This is an example of the ugly and corrupt side of admissions.

Applying to College
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<p>My friend whom I know through work, is married to a very successful man, who owns his own company and is a multi millionaire many times over. He appears to be a control freak, though I have met him once, he begs his wife to stop working but she refuses as she says its her outlet, she is in advertising and quite successful in her own right. When it comes to her husband,though she pratcially wilts.....He is obsessed with his kids all attending a high prestigious just below ivy leagues big time football school. (you can guess) His first kid, through daily tutor sessions, thousands and thousands of dollars, a big time contribution and lots of last minute finagling, got in....in fairness though because the grades ended up being acceptable. His second child however, is totally not a viable candidate for this school, while a decent student, certainly not within the realm of what the school would normally accept. </p>

<p>So again a huge amount of money has been given, several trips to and from the school, contacting his contact person there, and now they have even demanded that certain grades in this most recent marking period get changed!! The private school he attends is now having him take a few tests over and has waited on giving him his quarter grades to see if they can change his two low grades to a B!! I mean what school would actually wait almost two weeks to do this, this is incredibly bias and unfair to all those hardworking kids who would give their right arm for an extra day, or an extra chance not to mention two weeks so that he was able to receive tutoring up the gazoo in order to do well. </p>

<p>So sure enough he pulled it off got those grades revised and is now going to visit the school this weekend with his parents to get him into that school. What I have witnessed through her very open discussion with me is the height of the corruption of admissions on both the high school that he attends part and the admissions office at some of the countries' most elite schools. I mean I am gathering without knowing his high school that they feared getting on the wrong side of this powerful man probably who has donated a lot to them as well and went way above and beyond and certainly crossed the line in helping their son get the "right grades." What made this sad was how often the dad had to storm into the school to speak up for his son all the while supposedly while his son never took responsibility himself, never went for the extra helps his dad arranged, etc..they did everything for him but take the actual test, they hired a daily tutor for him for those two weeks to insure he got a great grade. As she is telling me this I am finding my own reaction to be one of disgust and frankly I was repulsed. Then to hear how the college is going to bend their rules for this kid who obviously represents money to the school will most likely admit him. </p>

<p>Thinking of all those kids out there who have busted their butts for four years, without the help or aid these kids had, who got grades the LEGITIMATE way, to get turned away because of an undeserving kid who took THEIR spot like this is almost heartbreaking. This is indeed the ugly side to admissions, and while I have heard such things exist, I have only through my friendship with this woman seen it first hand and its been given a face. It is really a stunning revelation that like politics, this game is also quite corrupt. This is sadly not always about integrity, honesty and morality but more about who can pull ahead at any cost, no matter what it took to put you there. I know his wife struggles with what they have done which is why she has opened up to me. She unlike the husband is tormented by the dishonest and unfair tactics that they have used to get their son where THE HUSBAND wants him. They have another daughter who she is determined to let carve her own path, though I doubt her husband will allow this to happen. This was just so startling to me I had to write about it. It really saddened me that some innocent kid who worked really hard to get into this school will likely lose the spot from this kid who didn't do a darn thing to earn it.</p>

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<p>Well, I guess we can only hope that there aren't many of these kids/and or dads out there. And what are the chances these kids will actually graduate from these institutions?</p>

3

<p>^^^ toledo, I imagine there can't be many such families out there. (Though did I read recently that there are now half a million Americans with a net worth in excess of $10 million? But I don't think $10 million could pull off something like this.)</p>

<p>ctmom, though I share your disgust, the point has been raised often on this board that there is a place for developmental admits, who in the aggregate actually make possible the school-sponsored financial aid programs that permit lower income students to attend.</p>

<p>I do have a big problem with the rule bending, though. I agree that permitting one student to have additional time to study, and to retake exams when other students can't, amounts to institutional cheating.</p>

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<p>And this is surprising . . . how?</p>

5

<p>The occasional developmental admit is ok with me - I wish I had the money to pave that way for my slacker kid (of whom I have none, but the day is young). I really don't think they are taking too many spots from deserving kids - and usually, those deserving kids have other options that the rich but not qualified kid might not have. Still, while this practice is not always a good lesson for the unqualified academically, it is almost always a hard but effective lesson for the academically qualified but financially second best.</p>

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<p>My biggest problem was both with what the high school did about allowing him to have an extra few weeks to allow for him to "change his test scores" under ridiculously bias circumstances, therefore able to change his grade from either a C to a B or a D to a B! What kid wouldn't kill for that chance? What school could in good conscientiousness allow this to happen? It really blows me away. Can you imagine the outrage that would ensue if other kids and parents found out they were doing this, this goes beyond rule bending, its downright unethical. Then on the colleges' part, if it was a borderline case, then maybe I could see it however his test scores, according to his mom are nearly 200 points below their median score, the whole thing is just wrong, in my book. I wish I didn't know what I know because I have lost a lot of respect for their entire family but least blame the wife, my friend who I think is somewhat of a powerless victim.</p>

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<p>True victim here is the child who will forever know his parents don't believe in him or like him enough to let him function in the world without their manipulation. If the kid survives this it will be a miracle.</p>

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<p>^ at least the student got onto the first step. other people don't even have that chance.</p>

9

<p>Being a developmental admit does not surprise me, but what his high school did does surprise me.</p>

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<p>As everyone said, it's ok for a university to accept a development admit once in a while - money doesn't grow on trees, you know - but what the high school did was shocking. The principal should be reported.</p>

11

<p>
[quote]
The principal should be reported.

[/quote]

To whom? It's a private school. Those schools need rich students whose parents give a lot of money to them, too - their money doesn't grow on trees either. Would you like to bet how quickly the parents would have pulled the kid out of that school if it said no? And how many other private schools would be waiting to take him if daddy opened his checkbook?</p>

<p>The rich get advantages not available to the rest of us. How shocking! (Not.)</p>

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<p>I'm with Chedva on this one. I think you are being a little naive. In America's capitalistic society, money is power and private high schools and colleges have long been known to court and grant favors to the wealthy in order to gain significant contributions. If the money is substantial enough then the benefits probably outweigh the negatives. And there are more families with $50 million + at these schools than you might think, particularly in and around NY and the NE, with the explosion of Wall Street and related (hedge fund and private equity) wealth creation in the last decade,</p>

<p>To keep you from going crazy about this, I concur with fencersmom in that the high school/college is usually better as a result of this money and hopefully, the lengths to which the institution went to accommodate the child weren't too corrupting. But this has been going on for a very long time at nearly all of the very top prep schools and private colleges. As for the student, this can be the gift that keeps on giving. He/she may ultimately develop and become a contributing individual and use the family's wealth to assist the college or high school. This is part of the reason that some of the endowments at top prep schools and some private colleges are as big as they are.</p>

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<p>Good thing I don't stake my pride on my position in an argument... after reading your posts, I think you guys are right. The thought still irritates me somewhat though. I also attended a private school and this sort of thing never happened.</p>

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<p>Gee Chedva, that's a jaundiced view of private schools. Not my experience at all. Private schools are often much tougher on students and parents than public schools - kids get booted for relatively minor behavior issues that public schools wouldn't (and probably couldn't) do anything about. And yes, I've seen kids whose parents are very deep pockets get the boot. Contracts for re-enrollment are not offered to all each year.</p>

<p>I doubt the parents would pull a kid out of school senior year. That would be tough to explain to colleges and they'd owe the tuition for the rest of the year anyways. Very few private schools (certainly not the most reputable ones) would be willing to take a kid at that point. The kids I've seen leave private schools mid-year have all enrolled in public schools.</p>

<p>Anyways, whether public or private, I am surprised a high school would do that.</p>

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<p>Get over it. I did a while ago. It's not worth getting worked up over.</p>

<p>You know that old saying "you get what you pay for"? Well, this is a case of that. A $40,000/yr boarding school that gets big donations is going to do more for you than anytown public high school. What's the big deal--the point of these schools to get its students into good colleges. I don't look at people like this any differently than people who drive around in ferraris. They have money so they get the best--simple as that.</p>

<p>And quite frankly, if I were a multi millionaire with air head kids, I too would be doing whatever it takes to get them into Harvard or whatever. It's one thing to have high aspirations for you kid and not have the means to do anything about it, it's another to have the means and not help them out.</p>

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<p>Life's not fair, this is only one of the nice mean things that happen.</p>

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<p>having only worked at private schools, i am surprised by little.
it's hard to watch the disparate relationship between the privileged and not-as-privileged.
this a as good a place as any to vent, however--as ctmomof3 has here.
as she said, he experience put a face on things she'd only known about in the abstract.
i can relate to that.
as my ds was applying to duke, I would have to bit my tongue when speaking with and an acquaintance of mine with a much less accomplished kid attending duke as a development admit.
but the truth is, had she asked me if i wanted her dad to do anything for my s, i might have been amenable.
i'm not saying it's right.
i'm saying that if someone were to offer my hard-working kid and advantage, i don't know if i'd have the ethical strength to refuse.
and i'll never know, either.</p>

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<p>I'm not sure what the issue is here. Father donates $1 million dollars. All the school has to do is offer one of its 5000 acceptances to the kid. The school can then use the $1 million to hire more teachers, improve its facilities, etc. Sounds like a win-win to me. Current and future students of the school would benefit enormously from this one family.</p>

<p>As we all know by now, admissions is hardly black and white. Every acceptance has a purpose. Schools take athletes with lower scores because big time football and basketball programs bring in millions for the school. Schools take minorities with lower scores so they can slap their faces on a couple of brochures and preach about diversity. Schools accept legacies with lower scores in order to keep the contributions coming from mommy and daddy. Sure, the school can admit just another generic 2200 SAT scorer in place of this kid. But, is that student going to add as much to this school as this kid? Probably not.</p>

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<p>at first i was thinking "wow i wish i had these kinds of opportunities" but i quickly changed my mind. i think this is really sad for the kid because for the rest of his life he will always know that he got into this school although he did not deserve it. i dont know about him, but i do not want anything that i do not deserve</p>

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<p>And Adam Smith said let there be capitalism. Some struggle, many end up mediocre, and a select few make it big.</p>

<p>Those select few get what they want, from boats for fishin' to selective admission. College is a business, and if someone can provide them with a large enough incentive to accept their child, it is clearly in the best interest of the school to admit him. If only the college admissions process was a pure meritocracy...imagine how different the lives of many who post on this forum would be?</p>