College admissions officers roll out the red carpet for children of the rich and famous, according to a new book that has rekindled debate over college admissions practices.

Dan Golden's "The Price of Admission" builds upon his Pulitzer Prize-winning series for the Wall Street Journal. Golden is not afraid to name names: he describes how the sons of Al Gore, Bill Frist, Michael Ovitz, and New Jersey billionaire Charles Kushner were admitted to top colleges despite their marginal credentials.

These special deals, as well as the boost that many colleges give children of alumni (called "legacy preferences"), tilt the playing field against middle-class applicants. According to two Princeton professors, legacy status is worth 160 points on the SAT.

It's no surprise, then, that students at our best universities overwhelmingly come from privileged backgrounds. At the 146 most prestigious universities, three-quarters of students come from the most privileged fourth of society. Only 3 percent come from the least privileged quarter of students.

Consider two applicants with very similar credentials. It is perverse to give the extra boost to the student who overcame fewer challenges and obstacles. But despite this systemic bias toward the privileged students, it is the efforts to restore balance to campuses -- like affirmative action and extra help for disadvantaged minorities -- that ignite controversy.

Universities argue that legacy preferences are necessary for fundraising, but this is only a rationalization. Legacy preferences were created to protect privilege. Yale introduced them in 1925 to prevent an influx of Jews with high test scores, according to a 1991 Washington Monthly article. In any event, colleges shouldn't build their endowments on the backs of more qualified but poorer applicants.

Others say that the colleges are private organizations and should be able to admit whomever they want. But this argument overlooks the huge investment society has made in higher learning through tax preferences, student aid, and research funds, as well as the stake we all have in it as a source of opportunity and privilege.

American has stood for the ideal that money and fame are based upon talent and hard work, not family name. Education – particularly our system of higher education, the envy of the world – is the engine of that opportunity. Seats at our best colleges should be awarded fairly.

Update: Two cheers for Harvard for ending its early admissions program. In practice, early admissions favored students who get good advice and do not need financial aid. Ending it is a good first step toward a fairer admissions process.