Eight elite universities are currently under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education for possible violations of cheating on standardized tests and bribery among college coaches and school officials.
The elite universities involved in this scandal had a reputation of only admitting students who worked vigorously to earn good grades and achieve the best scores on standardized tests.
Federal prosecutors stated that approximately 50 individuals have taken part in this scandal. Out of the 50 individuals, 33 are high-profile parents.
The acceptance rates for some of these elite universities involved in the college scandal range from 5 to 52 percent. The University of Southern California at 18 percent, the University of California, Los Angeles, at 17 percent, Stanford University at 5 percent, Georgetown University at 17 percent, Yale University at 7 percent and the University of San Diego at 52 percent.
Taylor Neece, dean of Admissions at California Baptist University, said he was not surprised by the college scandal.
“It shows how the deprivation of man is always present because we always fall short of God. People with wealth often go to extreme lengths just to get what they want,” Neece said.
Neece also spoke about the way admissions counselors view their jobs in light of this scandal because every person has to decide their morals.
“Knowing our morals is important because the people involved in this scandal took advantage of their position,” Neece said.
Students at CBU are unsettled by the scandal and how celebrities are using their money to get away with it.
Tiffany Savage, senior film studies major, said the scandal is bringing awareness to the problem by making the public more aware of the favor some wealthy elitists get at certain schools.
“The college scandal is making people more aware of rich privilege,” Savage said. “If someone as well-liked and financially stable as Lori Loughlin, an actress from ‘Full House,’ can get away with it, then almost anyone with money can do the same thing.”
Chloe Dubose, freshman psychology major, also shared her viewpoint of the situation.
“Loughlin’s daughter, Olivia Jade, is a well-known YouTuber who publicly announced in one of her video podcast’s that she only wanted to attend college for the experience of going to parties,” Dubose said. “Jade knew the advantage that her family’s wealth and status could provide to her. This whole situation is ludicrous.”
The college admissions scandal mainly consists of wealthy families who are buying their children acceptance letters into the college of their choosing, diminishing the reputation these elite universities represented.
