Maria comes from a low-income family and has worked hard to excel in school, earning a scholarship to a prestigious university. However, she still faces significant challenges related to her socioeconomic background and finds it difficult to access resources that her wealthier peers take for granted. How does Maria's experience illustrate the concept of meritocracy in the context of social mobility?

Maria's experience shows how meritocracy, the idea that success comes from hard work and talent, can be complicated by social background. Although she earned a scholarship through her hard work and academic achievements, her low-income background still creates barriers that make it harder for her to succeed compared to her wealthier classmates. For example, while her peers might easily afford textbooks, tutoring, or networking opportunities, Maria may struggle to access the same resources, which can affect her performance and confidence. This situation illustrates that while meritocracy rewards individual effort, it doesn't always account for the unequal starting points in life, making true social mobility more challenging for those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Thus, Maria's story highlights the need to address these inequalities to create a fairer system where everyone has an equal chance to succeed.