In the article The New Role of Money In Admissions: Is This The End of the Meritocratic Ideal states that prestigious schools such as Oxford and UCLA may be allowing students to buy their spots in the schools based on nothing but financial ability to pay. These schools believe that they will be able to gain a huge financial profit form doing this.
The problem I see is that students are no longer going to be judged on their performance in school but their check book. This gives the wrong impression to affluent kids that may lack the motivation to work hard in high school. College is a place students should have to earn the right to attend through hard work in high school. I also believe that college should be affordable, but from what my degree tells me from an economical standpoint is that the demand for these schools will rise and so will the price making it even less affordable for the average family. Other than the financial gain these institutions will receive, I do not see much positive.
This article might seem a shocker. However, it would be very interesting to hear if admissions to major universities is meritocratic already. Perhaps the article merely unveils what has been an ongoing practice?
ReplyDeleteNeil