参考答案

??[D] missed its original purpose??

【解析】根据题干关键词recruiting more first-generation students回文定位到第一段的第四句，然后一一比对选项，“rather than close an achievement gap based on social class”排除选项B，选项A和C是无关选项，由第四句话中This has created “a paradox” in that recruiting first-generation students…与选项D “missed its original purpose”是同义替换，paradox的意思是“自相矛盾，似是而非的观点”，所以正确答案为D。