Abstract: The high-quality development of higher education is both a demand of the era and society,as well as a crucial condition for achieving holistic human development.However,the advocacy of the meritocratic ideal of "talent + effort = success" has fueled unhealthy competition and an overemphasis on numerical achievements,hindering the advancement of higher education.To understand the impact and origins of meritocracy from the perspective of college students,this study conducted interviews with graduates and applied a constructivist grounded theory approach to analyze the data.The findings reveal that the influence of meritocracy has led to anxiety,arrogance,and utilitarian learning behaviors among students.External factors,such as societal shifts,examination-oriented education,traditional ideologies,and parental expectations,combined with internal factors,including the pursuit of certainty,lack of lofty aspirations,and concerns about future prospects,compel students to accept meritocratic beliefs.Based on these findings,the paper proposes potential solutions.