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A comment on Carnegie Mellon, University of Pittsburgh end use of legacy status in admissions. Parent comment

Re:Carnegie Mellon, University of Pittsburgh end use of lega... by janalsncm on Wednesday July 19, 2023 @04:29PM (#36792749)
Ok, then why have classes at all? Why have any tests? If college is just a country club for young adults, just auction off seats to the highest bidder and be done with it. You’ll get an elite mix of those with the most “potential”. It also has the benefit of full transparency. A seat at Harvard costs $4 million cash. Don’t have it? Too bad you wanted an education but Harvard has to look out for their own interests.

Well, Harvard is going to look out for Harvard but Americans have to look out for our own country. And what is best for the country is not to have a snobby elite club, but to develop the minds of kids to solve the most pressing issues of the 21st century.

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Re:Carnegie Mellon, University of Pittsburgh end use of lega... by tylerhou on Wednesday July 19, 2023 @04:47PM (#36793090)
Because you need to maintain some pretense that Harvard grads aren’t incompetent. That’s also why they admit at least a few academically inclined students.
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Re:Carnegie Mellon, University of Pittsburgh end use of lega... by gitfan86 on Wednesday July 19, 2023 @05:06PM (#36793391)
Yeah it is almost like the opposite situation described in this thread.

It is the super rich that are hoping their child will become friends with the next Bill Gates. Not the next Bill Gates hoping he can meet a spoiled rich kid

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Re:Carnegie Mellon, University of Pittsburgh end use of lega... by HDThoreaun on Wednesday July 19, 2023 @05:11PM (#36793452)
Bill gates was one of the spoiled rich kids. But ignoring that the relationship goes both ways. The legacies want to be surrounded by people who are legitimately smart, high achievers. The smart high achievers want to be able to network with the legacies as they are what gives the institution prestige and make the alumni network valuable. Having only legacies or only meritocratic acceptances would be worse for both groups.
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