May 1st, National College Decision Day, where seniors all across the world commit to a college/university for the next four years of their life. This is a huge accomplishment and milestone in many people's lives. From a dream school in August to reality for many in May, but there are still a large number of seniors who will sadly not be attending their dream school. Their rejection may not be a result of low SAT/ACT, below average GPA, or lackluster essays, but more to do with the lack of money, and knowing the right people.
As a quick recap, in late March, the largest college admissions bribery scandal would be brought to the public eye. Thirty-three parents, including big celebrities like Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman, would be accused of paying a total of $25 million to a man named Willam Singer. Mr. Singer would be the mastermind behind all the cheating on entrance exams, bribing coaches at elite colleges to recruit certain students (some who didn't even play the sport), and he covered all this up by creating a charitable organization so the bribery payments would not be obvious.
When I heard of the news it was one of the toughest moments in my life. I had dedicated my life to my education and worked so much on studying so I could be the top of my class, have a decent SAT/ACT score and write an essay that colleges actually would want to read for all four years of high school just to have options for a bright future, but to know all I really needed was to be rich and have parents that lacked values or morals killed me inside. While I did not apply to any of these schools mentioned in the affidavit I still got very upset knowing that there were many kids out there like me, who worked hard and their only chance to get out of their small town and see the world for the first time was through college and they actually did apply to these school, but would later receive rejection letters. People from across the world have come out to state that this scandal comes as no shock to them, but as someone who thought education was the one thing that we all had to work for and everyone was equal in, it was very disheartening knowing that this was not the first time, and will most likely not be the last time some rich privileged kids and their parents buy their way into a top university while the middle and low-class struggle. I must be too naive to realize the real power of money, but at least I will learn what hard work and dedication mean as I am in college.
It is important to realize that through this horrible story we found that college admissions have now become a system where they try to find the best, the brightest, and hopefully, the ones with biggest pockets to then turn around and donate/fund parts of the school. It is an ultimate case of classist and race, but to anyone reading, do not let these parents with money ward you off from the opportunity to receive a secondary education that not only you deserve, but anyone who worked to get where they are in a fair way deserves.
