Elite universities show a double likelihood in admitting affluent students

**1. Higher Admissions Rate for Wealthy Students at Ivy-Plus Schools**
Students from high-income families have a greater chance of being accepted into Ivy-Plus schools, according to a recent study. The study reveals that students from higher-income families are more than twice as likely to be admitted compared to their low- or middle-income peers with similar SAT or ACT scores. This leads to an additional 103 students from the top 1% income bracket in a typical class of 1,650 students at Ivy-Plus schools.

**2. Legacy Admissions as a Major Contributor**
Legacy admissions, which favor the children of alumni, play a significant role in the overrepresentation of the top 1% at Ivy-Plus schools. The study found that legacy applicants from the top 1% are five times more likely to be admitted compared to students with similar qualifications. This factor heavily contributes to the admissions advantage enjoyed by wealthy students.

**3. Non-Academic Factors and the Admissions Advantage**
Non-academic ratings, such as extracurricular activities, leadership skills, and personal traits, as well as athletic recruitment, also contribute to the admissions advantage. However, these factors have been shown to be unrelated or negatively associated with post-college success. In contrast, academic ratings, including SAT and ACT scores, have been found to be predictive of post-college outcomes.

**4. Pressure for Admissions Reform**
The recent Supreme Court ruling that overturned affirmative action in college admissions has put pressure on top schools to reform their admissions practices, which have favored white, high-income students. Wesleyan University recently announced the discontinuation of legacy admissions, following the lead of other prestigious schools like Amherst, Johns Hopkins, and Carnegie Mellon.

**5. Benefits of Attending Ivy-Plus Schools**
Attending an Ivy-Plus school significantly increases students’ chances of attending elite graduate programs and securing prestigious jobs in fields like medicine, research, law, and finance. It also raises their income levels to enter the top 1% bracket. Graduates from these institutions disproportionately hold positions of power and influence, including U.S. senators, Rhodes Scholars, Supreme Court Justices, Fortune 500 CEOs, and high-income individuals.

**6. Changing Admissions Practices to Increase Socioeconomic Diversity**
The study suggests that Ivy-Plus schools have the potential to contribute to greater socioeconomic diversity among the country’s leaders by revising their admissions practices to minimize the advantage given to high-income students. Critics argue that these universities perpetuate the intergenerational transfer of wealth and power.

The Ivy League’s Exclusive Admissions Practices
The Ivy League schools, along with other prestigious institutions in the Ivy-Plus group, have long been associated with exclusive admissions practices that favor wealthy and legacy students. This article analyzes a recent study that sheds light on the disparities in admissions between students from different income backgrounds. It also delves into the pressure faced by these schools to reform their admissions practices to promote greater diversity and equity.