On March 12, several United States federal prosecutors revealed a college admission scandal involving up to 50 charged members of wealthy families using bribery, unfair testing, and other forms of fraudulent activity to get their children into top universities. As news of this scandal sweeps the nation, C.K.M. students are left concerned with their future.
Many students worry about the implications of this pattern of fraud on their future admissions to their desired colleges. “The whole scandal made me doubt my chances,” said Adelina Hernandez (‘20), who also stated her disappointment at the financial inequity of the admissions system. “College admissions are very stressful, especially towards the end of junior year, and it’s frustrating knowing that people don’t have to deal with the stress because money could get them anywhere.”
The revelation served as a wake-up call, exposing the underhanded motives of universities. “Although I can’t say it’s really affecting me personally, I’m feeling a little wary about applying to colleges next year knowing that admissions can be affected so drastically by money and other biases,” said Alex Levy (‘20).
Others fear that their hard work could be overshadowed by the sway of these biases. “It’s definitely discouraging, especially since many of us work so hard to even be considered at some of these colleges, to hear about parents using the wealth and status to con their way into schools and take spots of well deserving students,” said Serena Feniger (‘20).
“It’s really sad to know how much stress students like us deal with on a daily basis only to play in a game of college admissions that’s rigged for the powerful,” said RJ Czajkowski (‘20).
Molly Dreher (‘20) and Feniger added that throughout the scandal, qualified students seeking acceptance to play for collegiate sports teams were rejected in favor of students who “did not even play the sport,” causing Dreher—a soccer player—to lose trust in the coaches of universities with whom she frequently interacts.
Levy and Feniger also stated their surprise that these crimes have been kept concealed from the public.
“I think it’s ridiculous how something like this can go unnoticed for so long,” said Levy.
Feniger added that the offenders may not face fair punishment for their actions: “Many of the scandals happened a couple of years back and are just coming to light now, so [the charged individuals] certainly believed they would be able to get away with their behavior, which is upsetting,” she said. “It shows the underlying world that is not often reflected through media about the world of wealth, and particularly Hollywood: certain individuals do not generally face consequences because of their money.”