The Academic Great Gatsby Curve: How Much of Academic Success Is Inherited?
2024-12-21
A new study reveals that academic success mirrors the inheritance of wealth and social status. Analyzing data from over 245,000 mentor-mentee pairs, researchers found that the more unequal the citation distribution within a discipline, the more likely a mentee's citation ranking reflects their mentor's. This suggests academic success is shaped by structural forces similar to those governing social mobility, where the advantage of a top mentor creates a self-reinforcing cycle of success. While acknowledging the benefits of top mentorship, the study cautions against relying solely on citation metrics, advocating for greater academic equity and equal opportunity.
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