This is just beginning: Massive Scandal Alleged in College Admissions Dozens of people -- including college coaches and Hollywood actresses -- indicted. By Scott Jaschik March 12, 2019 Federal authorities in Boston on Tuesday announced the indictments of dozens of people on charges related to an alleged scheme to get people into elite colleges and universities through purported, but not necessarily real, athletic talent. The indictments include charges of conspiracies related to racketeering, wire fraud and more. The charges involve coaches, parents and some who administered exams. Two prominent actresses -- Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin -- are among those charged. The institutions involved include Georgetown, Stanford, Wake Forest and Yale Universities and the University of Southern California. Federal authorities are only this morning releasing documents in the case, but the general patterns appears to be helping nonathletes gain the benefits of being admitted as athletes. At top colleges, being a recruited athlete can create an enormous advantage. For example, one of those indicted today is John Vandemoer, who is Stanford's sailing coach. He is charged as participating in a racketeering conspiracy with a business that provides help to those seeking college admission. The conspiracy, according to the indictment, was designed to enrich those involved, including the Stanford coaches. According to the indictment, the various parties worked at "designating applicants as purported recruits for competitive college athletic teams, including the Stanford sailing team, without regard for the applicants' athletic abilities, in exchange for bribes" and engaged in "concealing the nature and source of the bribe payments." In one case discussed in the indictment, $110,000 was paid to Stanford sailing accounts in return for a false designation that someone was outstanding at sailing. The allegations also extend to cheating on the SAT and the ACT. According to the indictments those involved in the conspiracy encouraged students they were being paid to help to file papers with ACT or the College Board saying that they had learning disabilities. When they received permission to take the test under special circumstances (typically with extra time), these applicants were told to use one of two testing centers that one of the defendants said he could "control." Those taking the tests were then told to come up with fake reasons, such as a family wedding, for needing to take the exam in one of these centers, which were far from their homes. Bribes were then allegedly given to have others take the tests. In other cases, the federal documents say, "a purported proctor for the exams while providing students with the correct answers, or to review and correct the students’ answers after they completed the exams." A sad detail in the materials released today: "In many instances, the students taking the exams were unaware that their parents had arranged for this cheating." Felicity Huffman, the actress, is among those charged with such cheating on behalf of her oldest daughter. The indictment charges that Huffman considered doing the same for a younger daughter but opted out. The other actress indicted today -- Lori Loughlin -- is charged with (together with her husband) paying $500,000 for having her two daughters designated as recruits to the University of Southern California crew team, even though the indictment says neither daughter participated in crew. The indictment details how the couple was advised that their older daughter was on the "lower end" of USC's admissions standards, and that they then agreed to the bribery scheme. An email from Mossimo Giannulli, Loughlin's husband, to one of those involved in the alleged bribery includes the line: "I’d like to maybe sit with you after your session with the girls as I have some concerns and want to fully understand the game plan and make sure we have a roadmap for success as it relates to [our daughter] and getting her into a school other than ASU!" This is a breaking story that will be updated. Read more by Scott Jaschik https://www.insidehighered.com/admi...ndicted-alleged-massive-case-admissions-fraud
The most shocking thing about this is that I thought wealthy people simply donated a pile of money to help get their kids in. Why go through these shenanigans when you can legitimately make a donation and rely on the old network to get your kid in? (not saying this is fair, but I really thought this was pretty routine. Why can't a private college sell out for the dollars?).
Another example of the rich rigging and cheating to keep their place at the top. Then they will get a slap on the wrist for this while poor people get years in jail for small time crimes.
Many, many people are saying, and I believe them, because they're good people, very good people, but they're saying that our mistake-in-chief does not have an actual college degree. He never graduated. Ever. Too much of a stable genius. Stay tuned...
Given what the wealthy spend their money on, whether this shenanigan or legally donating way more money to buy admission, let's just tax them enough to fund higher ed.
It is a status symbol for those with extreme privilege, seen as a right, and a way to justify promoting them/inheritance in their real estate practice (which they themselves inherited) over those with more merit and experience in organization. Trump, Kushners, Bushs, Clintons all follow same route once they get into certain money bracket. This is why corporate regulation and marginal taxes are so important.
If that is your reasoning, you should be pushing hard for inheritance taxes and leave those who make it on their own effort alone.
Nope - they are all connected and inheritance taxes are a band aid that avoid the root cause of wealth consolidation that is unsustainable. Resources are not infinite - corporations fixated on short term profit pretend they are.
Do you believe anyone makes it on their own merit? And yes, inheritance taxes would need to be modified to deal with "market value" sales to trusts with highly paid consultants standing behind the valuation. So, if that is your point, I agree. If your point is that no one deserves to succeed and it is all one giant conspiracy (not saying that is your position), we disagree.
Not sure if this i s sarcasm, but if it is, ha - ha Meritocracy brings a great element to American innovation, and when it leads to great success like a facebook or standard oil, you need regulation to make sure it doesn't destroy the entire population so the numbers can keep "growing"
Guys like Trump, Bush Jr and other rich people get into these schools because their parents donate to them and other reasons. So my question is why would other rich people go through these illegal measures when there are other financial ways to get your kid over the hump
Because the unethical ways that rich people like trump used weren't working so they resorted to unethical and illegal ways...
Bro Trump isnt involved in this scandal. He went to college a long time ago. Your obsession isnt healthy Id like to just discuss the scandal. TIA
