Survey Reveals Applicants’ Feelings About Varsity Blues Scandal
This week if you have been following the ongoing saga of the so-called “Varsity Blues” college admissions scandal, you’ll know that more sentencings of charged violators will be taking place. The first ever to be sentenced was celebrity television celebrity Felicity Huffman, that will invest week or two in jail beginning 25 october.
While you no doubt already fully know, the scandal involves parents having to pay university officials bribes to have their kids admitted to colleges, USC in specific, often times through the “side home” of activities coaches. The ringleader that is alleged arranging these bribed admissions is Rick Singer, that is believed to have obfuscated the bribes as contributions to universities through his foundation, which was created to facilitate the effectiveness of parental efforts.
This story has been raging into the news for many weeks and shows no sign of abating. Consequently, the end result on potential college applicants has, in number of instances, gone to discourage them. Some candidates (and parents) have started to start to see the college admissions plan as innately corrupt and, in line with the evidence that is scandal has emerged, found themselves reasoning, ” just how can I take on applicants coming from families who is able to manage to purchase their method into university?”
This is an unfortunate and attitude that is perhaps irrational but one that is understandable in light associated with circumstances. However, there is basis for optimism, predicated on a brand new survey that just came out yesterday. Russell Schaffer of Kaplan Test Prep penned to me saying:
“… The fallout from Varsity Blues, the scandal that included wealthy and celebrity parents bribing college officials, coaches, and test proctors to simply help their young ones get admitted to some for the custom essays country’s most acceptable colleges, is causing concern [among] students and admissions officers, according to two new Kaplan Test Prep studies. For the significantly more than 300 aspiring university students polled, 57 per cent say they’ve been concerned that their spot at their top college choice might be provided with up to a less qualified applicant due to who that applicant is connected to. And 23 % say they individually know a college applicant who they believe ended up being less qualified, but received preferential treatment in admissions due to family members wealth or connections.
The company has done annually for 15 years — admissions officers suggest that the corrupt practices exposed in Operation Varsity Blues are rare in a separate Kaplan survey of over 300 top colleges and universities across the United States — something. Lower than 25 % (24 percent) describe the illegal activities as common. Just 11 % say these people were ever forced to just accept a job candidate who don’t satisfy their college’s admissions requirement as a result of who that applicant had been or to who this applicant ended up being connected. This represents a significant fall from the 25 percent who said they certainly were forced to do so whenever Kaplan first asked this concern of admissions officers in 2014 …”
That trend is motivating for those who are anxious about their chances for admission. Obviously, university admissions won’t ever be 100 per cent fair over the board, due mainly to the alleged “institutional priorities” that seek certain forms of applicants to meet particular demands that vary from 12 months to 12 months. Those demands consist of diversity balances, athletic recruiting, development situations, plus the regularly controversial legacy candidates, among other factors.
Being an overall portion of admission choices made every year, though, the number of Varsity Blues cases is miniscule. The intense media protection, that could charitably be deemed a madness, has magnified their impact and spawned angst that is unnecessary.
Students Express Concern About Admissions
Within the press release relating to this brand new study, Kaplan has an encouraging headline: university candidates Are worried About Unfairness in Admissions, But Most Admissions Officers Say Widespread “Varsity Blues” Behavior is Uncommon. Here’s a part of that launch:
… Said one school that is high whom planned to just top colleges, “we know many people which have connections to my top school, whereas I actually do maybe not. I am especially concerned because I have a better SAT rating than them, nevertheless they could have an upper hand and start to become admitted. I’ve seen it formerly with friends now i will be worried for myself.” Another student revealed less concern and indicated some optimism, saying, “In light of the admissions scandals, colleges may well be more attentive and aware of these forms of schemes. Also, considering a number of the moms and dads who have been caught and punished, I don’t believe this will be a big issue in the long run.”…
… But despite admissions officers’ feeling that this really is uncommon, 49 per cent say the scandal could have done term that is long to your public image for the college admissions procedure; 37 % don’t believe this has, while 14 percent are not certain. When expected about how universities can persuade families that the admissions process is not “rigged” against them, admissions officers had been mostly not able to offer any policy that is specific, but the theme of transparency was mentioned usually. One admissions officers called the scandal a “wake-up call” for universities to be more “ethical along with of their processes.”
“Like most individuals, we had been appalled at what was exposed included in procedure Varsity Blues. We all know firsthand from dealing with thousands of students each year just how much work students placed into their academics, and additionally they should feel confident they are being examined by college admissions officers based on their particular merit and overall quality of their application,” said Sam Pritchard, Kaplan’s director of college prep programs. “While our survey discovers that most pupils think they are often at risk of being kept out of their top college picks to the benefit of their well-connected peers, it’s notably encouraging to learn that the majority that is vast of think these activities are unusual and fewer report being pressured to simply accept unqualified candidates than in years previous. Nevertheless, a complete much more needs to be done to shield the process and restore integrity and trust. Candidates deserve better…”
Any particular one expression bears repeating: “… it’s notably encouraging to know that the vast majority of universities think these activities are uncommon and fewer report being forced to simply accept unqualified applicants compared to years previous.”
Filter the Sound
It”corruption”) within the college admissions process as I mentioned above, even with the high profile of Operation Varsity Blues and the associated convictions and sentencings, there will always be some level of unfairness (some would call. However, my advice to collegians that are prospective to ignore the exaggerated media focus on the scandal.
Why do we say that? It’s easy. All this, or exactly what remains of it, is wholly away from control. There is nothing you can certainly do, a good way or one other, to alter the length of what sort of college makes its admission decisions. What exactly is totally within your control, though, is how you handle your academic, extracurricular and profiles that are personal. Do your best into the class room, outside of school plus in your overall life. These actions count, as well as in most cases they shall be duly noted by the admission staffers that will read your applications and letters of suggestion.
Hence, I encourage one to pay attention to these foundational areas. The good news is that Operation Varsity Blues has aimed a bright spotlight into a previously dark spot and things are changing. For anyone who’ll be signing up to university this autumn and cold temperatures, you will be the beneficiaries of what should be probably one of the most objective and unbiased admission procedures ever — at the mercy of those institutional priorities I talked about.
The one thing to accomplish now could be to have focusing on the job essays, for those who haven’t currently done so, and tend the rest of the information on your applications, all while you’re doing all of your best academically and EC-wise. You will be going right on through this process one time in your life at the undergraduate degree so do not let the sound associated with VB scandal to affect your college process. Stay focused and good stuff will happen!
