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FBI accuses wealthy parents in college-entrance bribery scheme

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Re: FBI accuses wealthy parents in college-entrance bribery scheme

#211

Post by a3n »

aliston wrote: post #120

There's so much discussion from the perspective of the parents, but what about the message this sends to the kids that it's OK to cheat your way through life? If you could get into USC with a ~1000 SAT score like Huffman's daughter, would you even want to go? I wouldn't. It is shortchanging the achievement, and really missing the point of what admission to such a university represents. The reality is that the college…

> what about the message this sends to the kids that it's OK to cheat your way through life?

Maybe they don't think they're cheating. Maybe they've just grown up thinking they deserve whatever they can buy.

Re: FBI accuses wealthy parents in college-entrance bribery scheme

#212

Post by anigbrowl »

kokokokoko wrote: post #98
fmajid wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just because it’s legal doesn’t mean it’s not corrupt.

I wonder if you can help me understand this better. Why does a specific private university need let in the smartest or most capable students? What does that have to be their goal or they are unjust? Why can't they have different reasons and goals when building their student body? I understand things like racism and other forms of bigotry. But what's wrong with adding some students that will bring in the perspective o…

Well, they don't - but then they'll eventually get the reputation of being a party school rather than the prestige that goes with outstanding academics.

It feels like having a purely merit based population of students would create a very stagnant and dull environment.

'This university sucks! Everyone here is a nerd.'

OK, you probably did not mean it that way but I can't resist having a little fun with this. If all you want to do is shake things up, why not just draft random working class people via lottery? For extra amusement, make them go even if they don't want to. True, we would not learn anything about the perspective of the super wealthy, but they already have billboards and TV stations to inform us of their opinions.

Re: FBI accuses wealthy parents in college-entrance bribery scheme

#213

Post by MarkMc »

Balgair wrote: post #171

Oh dear God. Reading into the indictments, it seems that a lot of the kids never had a clue that they were complicit in the schemes: >... and it was like, the kids though, and it was funny 'cause the kids will call me and say, "Maybe I should do that again. I did pretty well and if I took it again, I'll do better even" Right? And they just have no idea that they didn't even get the score that they thought they got. C…

No doubt it's a disappointment for these kids, but they will get over it pretty quickly. People have a powerful ability to protect their ego and tell themselves what they want to hear.

Re: FBI accuses wealthy parents in college-entrance bribery scheme

#214

Post by MarkMc »

Balgair wrote: post #111
XCabbage wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Donating a building is a payment to the university . The university then gets to decide to admit your child in return. It may not be meritocratic, but it's not corrupt (except perhaps insofar as by pretending the exchange is a donation, the university and donor manage to cheat the taxman). The donor is simply paying the university to provide a service that they have every right to offer for money. It also benefits ot…

Anecdata: In my extended family, we have some members with a fair bit of 'bread'. These family members met at a somewhat known (yet small-ish) college and really loved the place and all the memories they had there. They donated a lot of money over the years and, yes, had a building named after them. When it came time for their daughter to apply to college, the choice was obvious. However, the daughter was rejected ou…

Can you tell us the name of the college?

Re: FBI accuses wealthy parents in college-entrance bribery scheme

#215

Post by anigbrowl »

highschoolx wrote: post #198

US high school senior here. Made a throwaway for this. Seeing this makes my blood boil. Not only is it essentially an open secret that the admissions process actively discriminates against Asians and other high-achieving ethnic groups--and gives a massive leg up to legacies, children of donors, etc.--these people thought they were good enough, by virtue of their wealth, to bribe and cheat their way into these top uni…

We live in quite a corrupt society, so here is the part where I tempt you to undertake a nihilistic leap into radical politics: http://www.capitalaspower.com/

I shudder to imagine just what my children will have to go through.

Things have been known to improve as well to decline. Don't let your anger make you pessimistic, experience will supply you with plenty of occasions for that later.

Re: FBI accuses wealthy parents in college-entrance bribery scheme

#216

Post by gurumeditations »

highschoolx wrote: post #198

US high school senior here. Made a throwaway for this. Seeing this makes my blood boil. Not only is it essentially an open secret that the admissions process actively discriminates against Asians and other high-achieving ethnic groups--and gives a massive leg up to legacies, children of donors, etc.--these people thought they were good enough, by virtue of their wealth, to bribe and cheat their way into these top uni…

College and life in general is not meritocratic. If anyone has any right to complain about colleges being racially biased and the fact that life is not meritocratic, it’s the people who affirmative action was invented to help, not the whites and Asians who are slightly disadvantaged by it now.

Re: FBI accuses wealthy parents in college-entrance bribery scheme

#217

Post by bane »

Balgair wrote: post #171

Oh dear God. Reading into the indictments, it seems that a lot of the kids never had a clue that they were complicit in the schemes: >... and it was like, the kids though, and it was funny 'cause the kids will call me and say, "Maybe I should do that again. I did pretty well and if I took it again, I'll do better even" Right? And they just have no idea that they didn't even get the score that they thought they got. C…

I think what's really sad is how much the credential stuffing for their kids figured into this. I would guess that many of these kids would have been just fine going to whatever school they could get into and enjoying their life from there. But the overwhelming desire to get a major school brand label, even if otherwise completely useless for these kids, drove their parents to participate in one of the largest organized crime activities in U.S. history.

Re: FBI accuses wealthy parents in college-entrance bribery scheme

#218

Post by Scoundreller »

lysp wrote: post #196
Zimahl wrote: post #187

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The kids who only got in with some SAT fudging, like Felicity Huffman's daughter, were probably just below requirements to get into some of these universities. I read somewhere else that USC has so many applicants that if you don't have a 3.8 GPA with a 1400 SAT you are going to be the odd man out. So if you need 400 SAT points to get there, you probably aren't going to do it with just good prep (which usually only n…

One of them was struggling and needed help to actually fill out the application form. Someone ended up doing it for her. If you're not smart enough to fill out a form - imagine how you'll go during study.

Or if you end up with them as an assigned lab partner or group project member.

Re: FBI accuses wealthy parents in college-entrance bribery scheme

#219

Post by bright9as0 »

NavyNuke wrote: post #140
aliston wrote: post #120

There's so much discussion from the perspective of the parents, but what about the message this sends to the kids that it's OK to cheat your way through life? If you could get into USC with a ~1000 SAT score like Huffman's daughter, would you even want to go? I wouldn't. It is shortchanging the achievement, and really missing the point of what admission to such a university represents. The reality is that the college…

> If you could get into USC with a ~1000 SAT score like Huffman's daughter, would you even want to go? I wouldn't. It is shortchanging the achievement, and really missing the point of what admission to such a university represents. Many people are happy to take advantage of these unfair "bumps" that happen to be in their favor. Simply look at elite school admission rates by race and LSAT/GMAT/SAT/ACT scores [1]...you…

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