College administration bribery scandal

[smurfy]

Note on foreign students at American universities. My understanding is that most pay full price (and not in-state for state schools). Schools want the $$$$.

 

[AxelAnnie]

Is that how it works? Or is more like:

There are 6,000 spots available for Fall 2020. There are many more than 6,000 applicants.

If there are minimum requirements even to be considered, then anyone who doesn't meet those minimum requirements is eliminated.

Let's say there are 10,000+ applicants left who do meet the requirements.

Of those qualified applicants, 1,000 may be given spots on the basis of special skills and 1,000 on the basis of diversity. They're all qualified, but candidates who can also tick certain boxes get preference in the selection among all who are qualified.

Then there are still 8,000+ qualified applicants to decide among for the 4,000 remaining spots. Again, they're all qualified, so not all qualified candidates will be accepted. How do admissions officers decide which 4,000 to choose? They may rank them in some way, but that ranking will not necessarily be based purely on GPAs and standardized test scores. It's possible for someone to have the highest scores and not be near the top of the rankings, because there are other qualified candidates whose total package of scores and other personal characteristics adds up to a more attractive candidate.

Also there might be some attempt to balance the number of accepted applicants who express an interest in majoring in sciences or humanities or business, etc. Not that those interests are binding before even being accepted. But there may be qualified applicants who don't get accepted because there were more than enough qualified applicants for their field and fewer for other areas of the study the school also wanted represented.


I don't know the details of how the decisions are made. But 1) I don't think there are large numbers of slots set aside for students who don't even meet the minimum qualifications, and 2) decisions among qualified applicants are not made in strict order of standardized scores.

I can't speak for all colleges. But in many it is done the way I suggested. Very often qualified students are not accepted. At CAL - bazillions of qualified applicants don't get accepted. And, diversity quota's are accepted in accordance of whatever policies they have.

When my son was applying to Law School, he thought he would check JEW as a diversity qualifier..........then he laughed and realized the number of Jews applying for Law School was probably going to be high.

At all levels, take 2 equally qualified applicants. One is a winning foot ball quarterback, the other is just a person, no particularly specialties. Who do you think would get accepted at a school needing the quarterback?

I agree that there is a desire and attempt to balance the entire student body over a large spectrum of criteria.

When my daughter applied to a very fancy private high school in a very swanky residential area, they had 600 applicants for 80 spaces. They would take 40 boys and 40 girls. Period! Of the 600 applicants a bit over 400 were girls. At some point it just gets down to.......do they need blonds or brunettes? (Oh, and my daughter was wait listed, and got in. She is married to a member of her class, and their best friends who are married to each other also went there. LOL)

 

[gkelly]

I can't speak for all colleges. But in many it is done the way I suggested. Very often qualified students are not accepted. At CAL - bazillions of qualified applicants don't get accepted.

Yes, if there are X+ bazillions of qualified applicants and only X spaces available, then the bazillions in excess of X will not be accepted.

That doesn't means that the ones who were accepted were not also qualified.

 

[kwanfan1818]

Published in The Nation:
https://www.thenation.com/article/college-admissions-scandal-racism/

I had a college friend who was a live-at-home townie at an elite (mostly) boarding school in CT. He said a professor once told him he could always tell which freshmen went to private schools: they knew how to use semi-colons.

 

[Artistic Skaters]

They must have been working 24 hrs a day to beat the clock for the first filing. Here are the details of the class action suit.

*** College admissions scandal fallout: Stanford students sue UCLA, USC and Yale :
https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow...stanford-ucla-usc-lawsuit-20190314-story.html

Stanford, USC, UCLA, the University of San Diego, the University of Texas at Austin, Wake Forest University, Yale University and Georgetown University are named in the lawsuit, which seeks damages for any student who applied to one or more of the universities and was rejected between 2012 and last year.

 

[LeafOnTheWind]

How can they collect damages just for being rejected? I don't think there are that many people that committed actual fraud. A lot of people would still have been rejected even if no fraud had occurred. Wouldn't they have to prove they would have been accepted?

 

[Prancer]

Notices of test scores are sent to the address on the test taker's application, possibly email now. It's possible for parents to intercept them or have them sent elsewhere, without the student knowing, especially if the student isn't interested in college.

When my kids took the ACT and SAT, I set up an online account in my name using my email address and was able to look at their scores online. I think they got something in the mail later, maybe?

And, the 2,000 people with the diversity or skills spots are offered enrollment without (necessarily) having to meet regular enrollment requirements.

I have met professionals of various races who sometimes make it clear that they attended say CAL, on their merits, rather than as a special qualification exception.

Ah, AxelAnnie, only you would show up in this particular thread to complain about "diversity" admissions. Well, maybe not only you. But you are certainly one of a select group.

 

[wickedwitch]

They must have been working 24 hrs a day to beat the clock for the first filing. Here are the details of the class action suit.

*** College admissions scandal fallout: Stanford students sue UCLA, USC and Yale :
https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow...stanford-ucla-usc-lawsuit-20190314-story.html

I'm curious to see if this lawsuit actually goes somewhere. I wonder if they would have to prove "damages" and students going to Stanford are going a hard time with that.

I do hope people are refunded their application fees.

 

[becca]

I'm curious to see if this lawsuit actually goes somewhere. I wonder if they would have to prove "damages" and students going to Stanford are going a hard time with that.

I do hope people are refunded their application fees.

I think if a bunch of people are added in damages may not amount to much for anyone. I think they personally have a point about their degrees having less value. Many are asking if these schools are so elite and hard, why aren't parents worried about the kids failing.

I actually scary enough have more respect for the Kardashians/Jenners. They aren't forcing kids to go to college if they don't want it.

 

[MacMadame]

Yes, SS, just a somewhat DD.

Um, what? (Sorry, couldn't make out what those initials mean via context)

I suspect it's because they have recordings of phone calls with her in which she explicitly works out details of the scam, while all they have on him is a report that he was involved. Lori Laughlin's husband wrote a check, I think?

The articles I read said that the couple met with Singer. So he was there and he knew. Lori's husband was more involved, I think. He gets mentioned more.

 

[AxelAnnie]

Ah, AxelAnnie, only you would show up in this particular thread to complain about "diversity" admissions. Well, maybe not only you. But you are certainly one of a select group.

Funny Not complaining, just 'splaining.

 

[Prancer]

Um, what? (Sorry, couldn't make out what those initials mean via context)

Same shit, just a different day.

The articles I read said that the couple met with Singer. So he was there and he knew. Lori's husband was more involved, I think. He gets mentioned more.

I read one that said Macy wasn't charged because the meeting was about the daughter they ultimately decided to NOT cheat for and he didn't participate in anything involving the other daughter. It isn't illegal to talk about committing fraud; you have to go through with it.

Now I find it hard to believe that he wasn't at least a silent partner in the fraud in the case of the one daughter, but if he didn't actively participate in it, it would be hard to prove. They have emails and phone calls from Huffman and it's clear as day she was actively involved.

Funny Not complaining, just 'splaining.

Of course . That was clear from your completely neutral tone.

 

[attyfan]

Sephora terminated deal with Olivia Jade:

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...ter-after-college-cheating-scam-idUSKCN1QV2UP

 

[AxelAnnie]

I'm curious to see if this lawsuit actually goes somewhere. I wonder if they would have to prove "damages" and students going to Stanford are going a hard time with that.

I do hope people are refunded their application fees.

This will be one huge and convoluted lawsuit. The schools will want to settle to make it go away. The attorneys will make a ton of money...........just in exposure. The Attorneys will all be on a contingent fee, and get a substantial portion of what party receives. And the class will be huge, if it actually goes forward.

What a mess! Lori Laughlin just got dropped by her TV/Movie contracts.

I just don't get why they (any of them) did it.

 

[AxelAnnie]

Of course . That was clear from your completely neutral tone.

Thank you

 

[skatfan]

What a mess! Lori Laughlin just got dropped by her TV/Movie contracts.

I just don't get why they (any of them) did it.

Because they could (to quote Bill Clinton). I can imagine it's hard to continue playing good/nice characters with everyone thinking about your scam. And it sounds like dear daughters are going to be leaving USC, and the "influencer" won't have very much influence for now.

 

[MsZem]

Sephora terminated deal with Olivia Jade:

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...ter-after-college-cheating-scam-idUSKCN1QV2UP

As I wrote before, I really don't get why Olivia Jade's parents bothered. She clearly had little interest in college and was doing just fine on her own. They committed crimes, spent tons of money, and now it looks like it will screw up her career instead of helping her.

Seems ironic that this is the outcome of their scheming, and not in a "rain on your wedding day" kind of way.

 

[MacMadame]

Same shit, just a different day.

Ah, yes... thanks for the explanation.

I just don't get why they (any of them) did it.

This article has a theory:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opin...is-who-keeps-it-alive/?utm_term=.39aa5950cd46

As I wrote before, I really don't get why Olivia Jade's parents bothered. She clearly had little interest in college and was doing just fine on her own. They committed crimes, spent tons of money, and now it looks like it will screw up her career instead of helping her.

Seems ironic that this is the outcome of their scheming, and not in a "rain on your wedding day" kind of way.

I suspect they had a different career path in mind for their kid and weren't listening to what she wanted. Maybe they thought that if she only got into a good college, she'd see the light and change her mind? They wouldn't be the first parents to do that.

 

[judiz]

I’m exactly in your camp. Mom said if you don’t get a scholarship, you go to Temple. But getting Pell and other grants in the 70s when your single mom was a social worker was so much easier than now. Penn, Bryn Mawr and Sarah Lawrence all offered more money on top of Pell, and I really wanted out of Philly and went to SLC.

My son graduated from Temple last June. No scholarship but a grant. He loved Temple but I was relieved when he moved back home.

 

[Yehudi]

It sounds like from the messages she sent, this mother really didn’t think much of her son.

https://people.com/crime/jack-bucki...2_s2xw0oBTIPp-G4VFtlOz57YEom7UWoMawTvUJzCKG9I

 

[becca]

It sounds like from the messages she sent, this mother really didn’t think much of her son.

https://people.com/crime/jack-bucki...2_s2xw0oBTIPp-G4VFtlOz57YEom7UWoMawTvUJzCKG9I

I think it’s clear these parents saw their kids as status symbols. So it was in a lot of ways about bragging where their kid went.

Jack doesn’t sound like a bad kid at all. As for Lori’s daughters sounds like they were going to please parents and they would have been fine with ASU.

I feel for the kids. It’s far more important to be a decent human being.

 

[Japanfan]

Note on foreign students at American universities. My understanding is that most pay full price (and not in-state for state schools). Schools want the $$$$.

International students here pay 4X what Canadians pay. The standards for competency in English are a bit lax, because the schools want the money so much.

 

[Prancer]

It sounds like from the messages she sent, this mother really didn’t think much of her son.

https://people.com/crime/jack-bucki...2_s2xw0oBTIPp-G4VFtlOz57YEom7UWoMawTvUJzCKG9I

parenting author mom

Of course she didn't think much of him. He was going to damage her brand.

 

[becca]

International students here pay 4X what Canadians pay. The standards for competency in English are a bit lax, because the schools want the money so much.

The article was about kids of immigrants. But it’s irrelevant.

Poor Jack though you aren’t super straight A perfect trophy kid you aren’t good enough.

 

[overedge]

When my daughter applied to a very fancy private high school in a very swanky residential area,

This story is about getting into university, not getting into high school.

 

[once_upon]

This story is about getting into university, not getting into high school.

I agree, however the getting into the right school for success begins st preschool. As if the prestige of the school guarantees success life (or parenting).

 

[Prancer]

The answer to @Vagabond's question:
"How investigators looking into a separate case stumbled across the largest college admissions scam ever prosecuted"

 

[becca]

I agree, however the getting into the right school for success begins st preschool. As if the prestige of the school guarantees success life (or parenting).

Honestly I feel to all the stress these parents are putting on their kids to get into the right schools have the right grades give hours and hours is affecting their childhoods. I think school is important. And kids need to be taught responsibility. But going to Harvard isn't the end of the world. There's a kid in the law suit who wasn't accepted who apparently had an emotional breakdown?

Your kid goes to a lesser school and gets good grades they are going to do okay.

 

[Susan1]

"When Calls the Heart, the Hallmark drama Loughlin has starred in since 2014, is just three episodes into its sixth season, which is scheduled to run through April. Given the news, Hallmark said it will not air Sunday’s episode. It’s “evaluating all creative options,” a spokesman said in a statement to Yahoo Entertainment. "
AARRGGHH.

I guess they have to, since the mayor is the moral center of the town! Just kill her off.

 

[becca]

"When Calls the Heart, the Hallmark drama Loughlin has starred in since 2014, is just three episodes into its sixth season, which is scheduled to run through April. Given the news, Hallmark said it will not air Sunday’s episode. It’s “evaluating all creative options,” a spokesman said in a statement to Yahoo Entertainment. "
AARRGGHH.

I guess they have to, since the mayor is the moral center of the town! Just kill her off.

Or recast her. I am sure there are many actresses that would happily get those hallmark deals.