A Rough Guide To Merit
Placed prominently within President Trump’s controversial “compact” for higher education was a call to center merit in admissions. The president’s offer to universities, which followed more than a decade of…
Posts tagged with
“academic merit”
RE: The Faculty Merit Act
I regret that the National Association of Scholars (NAS) has proposed the Faculty Merit Act (David Randall, “It’s Time to Mandate Merit,” Jan. 2, 2016). I agree that some universities,…
It’s Time to Mandate Merit
In an August City Journal piece, my former colleague John Sailer wonderfully quoted an anonymous professor: “Every day, the universities wake up and break the law.” Just about every faculty-hiring…
[LETTER]: Martin Center Urges UNC–Chapel Hill to Prioritize Merit and Equal Opportunity in Enrollment Leadership
RALEIGH, N.C. (December 3, 2025) — Today, the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal sent a letter to UNC–Chapel Hill Chancellor Lee Roberts outlining key priorities for the university’s…
Don’t Limit Foreign-Student Enrollment
For too long, merit has taken a back seat in American higher education. Under the banner of DEI, admissions policies at many institutions have prioritized demographic balancing over academic excellence.…
Replacing Standards with Sympathy
Higher education once stood for rigor, accountability, and personal responsibility. But grade inflation and diluted curricula have already eroded the pretense of academic excellence. Now, a new initiative at the…
American Colleges Are Building a New Elite
On paper, he should have been the dream candidate. IQ over 145. SAT score of 1580. Valedictorian. Varsity athlete. Student-government leader. Dozens of AP classes. In a more rational time,…
Feds Tell Med Schools to Stop Discriminating
On February 14, the Department of Education officially notified educational institutions receiving federal funding that they must cease race-based practices—including admissions, hiring, promotion, scholarships, administrative support, discipline, and sanctions. The…
Yet Another Bad Admissions Idea
Leigh made a 34 on the ACT. Bill made a 23. Which of the two do you want attending your academically selective college? According to a traditional or merit-based admissions…
The Collegiate War Against Merit
A story in Inside Higher Ed last week revealed that two more Ivy League schools, Cornell and the University of Pennsylvania, have stopped publishing “dean’s lists” that recognize high levels…