Fear, Fetish, and Façade: The Role of Privilege and Self-Curation in Educational Outcomes

Abstract

The socioeconomic stratification within the higher education system is higher than it has been in thirty years, yet, simultaneously, the higher education system prides itself on its commitment to meritocracy and diversity. In light of this paradox, elite education has become a far more complex mechanism than it used to be, as well as those that play a part in sustaining class structures. Higher education has become completely fetishized in America, as it guides our values, behaviors, and aspirations starting at a very young age. Through interviewing students within elite academic institutions students, I aim to shed light on how deeply committed many of them are to notion that meritocracy is pure and that education is truly an indication of an individual’s value and worth. I closely examine the ways in which these students articulate their experiences and success within this system and their lack of awareness for the structural systems that have played an instrumental role.