Is prestige a measure of quality or an engine of exclusion?
In short: We often equate high-status universities with superior education, but this obsession may be doing more harm than good. Educator Cecilia M. Orphan challenges our definition of 'prestige' to reveal how it shapes who gets ahead and who gets left behind.
The current academic landscape prioritizes highly rejective, expensive institutions that limit access to a small elite. This focus creates a system where prestige is defined by the number of students an institution turns away rather than the value it provides to the public.
Orphan argues for a shift in priorities: instead of funneling resources toward exclusive schools, we should support regional public universities. By judging colleges based on the opportunities they create for all students—rather than those they stifle—we can build a more equitable educational system.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Cecilia M. Orphan: What makes a "good college" — and why it matters
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