University admissions processes typically seek to admit the best students into a given institution's programmes. But what does “best” mean? A century ago, it would have had more to do with breeding and gender than brains. In recent decades, the focus shifted to measurable qualities like IQ and standardised tests, such as A-levels and the International Baccalaureate. Today, there is a growing realisation that more diverse factors should be considered. That includes controlling for the impact that wealth has on the accumulation of academic and other credentials, as well as shifting the focus from past achievement to future potential. In the process, we are redefining “merit”. This affects not just who gets to attend university, but the significance those opportunities have for one’s role in society.