Do you accept bribes?

In 2019, the Department of Justice prosecuted the largest college admissions scandal in the history of the United States. Yale, Stanford, University of Southern California, Georgetown, and many others, all have something in common when it comes to this, because these are just a few examples of which schools were involved. Among those prosecuted were anyone from University athletic coaches, SAT administrators, wealthy parents, to even celebrities such as Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin.

William Rick Singer, founder of for-profit college prep business Edge College & Career Network also known as “The Key,” is said to be the leader of this scandal. The way he was able to accomplish this is through bribery of college officials, interfering with the SAT integrity, or having students pose as athletes to gain admission. It is said that between the years of 2011-2018, William Singer was paid around $25,000,000.

(William Rick Singer, founder of the Edge College and Career Network)

How the process would work is that wealthy parents would send William Singer money, and with that money he would circulate it as bribes to important college officials, SAT proctors, college coaches, or people he would hire to take online classes or college examination exams for other students. Some parents were paying him up to $1.2 million for his services, which in my opinion is ridiculous.

This college admissions scandal, however, started a conversation about money and its role in the admissions process. There are many that believe that being wealthier can help drastically in college admissions. Students began to look at whether or not there were any fundamental differences between large donations to a school, or bribing coaches or other college officials. Whether someone gets in because their family donated a large sum of money to the school, or their parents paid for someone to take their SAT or other standardized test, people argue that if either student is admitted, the root of admission is likely based on that donation or bribe, or it significantly improved their chances of getting in. However, if someone were to pay someone to take their test for them, then they are not getting in based on merit, while someone whose family made a donation could have in some cases full deserved their admission. In either case, both situations involve the use of money, a resource that not every student may have. People also wonder if money played a role in Lori Loughlin’s consequences, as many said they were not as severe because of who she is in the public eye. What do you think?

The colleges listed are only the ones that we know about, for all we know there could be many more. The influence money has on this process needs to be taken away, and the process must be restored to one that is based on merit and integrity.