The Evils of the College Industrial Complex

Colleges and Universities A-Z Dartmouth College
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<p>I've been doing some incredibly interesting research, and I've concluded one overwhelming, disturbing truth. The four year chase for college that we call high school is nothing more than a fraud, a scam perpetrated by school administrators, colleges, and testing companies with the sole purpose of fleecing the millions of college bound students of their hard earned money.</p>

<p>Consider this: The College Prep Industry (and it is and industry) is now a $310-million industry. Think about all those books, all those tapes, all those tutors, all those classes, and all those practice tests. If you thought the people who prep kids for the SAT are doing it because they are concerned with forging America's future, you are sorely mistaken. </p>

<p>Let's start with Kaplan Incorporated, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of (get this) The Washington Post Company (yeah...the newspaper). From 2000 to 2003, the company has enjoyed a 56% increase in sales, topping out in 2003 at 838 million dollars. IN TEST PREP. </p>

<p>Princeton Review, a competitor of Kaplans in certain markets (think of yourself and your classmates as a market, please), as also enjoyed a recent surge in profits. Going from 43.9 million in sales in 2000 to 104.5 million in 2003. A 138% percent increase.</p>

<p>All those books, all those tapes, all those tutors, all those classes, and all those practice tests.</p>

<p>And for what. The parents who will spend 100 million dollars on prep for the new SAT THIS YEAR ALONE will say that the price is worth admission to a selective educational institution.</p>

<p>But the scholars say something quite differant. It is true that the general academic consensus is that graduates of Ivy League make more over thier lifetimes in comparison to other insitutions, but that is because the type of people who are accepted to Ivies demonstrate the traits that make people successful in the real world; intelligence, hard work, creativity, and often, knowing or being related to plenty of important people.</p>

<p>So we have all these people taking these classes from for-profit corporations in hopes of gaining admission to an institution that is not likley to change that persons overall fortune in life. This is exactly what the College Industrial Complex wants. They will continue to bilk teenagers and their parents for millions (soon to be billions), all based on false pretenses.</p>

<p>I feel had.</p>

2

<p>On just about everything: agreed. But if you think the test-prep industry is the only one bilking people out of money by making something relatively unimportant seem very important, you're very mistaken.</p>

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<p>No, I certainly don't think that is true, but it is unfortunate considering that the victims are anxious teens and their families. Its like picking on the weak kid in the gym class.</p>

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<p>I suppose, but "victims" is a rather lofty way to describe kids trying to improve their SAT scores. Some of it is crap (such as the ads above this site: "Deferral Reversal," etc.), and some it is very reasonable.</p>

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<p>Not really surprised that this has grown so large. Most parents want their kid to be smart, go to an Ivy, whatever. In my school district, they started classifying the gifted program as a "disabled learning" program to discourage parents from trying so hard to get their kiddies in.</p>

<p>I'm feeling pretty good. Never paid for a tutor, never taken a test prep class, never read a test prep book that wasn't given to me by a teacher...
I'm really, really cheap.</p>

<p>I'm a little mad that AP tests cost $82.</p>

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<p>When you can show that SAT scores and GPA are less important than character traits in the admissions process, I'll buy your arguement.</p>

<p>By the way, I think high SAT and high GPA most usually are the result of intelligence, hard work and creativity. No?</p>

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<p>No, not necessarily.</p>

<p>With the tangle of classes at different difficulty levels, which isn't ameliorated by a failed GPA weighting system, high GPA (in my school, at least) is more a matter of strategically selecting classes than actually working hard in them. And what's the deal with SAT prep classes boosting scores by teaching to the test?</p>

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<p>"Teaching to the test" is overated, though. I mean, if it were really that "teachable" we'd be seeing a lot more high scores. </p>

<p>I mean, just estimating (and these are kids from a rural high school):</p>

<p>Percent of kids at my hs who stressed out about the SAT: 95</p>

<p>Percent of kids who did some practice tests: 80</p>

<p>Percent who bought a prep book: 70</p>

<p>Percent who actually took a test prep course: 40</p>

<p>Percent who scored 1450+: 5</p>

<p>All the study in the world ain't go'n help you out if you don't have "it" to begin with.</p>

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<p>It's only "evil" if you help perpetuate the myth that the only way you can get in is to spend a million dollars on "college prep." The most I spent was $20 on SAT prep books, $5 on a college admissions book, and a LOT of time on CC.</p>

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<p>I don't agree. Sure, there are excesses to most thing, but there's nothing wrong with paying for programs to help you increase your test scores. Its called responsibility.</p>

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<p>“Remember, a 1400 SAT score (according to the College Board) is simply a 1200 plus $100,000 in annual family income.” (Mini)
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=36203&page=1&highlight=mini%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=36203&page=1&highlight=mini&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>I’ve seen it published elsewhere also. For SAT’s there is a very definite correlation between money spent and scores achieved, let’s not B.S. ourselves.</p>

<p>Kb54010 is right, it’s a big industry. Where I disagree has more to do with who’s driving it and why. Talk about elite colleges being exclusive! The test industry does a lot to ensure that wealthy schools are populated, for the most part, by wealthy kids who will be wealthy alumni, who will donate money to maintain their prestige with their alma mater. You can’t be an idiot and do well on the SAT’s, but it sure helps to be wealthy.</p>

<p>"Sure, there are excesses to most thing, but there's nothing wrong with paying for programs to help you increase your test scores. Its called responsibility."........it's also called cash!</p>

<p>I took a course at my school, so I'm not pointing away from myself; although, I didn't have tutors and counselors.</p>

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<p>Woe, this is a capitalist economy, folks; what is wrong with offering a service people want and getting rich over it? Just ask Bill GAtes! That's what capitalism is! Remember John Locke's theory that self-interest is the true motivator and the pursuit thereof leads to the greater good? Caveat Emptor---"buyer beware"---you have an obligation to be an educated consumer; "Big Brother" does that for you in the socialist/ communist venue, not here. That said, however, I do feel a little like a STUPID consumer while I wait to be "granted the honor" of forking over $40K a year.</p>

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<p>Since when is preparing for a test wrong?</p>

<p>Maybe we shouldn't go to class, maybe we shouldn't do the homework,maybe we shouldn't ask friends to explain something we don't understand. No outside reading, no looking at another text book, no talking with another teacher, no discussion with friends, everybody has to study exactly the same amount, put in exactly the same amount of effort....</p>

<p>Yeah, that's it, we just take the test blind. That way it's a REAL test of our REAL intelligence.</p>

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<p>Bro, hold on, I hope you aren't referring your comments to me (runbeam, joemama). I didn't say there's anything wrong with spending the money if you've got it, or making money off a sucker or off good intentions, cha-ching! I'm just saying we should kind of keep it real about test scores and money--or has all that expensive test-prep and up-bringing not worked?</p>

<p>The College Board seems to think there’s a correlation between money and test scores, sounds good to me.</p>

<p>Don't be so testy....lol</p>

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<p>You totally can prepare for the test, but you can also get much of the value by just buying books.</p>

<p>The discrepencies are not created by the colleges, they don't have shares in Kaplan or Princeton Review. Wherever there is opportunity, there will be an entrepreneur, whether unfair or not.</p>

<p>You don't need to go to any Ivy to be successful. What they do provide though is an amazing community full of great people that you wont find elsewhere.</p>

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<p>The irony is that the test is supposed to be testing our actual accumulated knowledge to balance out the discrepancies in grade inflation et al. that exist from one high school to another; when in fact, everybody knows it is a better test of how well we've prepared for the SAT test, especially for scores above 1300-1400.</p>

<p>It seems disingenuous for the schools/students/colleges/college board to act otherwise.</p>

<p>The idea that there is a test-prep industry invalidates the stated purpose of the test itself.</p>

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<p>no offense to anyone...just trying to show that it's a very slippery slope deciding what preparation is OK, and what isn't.</p>

<p>Kalidescope, don't know where you got your info, but I know A LOT of people who scored above 1400 having done ZERO test prep.</p>

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<p>joemama,</p>

<p>with a little test prep they could have had a 1500 ;) </p>

<p>If you got the money, a test prep company's got the time (and an extra 100-200 points on your SAT).</p>

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<p>K: you bring up a great question.</p>

<p>Does anyone on this thread know people who took test prep courses?</p>

<p>If so, do you know if their scores went up 100 -200 points?</p>

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<p>I say about 80%+ did.</p>

<p>They guarantee (PR, Kaplan etc) that your score will go up at least 100 points. This web site (CC) exists for the benefit of just such courses etc. (this ain't no charity) PR and Kaplan are the low end of this food chain; the real players get private tutors and college advisors. </p>

<p>I did the course offered by my school--score went up as predicted: 1480-- 1560.</p>

<p>I think most people would rather not talk about their tutoring/advising etc. Perhaps it’s bad form.</p>