College entrance cheating scandal

[LSUmiss]

No reason to get all twisted. It is not meant as an insult to any parent. It is to be clear whose income they use. And for that it is relevant.

I honestly wish you could see some of the completely confusing situations some children grow up in, perhaps you would have some understanding.

“Gramdma adopted me when I was a baby but put me out when I was 17. Now I live with my Mom”. 19 year old student. Still a dependent. Who is the parent?

Not every kid is as privledged as those this thread is about. I was simply telling the pp why the student in her story may do a lot of cheating but on that she was right.

I’m a social worker...I have seen all of that! If you need legal consent for something it can be a nightmare!

 

[runwad]

I'm really surprised about Lori. Her social media accounts seem to be missing.

 

[MillauFr]

The sense of entitlement... and it would have been cheaper (and legal) if they just hired a tutor!

They did. The full service tutor who even takes test for you.

 

[MillauFr]

As Dean Martin said.... "It was a really big check"

 

[MillauFr]

Yeah, I'm having a hard time figuring out why USC would be worth a 500K fee. Maybe it has a really good acting program?

That is the question. Why is it worth so much money? I think there are far better and more efficient ways to bribe others to enrich yourself.

 

[MillauFr]

You are on the mark with this one. 100% things will be changing soon.

I doubt it. There is too much money involved. This will pass over pretty quick. There will be some new scandal next week to divert people's attention.

 

[MillauFr]

I'm just shocked they got caught!

Someone must want a distraction from all of the bribing going on in Washington DC.

 

[MillauFr]

The same money that illegally got their kids into school will legally keep them out of jail.

Absolutely correct. Many people think these people will see jail time..... LOL

 

[manning]

I think in many cases that once you are in an “elite” school the education is the same. It is all about the name recognition and contacts from the school. So much of what you get from education is what effort the student puts into the learning. A smart, hard working student at any school can learn as much as one from an elite school.

There was a professor who teaches at a elite college. He said his kids are going to state/small colleges who are getting a good education.

My dad said there are four times in life you get diplomas. Grammar school, high school, college and finely the ultimate diploma you receive is at death. It is the college of hard knocks. That is when you stop learning.

 

[kaytieeldr]

If only someone in the family had had the nerve to call up the dear old daddy of longtime friend and ask him to pull strings to get the girls admitted.

Maybe they did and he refused.

Sadly, money talks and I doubt much of anything actually happens to them. They will hire big-name, expensive lawyers and pay big fines. Whoopie! Clearly, they have more money than brains so what will actually be the result?

Earlier in this thread, I posted the possible penalties for the specific offenses Huffman and Loughlin are charged with. Fines and probation are likely possibilities no matter who you are. Yes, prison in in there too, but probably the only one who who will actually serve any time is Rick Singer.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Anybody know why Huffman and Loughlin have been arraigned in California, but each is still facing another arraignment in Massachusetts?

 

[tarheelmjfan]

People were arrested from several walks of life and all over the country. 2-3 of them out of 50 happened to be stars. And you go on a political rant against Hollywood?

At least, one of the few hollywood personalities mentioned proves the person you replied to wrong, but let's not go down that political road here. The thread will be closed.

 

[orangecuse]

Just an update- USC and UCLA are officially declining all pending applicants linked to the scandal. They are both reviewing each current student and alumni on a case by case basis. UCLA went as far as to say they may revoke admittance. USC didn’t go into specifics. I wouldn’t be shocked if kids were kicked out if their (non-rigged) test scores and GPAs don’t meet the schools normal threshold. I wouldn’t be shocked if they just suspend people for a semester or require extra credits or classes for graduation either though. UCLA specifically mentioned minors so they may play the role of “well these were kids under 18 and their parents cheated without their knowledge so even though they weren’t qualified we don’t want to punish them for their parents mistakes.” I wonder if kids that were clearly in on it like the Loughlins will get a tougher look.

 

[jerseygal]

Both of our sons played a college sport, worked very hard academically and athletically, not a D1 program, but a Division 3 program. They were given merit money for their high school performance, but no athletic money as Division 3 prohibits any athletic money to be given to the athlete. This absolutely infuriates me! As they have said on the news yesterday, parents are losing faith in the admission process. This is case of "helicopter parents" at its finest! You have to let go sometime, so it might as well be in college. Really hoping that there are the highest punitive measures taken for the parents, administrators, coaches, and students. Hoping that these overindulged students are expelled if they do not meet the rigorous admission standards that all the other kids have had to meet to obtain admission! Can you imagine, "RIGGING" SAT tests, admitting kids who never played a sport? SICKENING!Hope that Mark Riddell, the Harvard Grad who accepted money to take the SAT tests for these "rich brats" gets prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law! GREED, quick money, no morals or values. He graduates from Harvard and can't make a good living on his own. Loser!

 

[barkley]

Just an update- USC and UCLA are officially declining all pending applicants linked to the scandal. They are both reviewing each current student and alumni on a case by case basis. UCLA went as far as to say they may revoke admittance. USC didn’t go into specifics. I wouldn’t be shocked if kids were kicked out if their (non-rigged) test scores and GPAs don’t meet the schools normal threshold. I wouldn’t be shocked if they just suspend people for a semester or require extra credits or classes for graduation either though. UCLA specifically mentioned minors so they may play the role of “well these were kids under 18 and their parents cheated without their knowledge so even though they weren’t qualified we don’t want to punish them for their parents mistakes.” I wonder if kids that were clearly in on it like the Loughlins will get a tougher look.

from usc's current student handbook-

"Students accept the rights and responsibilities of membership in the USC community when they are admitted to the university. In the university, as elsewhere, ignorance is not an acceptable justification for violating community standards. Lack of intent or awareness of university standards normally will not be accepted as excuses for violations and will normally receive the same consequences as deliberate violations."

there's an entire section on how falsified/fraudulent admission applications are dealt with so it's obviously not an isolated occurrence-these students should be dealt with in the manner that their individual schools spell out in their governing materials, the same as anyone else accused of these types of acts.

i personally find it VERY difficult to believe that any of those who were admitted w/fraudulent test scores or under sports they had no to little experience in could in any way be unaware-

what high school student doesn't know something dishonest is going on when for the first time in their lives, for the SOLE purpose of getting special act or sat privileges they are being tested for a learning disability and told (as is stated they were instructed to do in the court documents) "when tested, to be as, to be stupid, not to be as smart..." "...the goal is to be slow, to be not as bright..."? some of these students NEVER took the act or sat tests themselves-stand ins were used-how is a student unaware they never took the actual test?

what high school student doesn't know that it's against the rules to have an SAT proctor sitting with you alone in a room giving you the answers?

if you NEVER played a sport in your life, your high school didn't even offer a particular sport wouldn't you question how out of the blue you were recruited to play at the collegiate level? then you arrive at school perfectly well and fine to learn that you've been excused from all year's athletics because a doctor you've never met provided paperwork saying you were injured over the summer (an injury you know never occurred)?

some of these students may have been minors when they applied but college applications are pretty clear in that an applicant by signing and submitting is attesting that everything they've provided is entirely honest and truthful, and failing in being so results in a fraudulent application. if these 'students' perceive themselves at the level to attend these prestigious schools they should be entirely capable of reading the paragraph immediately above where they've signed their name.

 

[jdb in AZ]

There's so much attention on the actresses and bribes, but a lot more people are involved. Looks like the senior associate athletic director at USC Donna Heinel accepted the most bribes. She has been fired.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/operat...he-parents-in-the-college-admissions-scandal/

 

[orangecuse]

@barkley oh don’t get me wrong, I’d like to see all students face consequences. I think thats unlikely though.

As for the sports thing- its not that student ever was really recruited or even met the coach in some cases. The coach literally just emailed the school and said “I’d like a spot for XYZ” and the school filed that applciation under athletic admissions so they got the athelete standards for grades and test scores. Then, the student showed up to school assuming they were in on general admission. The schools weren’t following up to see that XYZ was ever on the Tennis team. Many kids did know, but some parents just photoshopped pictures and sent emails pretending to be the kid.

 

[Mermaid02]

Are we supposed to believe that these students (who couldn't get into these schools on their own merit) aren't cheating now? If they weren't smart enough to get in, I doubt they are bright enough to excel once they are in.

 

[design_mom]

There's so much attention on the actresses and bribes, but a lot more people are involved. Looks like the senior associate athletic director at USC Donna Heinel accepted the most bribes. She has been fired.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/operat...he-parents-in-the-college-admissions-scandal/

I found it interesting that in the FBI report, it looked like the families who went through the "side door" with her paid a "donation" directly to the USC Athletics department. I could not tell if she was personally pocketing any money (either from that donation, or as a separate payment from Singer.) I did not see any notations of $XX paid to Donna Heinel, only to USC Athletics, c/o Donna. On one hand, it doesn't really matter -- both ways were wrong/illegal. However, I would be interested to know if she was doing it "for herself" or "for her program."

 

[smiths02]

My goodness, what an unlikeable person.



Edited to add: I wonder if Olivia Jade will be scrutinized by professors who initially thought their hands were tied when the princess didn't show up for class? I feel this gives a bit more freedom to the instructors. Because I am sure people like Olivia Jade are allowed to do whatever they want and somehow still receive a good grade. Perhaps those days are over? One can only hope.

"Like, like, like, like"

"People like to attack me because I've grown up a different life"

"I just want to be real with you guys, I guess"

"Be back tomorrow with a clothing haul"

I love the "I don't want to sound...." "I don't want to come across..."
Kind of admitting that she is entitled, bratty, spoiled, ungrateful, etc., she just doesn't want to sound like that in her vlogs.
There is no way she actually wanted to go to a selective college. If she had generally average ability and all of her parent's money to have tutors, personal athletic coaches, test prep, the best private schools, etc., then she could have achieved high enough to get into USC without the outright cheating IF she had any inclination/motivation towards that.