When the news about people bribing college admissions to get their children into college broke, my mind was genuinely blown. You always imagine these types of things happening, but when you see proof that they ACTUALLY happen, you can't help but be shocked.
But this wasn't just another scandal to be shocked over and move on for me. This scandal had a more personal feel to it because I know how hard it is to get into college and actually be a college student.
This s*** isn't easy.
I know how stressed and overwhelmed I was in high school, trying to make sure I had good grades, enough extracurriculars, and an amazing college essay all to get into college. I remember how anxious I was every time I opened the mailbox and saw a letter from one of the schools I applied to. I also remember how proud and accomplished I felt when I opened those letters and saw that I was accepted.
It makes me so upset to think there are people out there who tried just as hard as I did, maybe even more, who didn't get in because someone bought their spot.
One of the big names in this college bribing scandal is "Full House" actress Lori Laughlin, who paid for both of her daughters, Olivia Jade and Isabella Rose, to get into University of Southern California. It's been learned that Olivia and Isabella, also lied about being on the crew team to attend the University of Southern California.
This is even more frustrating because there were actual athletes out there who worked their a** off to get recruited for this team and were denied because Olivia Jade and her sister took their spots. I had friends in high school who were trying to get recruited for college rowing teams. I saw how hard it was and how much dedication it took for them to get recruited. The thought that someone who was dedicated and worked hard screwed over because of someone who's had everything handed to them pisses me off.
Don't even start me on actually paying for college.
Getting into college is stressful enough, let alone actually being able to afford to attend and study there. There are people who have to work for their education. Whether that be through scholarships or actual jobs, college isn't cheap.
For us average college students who don't have millionaire parents, paying for school is a struggle. There are some people who have two jobs on top of being a full-time student just so they can pay for their tuition. Olivia Jade paid millions of dollars just to have "the college experience," while everyone else there is paying thousands of dollars to try and start their futures.
The whole scandal isn't just unfair, it's also pretty sad.
Lori Loughlin paying her for her daughters to get into college simply says that she doesn't think that they could have done it on their own. If she believed in her children and their abilities, then the idea of having to bribe them into college wouldn't have even crossed her mind. With all that money, she could have paid for a tutor or SAT prep classes, but I guess she didn't even think they were capable enough for that. I would be so hurt if my parents told me they were just going to bribe my way into college.
That is essentially a parents' way of saying that they don't think you could do it on your own, and that is heartbreaking.
At any point during this whole scandal, both Olivia and her sister could have told their parents they didn't want this. They could have refused to lie or pose for fake crew pictures. They could have told their parents that this was wrong and they didn't want to get into college this way, but they didn't. They went with the lies, posed for the pictures, and knew what they were doing was wrong.
Therefore, I don't feel bad. They had their chance to put a stop to this disgusting act and chose not to, just to attend parties. I hope the families involved realized how their selfish actions affected so many other people.
