By Nandita Bose

WASHINGTON President Joe Biden on Thursday urged colleges to take into account challenges that applicants face - including racial discrimination - during the admissions process after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down race-conscious considerations.

The court struck down race-conscious student admissions programs at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina, in a sharp setback to affirmative action policies often used to increase the number of Black, Hispanic and other underrepresented minority groups on campuses.

"The court effectively ended affirmative action, and I strongly disagree with the court's decision," Biden said

"We cannot let this decision to be the last word," he added.

(Reporting by Paul Grant; editing by Jonathan Oatis)