> Whatever happened to access based on merit? Families with more resources apply those resources to the creation of apparent “merit.” Violin lessons, Kumon, Fr

> Whatever happened to access based on merit? Families with more resources apply those resources to the creation of apparent “merit.” Violin lessons, Kumon, French tutors, international travel. The mythology that what we call merit arises de novo with each subsequent generation is pervasive indeed. This investment process is intergenerational wealth transfer by another name; it’s just paid on the front end instead of the back end. Whether university admission is the right locus of intervention or not is an open question; but kidding ourselves that merit exists solely as a stand-alone property separate from the developmental opportunities purchased by parents is a commonly-held belief that undermines advancement; but I suppose it makes us feel better about the structure of society. But if we were serious about allowing equal opportunity for merit to emerge we’d intervene much earlier than university admission. But then again, I doubt you’d find a consensus about what a just society would look like.