The US Department of Education has begun a civil rights investigation into whether Harvard University discriminates in its admissions process by giving preferential treatment to children of wealthy donors and alumni, roughly three weeks after a lawsuit made those allegations.

Wesleyan University says it will stop giving preferential treatment to applicants who are the children of alumni. Last month, the Supreme Court said universities can no longer take race into consideration as a specific basis for granting admission.

Three minority advocacy groups are suing Harvard University's governing body, accusing the school of discrimination by giving preferential treatment to children of wealthy donors and alumni, and are citing the recent US Supreme Court ruling that gutted affirmative action to bolster their lawsuit.

Half of surveyed adults in the US disapprove of students' race and ethnicities factoring into the college admissions process, according to a recent Pew Research Center study.