The parents are the prime movers of this college admission scandal. They have tried to create a separate and unfair admission process for their children’s using their wealth.
A recent sting by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) exposed wealthy parents who are buying a seat for their Children in top universities. However, it is not the only problem, the entire system is rigged.
The Justice Department on Tuesday unveiled a largest-ever college admissions prosecution, where 200 agents nationwide carried out the sprawling investigation which resulted in charges against 50 people in six states.
Mr. Singer used The Key and its non-profit arm, Key Worldwide Foundation, to help students cheat on their standardized tests, and to pay bribes to the coaches who could get them into college with fake athletic credentials.
An investigation by FBI named Operation Varsity Blues has revealed $25 million of cash involved in the admissions scandal. The wealthy Americans are utilizing their money to admit their children at prestigious colleges and universities. There are instances where the coaches are allegedly bribed under sports quota, bribing the test administrators to change their scores or someone else taking the test instead.
There are a wide variety of colleges right from the University of Texas at Austin to Wake Forest and Georgetown who have been admitting undeserving students by accepting millions of dollars as bribes. Athletic coaches of the topmost colleges are also implicated for accepting bribes.
William Rick Singer has allegedly helped parents to buy entrance for their children at some of the nation’s most prestigious colleges, including Yale, Georgetown University, Stanford University, UCLA, the University of San Diego, USC, University of Texas and Wake Forest with his bribery scheme.
Singer is the founder of this profit generating college preparation business which is based in Newport Beach, California called the Edge College & Career Network, also known as The Key.
Mr. Singer used The Key and its non-profit arm, Key Worldwide Foundation, to help students cheat on their standardized tests, and to pay bribes to the coaches who could get them into college with fake athletic credentials, claimed the authorities.
John Bonavolonta, the FBI special agent in charge said that “Following 10 months of investigation using sophisticated techniques, the FBI uncovered what we believe to be a rigged system, robbing students all over the country of their right to a fair shot of getting into some of the most elite universities in this country”[1].
In most of the cases the students were not aware that their parents were doctoring the test scores and lying to get them admitted into the school.
What is shocking is that the wealth of these parents easily provided for a desirable college seat in an illegal way. The whole system is “rigged” in favor of wealthy parents. If students are not fortunate enough to be born to well-resourced, well-connected parents there are innumerable ways in which they are deprived of a “fair chance”.
There are dozens of individuals involved in a bribery and fraud scheme nationwide, who help students in gaining admission into elite college and the university said Federal Authorities. Also, racketeering charges against 12 of the defendants are detailed in this indictment.
The Authorities said that the admissions processes are getting more competitive which results in breaking the rules. They also said that some of the nation’s wealthiest parents sought to buy spots for their children at top universities. This kind of practice is not only cheating the system but also the hard-working students who lose their chance of college education.
Federal prosecutors have not charged any students or universities with the wrongdoing, since, in most of the cases the students were not aware that their parents were doctoring the test scores and lying to get them admitted into the school.
During a news conference on Tuesday, Andrew E. Lelling, the United States attorney for the District of Massachusetts said that “The parents are the prime movers of this fraud.” He also added that the parents have tried to create a separate and unfair admission process for their children’s using their wealth.
Mr Lelling said that “The real victims, in this case, are the hardworking students” who were displaced in the admissions process by “far less qualified students and their families who simply bought their way in.[2]”
References:
[1]It’s not just corruption. Entrance into elite US colleges is rigged in every way
[2]Actresses, Business Leaders and Other Wealthy Parents Charged in U.S. College Entry Fraud
Attached below detailed indictment :
US College Admissions Bribery Scandal Indictment by Pgurus on Scribd
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Way to go team Pgurus. There is far more corruption in the West than what the average Indian can imagine. We have been copying their methods, their values, and their fake politics with a belief that it is the gold standard. It is not. It glitters, and it dazzles, but it certainly is not gold.
I would also request you not to berate our political leaders for pushing and promoting their kids. That is a natural human and animal kingdom trait. People should evaluate the kids on their merit.. (sometime back, I had seen an E&Y fellow shamelessly promoting his 5-year kid in a music program….the audience had no choice but to bear the half an hour of promotion.. The general rule is, don’t blame the wealthy for anything, but feel free to blame the politicians for everything.)