Last week, Princeton University changed its policy on admitting only minorities to its Junior Summer Institute, hosted by the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs.

While MITES will no longer accept only African Americans, Hispanic Americans or Native Americans, race and ethnicity will still be factors in the admissions process.

“We hope that we can make the program as good as possible for every student who is in it,” said Redwine.

MITES Executive Director Karl W. Reid said he will use other factors in admission decisions such as the location of a student’s high school, socio-economic background and whether or not the students are the first generation to be college-bound.

“It can’t be the same program unfortunately,” Reid said. “We will continue to advance the opportunities for minorities to experience a college environment and an engineering college environment.”

But alums of the program say they are upset about the change.

“Honestly, I am angry,” said Agostini.

Tessa V. Gonzalez ’04, who attended the program in 1999 and was a tutor for the program in 2001, said she is saddened by the changes.

“I’m sad that the program is going to change because I feel that the heart and soul of MITES is not going to be the same anymore,” said Gonzalez.

Gonzalez said that MITES provided her with the opportunity to meet talented peers and inspired her to apply to elite colleges.

Lisa E. J. Gordon ’06, who attended the program in 2001, said she was unsure about how the policy change would affect the program.

“I feel like the changes can be positive as long as its directed at underprivileged youth,” she said. “Whether it’s for the better or for the worse I don’t know yet because I haven’t seen any progress yet.”

Charles M. Moore ’04, the president of the Black Students Association, attended the program in 1999 and served as a tutor for two years.

He said that although he would have applied to Harvard whether or not he had participated in the program, MITES gave him confidence in his decision to apply.

“The program made me know that I could excel at Harvard,” he said.