Surprise, surprise. Applicants who come from wealthy families have a much highest acceptance rate to elite colleges than the rank and file. But, and here’s the good news: Silver spoon applicants get in prestige schools easier, are more likely to land plum graduate school acceptances, and are more likely to get hired by top-notch law and financial firms. But their income down the road is not much better than their brethren who went to state schools. Meritocracy still works.