Each year, thousands of high school students gain admission to their dream schools the hard way, while a few others can simply pay to claim one.
Top colleges advertise themselves as schools that admit their students based on their merit, yet behind the scenes, students from wealthy families are often prioritized over those who’ve worked tirelessly to maintain their GPAs.
Through legacy, donations, and even scams, the wealthy bypass the college admissions system, allowing their children to secure spots despite being less qualified than other applicants.
Rick Singer, a college admissions consultant, was an individual who enabled just that. Singer began his career as a college advisor before founding a nonprofit called the Key Worldwide Organization. While this company was originally advertised as one that helped families navigate the complexities of the college admissions process, in reality, Singer offered wealthy clients a backdoor to elite colleges.
Families paid large sums of money, and in return, Singer bribed college administrators, arranged cheating on standardized tests, and even paid Division I coaches to designate students as recruited athletes, regardless of their experience in the sport.
This scheme allowed many individuals to gain admission to prestigious schools, solely because of their family’s ability to pay their way in.
While Singer was eventually prosecuted for his actions in 2019, the scandal exposed the deep inequalities of the college admissions system, and despite promises of reform, fundamental issues such as legacy admissions and donations continue to remain prevalent today.
Legacy admissions in the United States date back to the 1920s. For colleges, primarily Ivy League schools, this practice was used as a way to keep Jewish students seeking admission into these institutions from being accepted.
While discrimination against Jews is no longer the intent, the legacy system continues to disproportionately benefit a specific group, predominantly wealthy white families.
For colleges, these admissions are a way to maintain relationships with their alumni, who regularly support universities with donations. In return, these alumni expect preferential treatment for their children, perpetuating an endless cycle where wealth is preserved within generations.
Such cyclical limitations not only limit opportunities for students from less privileged backgrounds but also widen the gap between social classes, leaving out countless students from well-deserved opportunities.
However, many institutions, including the University of California system, have recognized this issue and have taken subsequent steps in reform. In California, the Assembly Bill 1780 was signed into law, banning the use of legacy status and donor preference in admissions.
Yet, despite progress in California, many colleges across the country continue to uphold these barriers, preventing students from regaining control over their futures. Colleges need to ensure that students are not overlooked simply because they lack generational wealth.
