This chapter examines the college admissions scandal and its impact on social stratification in education, discussing the desperate measures taken by upper-class Americans to secure elite education for their children and the growing gap in educational investments between the rich and middle class.
Most of us are taught hard work and talent are the keys to getting ahead. Turns out it’s not so easy. In his new book, “The Meritocracy Trap,” Yale professor Daniel Markovits says meritocracy isn’t leveling the playing field. Instead, it’s a pretense for concentrating privilege and intensifying inequality. He tells us the time has come to reinvent higher education, redesign the workplace, and reimagine meritocracy so it actually works for everyone.