By now, most people are familiar with the allegations that Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin (gasp: whose claim to fame is portraying wholesome Aunt Becky from “Full House” and any number of wholesome movies on Hallmark Movie Channel) scammed their children into top universities. One of her daughters, a social media influencer (don’t even get me started on that), is under fire because she told the world she’d rather follow her passion and make YouTube videos than be in classes for six hours a day, and she wants to go to school to experience the parties. Meanwhile, some deserving, high-achieving student received a rejection letter while Loughlin’s daughter uses college to sell Amazon Prime memberships and invisible aligners from Smiles Direct Club.

The amount of money these people spent to get their children into college is staggering — and ridiculously stupid. For the amount of money parents spent on scamming, they could’ve got their children into school the old fashioned way — made a donation. Is it just a matter of having money to burn so you don’t even think about the value you’re getting from your money? Parents spent between $200,000 to $6.5 million to get their child into his or her school of choice. Please someone tell me what university one would attend where the cost of four-year tuition would equal $6.5 million. One student’s family member paid $1.2 million for the student to be described as the co-captain of a soccer team. I think simply paying for college would’ve been the smarter move and saved this person a few hundred thousand in the process.

We tend to think rich people are smart and poor people aren’t. This is just another shining example that money doesn’t equate intelligence. 

While I’m making light of the ridiculous amount of money spent to get children accepted into college, this is just a symptom of so many things wrong in this country. My biggest takeaway is how the deck is continually stacked against the poor and middle class, particularly Black people. However, if you’re not wealthy, regardless of your ethnicity, you can’t compete at the same level. It’s as if the line is continually shifting and the playing field will never be level. Donations to colleges and legacy admissions is one thing. but this is next level stuff. Once the game moved from donations, it switched to expensive tutors, college admissions coaching firms that charge exorbitant fees to strategically apply to colleges, and essay coaches who ensure your student has a polished essay for the college application. Now, we have parents running scams on colleges.

And affirmative action causes such uproar? How many students admitted through the scandal are college ready? How many make it through the first year before dropping out? 

If there is one thing that most Black children learn early on, it’s life isn’t fair. We’re taught we have to work harder than white people to be successful in school, in work, basically in life. 

As someone who isn’t wealthy, I can’t afford access to $150-an-hour tutors, $1,500 essay assistance, or a huge donation to my alma mater guaranteeing admission. However, I, like many parents I know, work hard to ensure my children have access to enrichment opportunities and other activities that prepare them for college. 

This latest incident, along with all the ways the wealthy tip the scales in their favor, illustrate why affirmative action was put in place. Universities must level the playing field for those who aren’t wealthy.

https://www.indianapolisrecorder.com/opinion/article_ef7c95c2-465a-11e9-ba56-b35f86e86289.html