THERE IS A BIG BRUHAHA today about some rich parents buying their kids way into “name” colleges and universities.
What’s the big deal.
Rich parents have been doing that since the first college cornerstone was laid.
DOES ANYONE REALLY think that many endowments are anything but an entry pass for a less than outstanding student to a “good” school?
All those buildings with impressive family names, and those chairs with [perhaps) less impressive family names. (Chairs are cheaper than buildings, after all.)
Colleges and universities are, surprise, businesses. The boards have bills to pay: salaries for academics, salaries for workers, building maintenance, athletic gear for all sexes (Title 9, don’t forget). And recruiting, both for students and, supposedly, student athletes.
So what, pray, is the difference between getting a scholastically weak child into a university with an endowment or getting a scholastically weak child into a university by paying off middlemen (and women).
What about “Affirmative Action” programs that effectively bar some qualified applicants so lesser qualified — if qualified at all — candidates are admitted.
What about the “jocks” who need remedial (read “third grade”) language classes, or remedial math? Admittedly, a winning sports team does generate donations to the school and, again, the colleges and universities ARE businesses.
The entire umbrage from the lawyers is because some parents failed to follow the established practice of giving a check directly to the school.
The end result is the same: A scholastically weak child gets a seat in an auditorium/lecture hall where a Teaching Assistance (TA) will lecture on the subject.
- Truth in blogging: When I went to college, I went to night school with small classes taught primarily by professionals working in the field. While I went to good schools, I did not go to a “name” school. I do not regret my choices.
It is unfortunate that a scholastically STRONG student is prevented from getting into a “name” school because a scholastically weak student’s parents bought the good student’s place.
ON THE OTHER HAND, if things work out, the scholastically weak student will drop out — most parents object to blackmail to keep their child in a class where the child has no aptitude — and the strong student, now with impressive college grades, might transfer to the name school, perhaps even with a stipend.
College jocks often switch schools for a better team or more playing time. Why not scholars, too?
Start off at No Name U and transfer to Big Name U. The diploma will have Big Name U emblazoned on it so who cares that the graduate started off small.
Assuredly, having a Big Name U diploma DOES bring bigger initial compensation than a No Name U, but after getting a foot in the employment door, it is more who you know and what you know that will generate raises to help pay down the loans.
My bottom line: I really don’t see what the fuss is all about. Smart kids have been pushed aside by less smart kids with rich parents since higher education was recognized as a money-making endeavor.
The only reason lawyers are focused on the rich parents who bought their kids a seat at a “name” school is because they failed to make the purchase in an “approved” way.
Bottom lines:
- * A qualified scholar was blocked from entering the school
* The school is as much at fault as the rich parents since in may cases someone at the school knew what was being bought
* If you want to buy your scholastically weak child a place at a Big Name U, go the endowment route with a little — dare it be said, “blackmail” or is it just “strings” — to assure favored treatment
* Solomon was right: There is nothing new under the sun; money talks.
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