<p>Unethical, by definition, is not conforming to approved standards of social or professional behavior. In the case of a donation made to the school, I don't believe that it is unethical. First, the act of donating money to an educational institution is fairly widely acknowledged as a social practice. I believe that asking your parents to help sway your application is immoral. When an act is conflicting with generally or traditionally held moral principles rather than social behavior, it is immoral. Don't get me wrong. If you meant that's it's morally bankrupt to do that, I agree with you 100%. I just don't think it's unethical.</p>
<p>I haz to be disagreein with both of yas <em>it's talk like a pirate day for some reason</em>. By donatin ur booty to teh skool u be makin it easier for teh underprivledged to be gettin their booty aid!(FA). </p>
<p>In other words, if there weren't people like this who contributed money to school and got in because of it, so many of you who desperately need FA in order to attend these schools wouldn't get it. So, if my dad said "Istoleyournose, would it be ok for me to give exeter half a million dollars?" I'm not sure I would say yes because I would want to get in my own merit. But, it's hardly unethical or amoral</p>
<p>I guess it all depends on the intent of the person donating. If someone is trying to buy his way into a school, then its definitely amoral or unethical or whatever you wanna call it. If someone wants to donate to a school because they want to help others, go ahead. It's a great thing to do.</p>
<p>Good point, istoleyournose.</p>
<p>I believe the donation in question would be purely as an incentive to ask the admission of said school to look the other way and admit a student otherwise unqualified to be accepted at said school.</p>