By the time people are ready for college, I would expect them to demonstrate the sort of work ethic that leads to actual success, and they would naturally then be able to show fruits of their labor which would also show their ability. Trying to gain entry essentially by virtue of one's genes would show the wrong set of values, and potentially point to a weak applicant with something to hide.
I'm pretty sure that I got into both college (SAT scores) and law school (LSAT scores) because of my innate intelligence. It had virtually nothing to do with my work ethic (by law school, I had no work ethic left at all).
I also got my first job purely through the credential from a T14 school. I simply presented my ticket and a summer clerkship was created specifically for me because of the name of the school I attended. They were literally starving for a T14 student.
I also wanted to point out that in a *law firm* as opposed to a law school, your value depends on your ability to being in business and be productive. Primarily it's a sales position at the partner level. Your value depends on the amount of money you bring in the door every year.
