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FBI accuses wealthy parents in college-entrance bribery scheme

washingtonpost.com

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

#221

Post by heyoni »

MarkMc wrote: post #214
Balgair wrote: post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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?

And doxx himself? Fat chance!

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

#222

Post by Thorrez »

mcguire wrote: post #80
save_ferris wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think OP means that weren't wealthy enough to make a large public donation through the appropriate channels and instead resorted to bribery. Their legal bills could easily surpass the amount of money exchanged to get their kids into these schools.

The numbers $15,000 and $50,000 were mentioned in the article.

Are you saying that's a high number or a low number? Because if you're saying it's high, you picked the wrong examples, here's a different example from the article:

>The student’s parents paid $1.2 million in bribes, officials said.

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

#223

Post by toomanybeersies »

Balgair wrote: post #175
lainga wrote: post #173

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And what if you find this out, but worked your ass off and got straight As during your degree? Were your parents giving you unknown help then, too? Can you ask them? Where does it end?

Like, they tried so hard on your behalf. They spent so much money on you. They really did it out of the goodness of their hearts and in love of their child, in their own twisted way. And now? I mean, it all blew up in their faces. All their best intentions made everything just so much more horrible for their children. They'll never wash this off. My lord, not even Aristophanes himself could write a tragedy on this sc…

> They really did it out of the goodness of their hearts and in love of their child, in their own twisted way.

Did they? Or did they do it out of vanity that their children need to look like they are the best?

I'd guess they did it for their own self image. Imagine being rich and famous, and your kid is too stupid to get into a good college, that would be embarrassing.

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

#224

Post by jtfairbank »

anigbrowl wrote: post #215
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.

How is that Capital As Power site radical at all when it merely purports to explore the dominant mode of capitalism / politics in the USA today?

Now if you linked to something like https://sub.media/ or https://itsgoingdown.org/ I'd understand...

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

#225

Post by wolfspider »

This is a really good reason why college should be free and more accessible. Take away the opportunity for money to play a part in the exclusivity or stature of admission. If the studies themselves were valued more than the names of the schools it wouldn't matter as much which school was chosen. The funding sources could be bonded (that's what Freddie and Fannie are- agency bonds) and go directly to the institutions. The schools would be there to provide and not take advantage of students or put a lien on their future earnings. The money that the parents provide should go to the living expenses and study supplies of their children. For those who don't have that kind of support- the same colleges should be able to offer courses to them even if they have to get a job and have less free time or continuing education. Academics have become too rigid and this is the inflection point.

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

#226

Post by sizzle »

kotajacob wrote: post #210
sizzle wrote: post #200

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When you are born into privilege (kid of a celebrity), you are afforded the best private tutors and academic resources that money can buy during you academic career, starting from childhood. Assuming you are born with a neurotypical brain, you are at an advantage over your less wealthy peers from day one whether you perceive it or not.

Additionally they'd have decent regular meals, presumably plenty of time to sleep, and time to work on schoolwork. Plus they probably don't need to work while in middleschool, highschool and college.

Absolutely, these environmental factors make a huge difference. Know any good studies on the effects of environment on student performance/success?

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

#228

Post by techslave »

petty_griper wrote: post #169
tsunamifury wrote: post #146

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It really is if you gained access to a circle of people who have moved up in influence in varying sectors. My Alma-mater gave me access to leaders, hiring and referral opportunities, and even a life long partner with similar ambitions. I can probably name a good long list of of people I can call and get a a little help from now if I was in a bit of a pinch or need a little perspective.

This is bizarrely instrumental reason. Few of my classmates are now captains of industry or even in my career field, but I have extremely fond memories of my college experience because it was a nurturing, supportive environment where I had a close-knit community of friends, access to a lot of different resources to pursue my interests and the freedom to experiment and explore how I wanted to live life, all relatively…

bizarrely? the point of college is social connection, growing up. the book learning you can buy the text (nowadays read similar work online)

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

#229

Post by lsllc »

smallgovt wrote: post #194
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…

Haha, that is legitimately what's going through my mind now. My parents were nowhere near wealthy enough to make these sized bribes, but doesn't stop me from wondering...It's similar to reading about 'back of the milk carton' child abduction stories.

Bingo! Wealth == Privilege. That's the way the world works sadly.

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

#230

Post by TomMckenny »

NowThenGoodBad wrote: post #7

This might be more overt than the usual form, but how does this differ from donating a new building, department, or scholarship fund and subsequently getting your kid in? My mother did well in the Masters program at Stanford and I would have likely gotten in if she donated a couple million dollars but she didn’t and I didn’t (despite getting an invitation a year after accepting enrollment at another university). It’s…

Bribing an employee to look the other way is considered unspeakably evil.

"Donating" to the owner to to exactly the same thing is considered good business.

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