The Controversial Expansion of Affirmative Action: Beyond Legacy Admissions

A new study by economists from Harvard and Brown University reveals that elite private colleges in the United States give a significant admissions advantage to wealthy students over less affluent ones, even when they have similar academic qualifications. The study highlights that legacy admissions, athletic recruitment, and non-academic ratings contribute to this advantage. The economists argue that these admissions practices perpetuate a class privilege that hinders social mobility and suggest that reforms to admissions policies could make a substantial difference in the opportunities available to less privileged students. The study also finds that attending these elite colleges significantly increases the chances of future success and wealth, particularly for low-income students.