I think if you look at polling, people’s feelings on admissions is heavily influenced by whether the criteria helps/hurts them. Especially when it comes to students and parents.

Which makes sense. If it came to your kid, would you give up their spot at an Ivy for the “common good” (assuming you saw it that way)?

Or would your definition of what’s right/wrong change to fit the practicals of the circumstances?

For a large majority purely numerical merit based wouldn't change what school they could go to, but it would make it so much easier for them to plan and know where they can go since now its no longer based on the whims of some random bureaucrats.

So most people would benefit, a tiny minority who currently unfairly get into elite colleges would be hurt.