Degrees of value: Cultivating privilege at an elite university

Privilege in Elite Degrees

The concept of elite universities as sites for cultivating privilege has gained renewed urgency. In many countries, higher education has expanded dramatically, but positional competition has intensified. Degrees from top institutions no longer guarantee advantage on their own; graduates must build networks, credentials, and experiences to stand out in overcrowded labour markets.

This dynamic appears in studies of students at places like the London School of Economics, where perceptions of degree value reflect strategies to amass 'graduate capital' under conditions of social congestion. Students prioritise extracurriculars, internships, and social positioning alongside academics to secure edges over peers.

Recent policy shifts have sharpened these inequalities. The 2023 US Supreme Court ruling ending affirmative action led to notable drops in Black and Latino enrollment at elite schools—down 27% for Black students and 10% for Latino at top 50 selective institutions by 2024 data—while some campuses pivot to socioeconomic diversity. Yet such efforts often benefit middle- and upper-class applicants who can leverage test prep, extracurriculars, and other resources unavailable to lower-income students.

Legacy admissions and donor preferences, though under scrutiny in places like California (banned for private colleges in 2024, effective 2025), continue to advantage the wealthy elsewhere. Elite graduates dominate high-paying sectors: over half of Harvard's 2025 class entered finance, tech, or consulting, with starting salaries often exceeding $110,000, compared to far lower figures in academia or public service.

Non-obvious tensions include the 'career funnel' at elite schools, which diverts talent from public-good fields toward wealth-reinforcing paths, and the paradox that even high-achieving low-income students at these institutions often underperform socioeconomically relative to privileged peers who network aggressively. Global rankings and funding pressures further concentrate prestige, sustaining hierarchies that limit broader access and mobility.