College Admissions Fraud: Why Didn’t They Just Use the Money for Tutors?
When the news broke about the college admissions scandal, one question continued to linger in my mind: why did the families involved in the scandal opt for cheating instead of the more subtle and legal approach of hiring private tutors?
My Family’s Success Story: Private Tutors Worked
I personally have a prosperous branch of my family where they have adopted a similar approach. Their learning disabled son received a tremendous amount of special attention, including access to learning specialists and private tutors. Despite these challenges, he excelled in high school and ended up getting admitted to a good college, albeit one that was not an elite institution. Extra time was allowed for his SAT tests, and he performed satisfactorily in his college years. He is now successfully working in a paramedical field that he genuinely loves. This all demonstrates that with the right help, outcomes can be significantly improved—often beyond what resources alone might achieve.
Reasons Behind the Scandal: Parents’ Overemphasis on Elite Institutions
The families caught up in the scandal essentially wanted their children to secure places at prestigious institutions without having to go through the arduous process of top-tier achievements. Their primary goal was not to support their children's education but to achieve a status associated with attending an elite college. Instead of opting for a legal and ethical route like hiring private tutors, they resorted to less scrupulous methods such as bribery and fraud.
To gain admission to these highly competitive institutions, you need to achieve a 3.8 unweighted GPA and SAT scores well above 1400, and even then, it's not guaranteed. Many applicants to Ivy League schools have such impressive credentials, but 60% of them are still not admitted. This stark statistic suggests that the requirements are set so high that only the most exceptional candidates can meet them, regardless of additional assistance.
In essence, these families wanted their children to be accepted based on a flawless academic record, despite the fact that such perfection is beyond the grasp of the average student with adequate support. It's a case of unrealistic expectations and a preference for affiliation with prestigious institutions over genuine academic achievement.
The Limitations of Tutoring
SAT and ACT scores are notoriously difficult, and despite the many years of tutoring I have provided, the results often fall short of perfection. Tutoring provides valuable support by teaching test-taking strategies and reinforcing existing knowledge, but the improvements are typically modest—by 100 to 200 points at best. The tests are not designed to be easily mastered, but rather to challenge even the brightest and most well-prepared students.
Many of the top schools are heavily focused on achieving the highest possible scores. The competitive nature of these exams ensures that only the most academically gifted students can achieve near-perfect scores, even with extensive tutoring and rigorous coursework. These tests are akin to using a long measuring tape: whereas shorter tapes might limit the range of measurements, a longer tape provides a more accurate assessment. Similarly, these standardized tests serve to distinguish the exceptionally bright from the rest of the applicant pool.
To summarize, the pressures of college admissions are immense, and while tutors can certainly help, they cannot guarantee the perfect scores needed to secure a place at the most sought-after institutions. It’s important to consider the ethical implications and long-term consequences of such practices rather than just the immediate benefits.
Conclusion
While the college admissions scandal exposes a dark side of the educational process, it also highlights the challenges and limitations of academic achievement. For many families, the pursuit of prestige and status at all costs overshadows the value of genuine education and learning. In the end, the story of the families involved serves as a stark reminder of the importance of considering the true goals of education beyond mere admission to a well-known institution.