Plain English with Derek Thompson Why Elite College Admissions Are Biased Toward the Superrich
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Aug 1, 2023 
David Deming, a Harvard economist and co-author of a crucial study on elite college admissions, dives into the biases favoring wealthy students in the college selection process. He reveals that affluent applicants with similar SAT scores are significantly more likely to gain admission than their less wealthy peers. The discussion critiques systemic advantages such as legacy status and access to resources. Deming also addresses how these disparities impact career opportunities and calls for a more equitable admissions framework to foster true meritocracy.
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Wealth Bias in Elite College Admissions
- Elite colleges like Ivy League schools, MIT, and Stanford are heavily biased towards wealthy applicants.
- Children from the richest 1% are 77 times more likely to attend these schools than those from the poorest quintile.
The Advantage of Wealth
- Applicants from the top 0.1% are twice as likely to be admitted as average students with the same SAT scores.
- This suggests that wealth, not just academic merit, plays a significant role in admissions.
Source of the Wealth Advantage
- The primary advantage for wealthy applicants comes from admissions practices, not application rates or financial aid.
- Legacies, recruited athletes, and high non-academic ratings contribute to this advantage.