Suspected College Admissions Fraud

Parents Forum
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How would you go about reporting someone who is bribing coaches and athletes to get their kid into a school they otherwise would not be accepted as they do not come close to meeting academic standards? This person was successful at this for 1st child and now doing the same with 2nd. You ask how or what is this person doing? They illegally use the licensed logo to have a local shop embroider items that they send to various football and basketball players and coaches. It is also believed that this person uses the funds raised through their non profit to fund various items for person use or gain.

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I would not do anything. I also do not fully understand what you are saying.

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I have no idea what you are inferring but if you feel you see something wrong related to a school - each school will have a place for you to report something - likely the presidents office. Or compliance in the athletic department.

Don’t know if what you describe is worthy or not. But
.if it were you might start there.

There’s also law enforcement if something is illegal.

But again that’s a general comment. I have no idea what you are saying or given the merits of what you wrote.

And how do you definitively know who would or wouldn’t be accepted into a school.

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I also don’t quite understand what you are accusing this person of doing. Nonetheless I would do nothing.

Keep your focus on helping your child manage the college admission process with thoughfulness and integrity.

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Is this happening in the US? If so, your states attorney general should have a department that handles suspected fraud
 and should have a way to report anonymously.

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sending coaches or students token gifts that are next to worthless is not bribing. I don’t know any admissions office that would be influenced over such trifles.

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Sorry I was confusing. It is just a case of people cheating their way to admission into top tier schools. It is unfortunate for those that actually earn their grades and scores to be overlooked by such dishonest applicants. And, this has nothing to do with my children as they are interested in different schools-just disappointed in a system that this is still happening, but then again it is the US where the corrupt thrive.

I don’t believe someone who has not taken honors/ap classes and struggles in the lower level classes would get in to a top tier school that requires higher than average test scores and 4.0 gpa for oos.

And, yes, you would be surprised at how little it takes to sway someone.

Thank you bluedog, I will look at that.

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A few thoughts,

  1. I would try hard to ignore it and focus on your child
  2. There will always be dishonest and unethical people, unfortunately
  3. Things often have a way of catching up. If this student is not that strong it might be hard for them to keep up
  4. If they cheat in college they will get in trouble
  5. You really don’t know with 100% certainty what is going on
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There are always going to be “those” students that get into schools that they don’t seem to have a real chance of getting into. We’ve seen it happen with kids with lots of $$$, however, I don’t think anything illegal was done. Schools want donors. Wealthy donors.

I’ve also seen families try to buddy up to ADs with token type gifts. While it might have gotten their kid playing time on the local team, no coach is going to be swayed by a token when they can place a better player in the slot.

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I don’t necessarily think what is happening is cheating in the legal sense. School admissions offices vet candidates for admission. If the school accepts a student, that is their decision. They can base their decision on whatever criteria they want (other than criteria that would clearly violate federal or state law). If an employee of the school is operating in a way that violates the school’s policies, it is the school’s responsibility to deal with the employee.

I guess if you feel like you must report your suspicions, someone at the top at the school would be the appropriate person. But I don’t know that vague accusations will go anywhere. My advice is to let it go.

Believing that one person is harmed when another gets a break we feel is unfair is probably not a good way to look at life.

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Someone is sending items embroidered with a logo to coaches and players, and somehow, this is going to get someone into a highly selective university?

Whatever you were trying to communicate here you are light years away from actually making sense.

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Especially with NIL No need to bribe with a sweatshirt. Get a local business to pay a kid just for being a kid.

The entire U Miami football team has an NIL deal and one of the highest paid is a gymnast.

Edit:

Sorry - you’re talking about coaches - yeah, they’re not admitting over a sweatshirt.

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I don’t see how that ‘gets them into a school’ but if they are using a logo illegally, the school, NCAA, some other authority might have a claim against them. The items should have a tag or sticker on them that they are ‘authorized’ or ‘authentic.’

You do know that MANY athletes get into schools they might not get into if they just sent in an application? It doesn’t mean they cheated, just that a coach wanted them. Every athlete didn’t run a scheme like Varsity Blues, pay big bribes to the AD or a coach, or pose for fake pictures on a rowing machine.

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Can you be clear about what they are doing? I really don’t understand at all from your post. I’m not sure what they are sending and how it gets them acceptance. Tnx

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I think it takes a lot more to bribe a college official than what you’re describing. Google Varsity Blues: the price of attendance is in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Certainly not a fraudulent licensed logo.

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