How the Ivy League broke America
In 1951, Harvard University accepted 94 percent of its legacy applicants. Admission to elite colleges at the time was still based on bloodlines and connections; it was an age of unbridled social privilege on campus. But James Conant, the president of Harvard from 1933 to 1953, had a plan: Overhaul the admissions criteria to prioritize academic achievement. Create a new elite class, one predicated on meritocracy. Eventually, Conant’s system won out at colleges. The conclusion: “If you change the criteria for admission at places such as Harvard, Yale, and Princeton, then you change the nation’s social ideal,” David Brooks wrote last month.
Elite colleges have been a fixation of the American public for centuries. These institutions have produced many American leaders, but they’ve also come under scrutiny for unfair admissions criteria, nepotism, and preferential treatment for rich students. Today’s newsletter brings you stories about the issues facing these prestigious universities, and how these issues affect American society:
Director Center for Sustainability and the Environment at Albion College with expertise in Watersheds, Group Decision Making and Nature Interpretation
1dI am curious about the decision to reference the Ohio State University as simply "Ohio State" in the article. Just an interesting editorial choice.
English and TOK Teacher @ Frankfurt International School | International Education
3wThe truth is inconvenient to many but so refreshingly affirmative to so many more. The question is whether or not anything can change. This article is one of many that speaks to the issues created by the politically elite over time. Do the politically elite care enough to seek changes?
Engineering | Mentorship | Progressing through asking questions
3wI’ve got a complicated feelings about it. On one hand, I got where I am through what universities offer: an opportunity to prove my competency with my diploma. On the other hand, I saw that the universities are not about merits. Connections and networking is what got people ahead in and out of the college. (And family relations are the strongest of them all) Seeing how it’s changed for worse over the last 10 years since I got my BS in IDEAS (no joke 😅), I wonder what other paths are out there for ambitious, talented, and independent talents.
TRIPS4HOPE INTERNET FUNDRAISING DIRECTOR; YOSHI FARMS LLC C.O.O.
3wIf they are to survive in a ever growing diverse world it is no longer beneficial to exclude the qualified, but different than the previous pattern. The web has opened the door to access so much more, & now with AI how will the human element fair, when a "student can gather all the needed information with a voice command on their phone, which now can have an actual have a conversation with you. 🤔 interesting times we are in...
Founder | Public Relations Professional | Communications Speaker & Moderator | PhD Candidate
3wVery informative. The landscape of higher ed has changed so much from emphasis on high academic achievement to profit with millions in debt for programs that have translated to careers let alone income to justify.