--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We all want merit to mean something, and…" description: "\"We all want merit to mean something, and we all may be tempted to reduce that meaning to something measurable and concrete like an SAT score. The reali..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf8/eric-liu-9463_concrete_we-all-want-merit-to-mean-something-and_1976426.jpg" --- # We all want merit to mean something, and we all may be… ![“We all want merit to mean something, and we all may be tempted to reduce that meaning to something measurable and concrete like an SAT score. The reality, though, is that who deserves entry into an institution depends on what the institution exists to do.” quote by Eric Liu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf8/eric-liu-9463_concrete_we-all-want-merit-to-mean-something-and_1976426.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf8/eric-liu-9463_concrete_we-all-want-merit-to-mean-something-and_1976426.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf8/eric-liu-9463_concrete_we-all-want-merit-to-mean-something-and_1976426.jpg) > “We all want merit to mean something, and we all may be tempted to reduce that meaning to something measurable and concrete like an SAT score. The reality, though, is that who deserves entry into an institution depends on what the institution exists to do.” [Eric Liu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-liu/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Merit should be judged by an institution’s purpose, not just by standardized scores. **In simple terms:** Purpose matters more than scores. Key Takeaway Align admissions with mission. Themes education merit purpose Mood thoughtful critical Type analytical reflective When to use this quote - college admissions - scholarship awards - policy design Key Concepts institutional goals equity assessment Questions to Reflect On - How does your institution define merit? - What values should guide admissions? 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