, social, and other advantages.

Finally, I agree that there’s a danger in accepting academically under-prepared students to selective colleges, but it’s not at all clear to me why you think that danger is more relevant to a discussion of race-based affirmative action than class-based, or for that matter why you think it’s more significant with regard to race than with regard to legacy admissions, athletic admissions, or any other non-merit-based factor.