There's a saying I like. "The harder I work, the luckier I get." I interpret it as working hard allows you to take advantage of more opportunities. The opportunities are luck based, but your ability to capitalize on them are not.

So I'm saying I agree with your point. A lot of networking is opportunities. The elite universities' edge isn't in making people better, it is in presenting more opportunities. They say meritocracy but the service they provide is connecting rich kids with smart kids. If the opportunities are coming through the rich kids then they can't get rid of legacy admissions. At least not as long as we live in a society where you need things like investments to fund ideas or where money is an opportunity vehicle. Personally, I just don't like that we play this game of calling one thing another.

Agreed.