What is your reaction to the college admissions cheating scandal?

Fifty people in six states were accused by the Justice Department on Tuesday of taking part in a major college admission scandal. They include Hollywood actresses, business leaders and elite college coaches. On Tuesday, federal prosecutors charged 50 people in a brazen scheme to buy spots in the freshman classes at Yale, Stanford and other big name schools. Have you heard about the scandal yet?
- What is your reaction to the college admissions cheating scandal? Are you surprised that something like this happened in the United States? Why or why not?
- Who do you think should be held responsible for these crimes and how so?
- Do you think the college admissions process is rigged to favor the wealthy? Do you think it is fair? Why or why not?
- What message does this scandal send to high school students who intend to go to college? What is your biggest takeaway from it?

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SW-User Best Comment

I've heard about it. Two girls at my school are suing because of it, which is kind of dumb. It isn't something that people didn't already know. The privilege at pretty much every Ivy League is ridiculous. But honestly, if you didn't get in because someone bought your spot, it's because you were already at the bottom of the barrel. I've got friends in every Ivy League, and they're all extremely aware that some people are only there because of their money.

What surprised me is that it went on at Stanford, especially since some of those cases went on years ago, like, before Stanford's acceptance rate got super low. I'm honestly not surprised. Every poor kid knows that shit has been happening. People use their money and their status as legacy students to get in to Ivy Leagues. They tell you straight up that your chances of getting in increase if you're a legacy. It's not a huge secret that if you're a legacy, you're rich. So yeah, it is rigged in favour of people with money, even without the bribing. Rich kids go to better schools, they live in places with more opportunities, they can afford tutors, private lessons, they have pretty much everything while poor, first gen students like myself have to struggle for every single thing. It isn't fair, but there's nothing you can do but fight harder to take your place.

In any case, I think it's fucked up to take a person's degree, even if they've paid to get in. You still have go go through hell to even graduate, lol.

Tbh, i don't think it will do anything to discourage students. If anything, it'll be even more fair now. If you've got the stats, you'll apply. I applied to every Ivy league except Brown because I knew I had a chance. If you know you have a chance, you won't let it stop you. Poor kids know that shit, rich kids know that shit. When you apply to an Ivy, you know that shit is rigged against you. Now it might not be. I think it's more encouraging than anything else.

It's kind of funny. My classmates at Stanford have been sharing memes about this, lol. Everyone is just having a laugh.