It’s college season, and anyone who is a high school senior knows that this means rushing to hop on college tours, getting faculty references, and sending in their applications. Despite being the president’s daughter, Malia Obama is no stranger to this process. Since 2014, the first family’s oldest daughter has been traveling all over the country touring the nation’s top colleges.
Last week, she was spotted on Brown University’s campus at a dorm party, with secret service protection in tow, playing a game of beer pong. Brown’s students claimed to have had “no chill” while Malia was in attendance, posting photos all over social media. The school newspaper has since issued an apology on the student body’s behalf, according to Newser.com.
Although her father is Barack Obama, the president of the United States, clearly she is looking to have as normal a college experience as possible; however, judging by last weekend’s festivities, there are certain permitting circumstances to maintaining a normal lifestyle. The high school senior is applying to all 10 Ivy League universities. And, as WWD.com put it, who would turn away the president’s daughter?
This very idea raises the question, is the special treatment given to the first family extended too far? Granted, it is almost too obvious that the first children would get special treatment; however, is being accepted into such a distinguished and competitive college an applicable area?
Having your application bumped to the top of an Ivy League college admissions counselor’s pile is not the same as being pushed to the front of the line at a grocery store or getting to go backstage to meet your favorite band.
Hundreds of thousands of high school students work extremely hard every year to get into one of these schools, and about 95 percent of them are rejected. If it comes down to Malia and another well-qualified student, does she get first preference over him or her just because she is the president’s daughter? Now, that does not seem fair when, in fact, she has no control over who her father is.
As far as we know, Malia is a great student, but it’s no coincidence that most of the first children, at least in recent history, have gone to these high profile universities, as well. For example, Chelsea Clinton attended Stanford. Then, there were the Bush twins, Jenna who attended the University of Texas and Barbara, who graduated from Yale.
Some may say that these children are being trained for this type of educational opportunity their whole lives. Malia and Sasha, 13, have been attending The Sidwell Friends School, described as the Harvard of Washington’s private schools, since President Obama was elected in 2008. Although their elementary and secondary education may contribute highly to their potential acceptance, by the same token, having such a notable student in attendance may just be a feather in the cap of these universities.
