If hard work and persistence at school is cultural, then sure. Can you describe exactly what you mean by cultural in nature? That 66% number can entirely come f

If hard work and persistence at school is cultural, then sure. Can you describe exactly what you mean by cultural in nature? That 66% number can entirely come from differences in what each culture values - black culture values athletics and music whereas Asian culture values education. And you see that play out in the end product - black people are "overrepresented" in sports and music while Asians are "overrepresented" in academia and STEM. None of these differences make the merit program cultural in nature.