Meritocracy vs. Legacy Admissions in Elite Universities

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Legacy admissions in elite universities, based on family connections, have historically closed the door to merit-based admissions. In the past, elite universities admitted students based on their last name, leading to classism and anti-Semitic biases. The introduction of standardized testing, like the SAT, was aimed at creating a more level playing ground for college admissions. This historical context raises interesting philosophical questions about meritocracy and legacy admissions in the 21st century.

Do you really deserve the credit for your accomplishments? Should college admissions be determined by lottery? And how did Mike’s contribution to a charity auction change his life?

SOURCES:
- Warren Buffett, investor and philanthropist.
- James Flynn, political philosopher at the University of Otago.
- Robert Frank, professor emeritus of management at Cornell SC Johnson College of Business.
- Rogé Karma, staff writer at The Atlantic.
- Nicholas Lemann, professor of journalism and dean emeritus at Columbia Journalism School.
- Daniel Markovits, professor of law at Yale Law School.
- Charles Munger, investor and philanthropist.
- John Rawls, 20th-century legal and political philosopher.
- Guy Raz, creator and host of How I Built This and Wisdom from the Top; founder and C.E.O. of Built-It Productions.
- Michael Sandel, professor of government at Harvard University.
- Martin Seligman, professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania.
- Ryan Smith, founder and executive chairman of Qualtrics; owner of the Utah Jazz.