Bowles and Gintis argue that schools socialize students to accept the social relationships of work in capitalist societies through a hidden curriculum. They propose a "correspondence principle" where schools mirror the hierarchical and fragmented structure of the workplace. Specifically, schools divide learning into subjects, group students by age and ability, use grades as extrinsic rewards, and promote competition among students. This hidden curriculum prepares students to accept alienation, lack of control, and inequality as inevitable aspects of work. However, schools also promote a myth of meritocracy by suggesting one's status is solely based on individual effort and achievement.