Originally Posted by Val
I agree with this position, and I also think that other preferences should be removed, especially donation preferences, alumni child preferences, friend-of-famous-or-superwealthy-alum preferences, and other random preferences. Admission should be merit-based. Defining "merit" is a complex question, but it's also a completely different question.

This will never happen because these are social institutions.

One of their goals is to keep donations coming and to retain their social place in society.

They know what they are doing and they will not make the admissions fully merit based because that would interfere with their goals.