Final answer:
The courts would use the strict scrutiny standard to evaluate a public university's admissions test if it is alleged to discriminate against African American students. The equal protection clause stems from the Fourteenth Amendment.
Step-by-step explanation:
Strict scrutiny is a legal standard used by courts to determine the constitutionality of certain laws. When a law discriminates on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, or national origin, courts will examine the law under strict scrutiny.
This means that the law must serve a compelling governmental interest, be narrowly tailored to achieve its goals, and use the least restrictive means available. It places the burden of proof on the government to justify the law. In the case of a public university using an admissions test alleged to discriminate against African American students, the courts would likely apply the strict scrutiny standard to evaluate the claim.
In the context of the equal protection clause and amendments to the Constitution, it was the Fourteenth Amendment that introduced the mandated equal protection under the law for individuals.
Discrimination based on gender is usually examined under an intermediate scrutiny standard, which requires the inequality be substantially related to an important governmental objective.