With the Ivy League under fire — from AI, from Trump, from its own students — it may finally be enough for young people to consider alternative paths. At least, that’s the argument at Palantir Technologies.

Last week, the company announced a new “Meritocracy Fellowship,” a four-month internship for high school graduates. Candidates will be selected “based solely on merit and academic excellence” in contrast to the opaque standards that govern admission to prestigious universities. While modern American culture denies kids can be extremely competent change agents, Palantir — in keeping with its culture of betting on "aptitude over skill" — wants to give them a shot.

Whether or not high schoolers are emotionally ready for corporate life, the option itself may present an overdue challenge to the Ivy League, which has coasted on prestige for one too many centuries. In this interview with Palantir Head of Talent, Margaret (“Marge”) York, who’s been at the company since 2012, we discuss higher ed’s dysfunction, Palantir's belief in young people, and how that belief has shaped the company’s talent pool.