by Pa Rock
Citizen Journalist
Recently FBI agents from the Boston Field Office inadvertently stumbled upon what is being billed as a $25 million college admissions cheating scandal - a program whereby wealthy parents paid cash up front to a person who then arranged for the children of those parents to get accepted to the colleges and universities of their choice. So far more than fifty individuals have been indicted in the scandal - from college officials who were handsomely rewarded for their services - to scheming parents who lined up to spend money to get their kids into the "right" schools.
The wall of shame so far includes one very prominent college coach and at least two Hollywood actresses.
One component of the scam was for certain college coaches to offer team positions to students in order to guarantee their acceptance into the chosen schools - and then once safely enrolled, those students didn't participate in the teams for which they had been enrolled. Another aspect of the rigged selection process was to direct students to two specific testing centers to take their SATs and ACTs. Bribed proctors at those centers would then assist students with their tests, or correct tests after they had been turned in.
Some skeptics of the American social order have always been aware of class distinctions in the college admissions process regardless of quotas or other strategies used to try and bring some balance to the issue. Those with means always seemed to get into the better schools. If the price of tuition failed to keep out the riff-raff, students from the "right" families could get in through hefty endowments or legacy programs. But then, with an acceleration of very bright students working very hard to grab scarce spaces in the best schools, some of those from the "right" families were suddenly finding it harder to gain admission.
So the rich did what the rich have always done - they looked for a way to buy what they wanted - that is until the FBI accidentally stumbled into the game.
The schools involved are now rejecting students who were due to enter through this scam, and they are struggling with what to do about students who were already admitted and are well into their college careers.
All of the wealthy kids will likely land in a comfortable situation somewhere, and none of their parents will serve any jail time. This is America, after all, where white skin and green cash can fix just about anything!
Citizen Journalist
Recently FBI agents from the Boston Field Office inadvertently stumbled upon what is being billed as a $25 million college admissions cheating scandal - a program whereby wealthy parents paid cash up front to a person who then arranged for the children of those parents to get accepted to the colleges and universities of their choice. So far more than fifty individuals have been indicted in the scandal - from college officials who were handsomely rewarded for their services - to scheming parents who lined up to spend money to get their kids into the "right" schools.
The wall of shame so far includes one very prominent college coach and at least two Hollywood actresses.
One component of the scam was for certain college coaches to offer team positions to students in order to guarantee their acceptance into the chosen schools - and then once safely enrolled, those students didn't participate in the teams for which they had been enrolled. Another aspect of the rigged selection process was to direct students to two specific testing centers to take their SATs and ACTs. Bribed proctors at those centers would then assist students with their tests, or correct tests after they had been turned in.
Some skeptics of the American social order have always been aware of class distinctions in the college admissions process regardless of quotas or other strategies used to try and bring some balance to the issue. Those with means always seemed to get into the better schools. If the price of tuition failed to keep out the riff-raff, students from the "right" families could get in through hefty endowments or legacy programs. But then, with an acceleration of very bright students working very hard to grab scarce spaces in the best schools, some of those from the "right" families were suddenly finding it harder to gain admission.
So the rich did what the rich have always done - they looked for a way to buy what they wanted - that is until the FBI accidentally stumbled into the game.
The schools involved are now rejecting students who were due to enter through this scam, and they are struggling with what to do about students who were already admitted and are well into their college careers.
All of the wealthy kids will likely land in a comfortable situation somewhere, and none of their parents will serve any jail time. This is America, after all, where white skin and green cash can fix just about anything!
1 comment:
The Ivy League school mantra since the days we strolled the quad has always been "Pay your fees and collect your B's." Although elite schools do produce eminent scholars, the apparent vast majority of their students benefit from privilege. Now we see the "mantra" was only the tip of the iceberg.
And Lori Loughlin's poor daughter. The shame of this breaking while she's out yachting aboard the big boat belonging to the Chairman of the Board of Trustees for USC. Oh my, she was yanked from the cruise like a menial fast food worker caught trying to eat a french fry! The trauma! And her mama had to fly from working in Canada to get arraigned only to be fired once she returned to Canada! Oh the immense suffering they must feel. Surely the judge will sentence them to a lifetime of counseling; or not.
Post a Comment