College Admissions Scandal....

[RP]

Really? Do these people have no shame???? Can their kids not get into college the old-fashioned way by actually getting good grades, taking the SATs themselves and actually participating on athletic teams? https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/13/us/wh...dal/index.html

[Murphy Slaw]

As a father writing checks for my daughters college to keep her from having to start life with a mountain of debt, I find the whole thing sickening.

It turns my stomach.

[Nymuso]

That video of that kid saying she wants the college experience, parties and all, but has no use for school - is classic.

[Mbroady]

I have an 18 month old girl and of course we would like her to go to (a good) college. So we are starting to put away a little every month. I would like to think that even if We had the means to get her into any school, anywhere, that We would stick to doing it above board. But money and our kids do strange things to our morality.

But it is the very idea that we want our kids to not be morally corrupt that keeps us on the right side of decency.

[srick]

Originally Posted by RP

Really? Do these people have no shame???? Can their kids not get into college the old-fashioned way by actually getting good grades, taking the SATs themselves and actually participating on athletic teams? https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/13/us/wh...dal/index.html

I'm not condoning this is any way, shape, or form, but is it any different than Daddy or Mommy making a big contribution to a University? And 'legacy' students have always had a door available to them. I don't think it's anything new.

IMO, the pursuit of the dollar (especially our emphasis on college sports and the monies that they generate) has perverted the system. It's easy to say that the ends justify the means, but this system also creates a beast "that must be fed" and the food is green leafy $$$.

I don't see the system being changed anytime soon. What will be changing is the school age population, which is decreasing - many colleges will be shutting their doors or altering their mission over the next 30 years.

[Otterhound]

Welcome to reality folks .
It appears that the man behind all of this developed individualized paths for every applicant .
Not easy to do and required great creativity .
Makes me wonder if he holds a college degree . If not , he should be teaching a course in creative thinking .

[Cincy2]

This is just a symptom of what will become a change in the way we look at higher eduction. The cost continues to skyrocket. The unemployment rate for graduates is increasing. Sooner or later, the government will stop financing student tuition that will likely never be repaid.

While all of this is going on, the trades (construction, automotive, IT, etc) are starving for bright, energetic young people. Trade schools (once looked upon as a career path for people not intelligent enough for college) will soon become a better alternative than the broken higher education system.

My Dad was way ahead of his time. He encouraged me to go to college (and pay for it myself) but told me the only viable alternative was to learn a trade and get really good at it. He was a trade school trained machinist and kept food on our table when a lot of college graduates could not do the same for their families.

Eric

[rokdog49]

Pretty much everything gets perverted by money sooner or later.
Nothing surprises me...nothing.

[RP]

Originally Posted by srick

I'm not condoning this is any way, shape, or form, but is it any different than Daddy or Mommy making a big contribution to a University? And 'legacy' students have always had a door available to them...

Having personal proctors to change SAT answers, fudging athletic team participation in order to be a college sports recruit and using "professionally" written college essays are worse in degree but not in kind IMO. Did Uncle Jesse and Aunt Becky not teach us any better????

[Kerbie]

Regardless of personal disgust, this has to remain polite.

[KenL]

Outrageous? Yes. Surprising? No.


These Hollywood types have the wherewithal to create their own reality to live in, and they only let us "little people" have a glimpse into that world on rare occasions, like the Oscars broadcast.

That's what money does.

[Jcamp]

I personally don’t think that’s how I’d like my kids to start their adult life. I’d rather they start out clean and honest and work with their own hands and brains to build their life instead of starting it on a foundation of corruption.

[Steve DeRosa]

Disgusting, yes - surprising, no...

[bostosh]

Originally Posted by Cincy2

My Dad was way ahead of his time. He encouraged me to go to college (and pay for it myself) but told me the only viable alternative was to learn a trade and get really good at it. He was a trade school trained machinist and kept food on our table when a lot of college graduates could not do the same for their families.
Eric

Exactly the correct answer!
get a career in machining,
then use your college degree (hopefully not in basket weaving)
Never, will you be without a good job. big $$, as career advances.

Somebody has to make things and get paid for it.

[bostosh]

Originally Posted by Nymuso

That video of that kid saying she wants the college experience, parties and all, but has no use for school - is classic.

This is not too abnormal in my experience.
(lifetime in Southern California)
She may be the next opioid tragedy

" Too much, too soon, leads to ruin "