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White Privilege and the College Admissions Scandal The revelations give credence to the portrait of higher education as a system for only the wealthiest and most elite families in the United States.

By Lauren Camera, Education Reporter | March 13, 2019, at 11:37 a.m.

A P O S T E R O U T L I N I N G T H E C O L L E G E A D M I S S I O N S B R I B E R Y S C H E M E I S D I S P L A Y E D D U R I N G A N E W S C O N F E R E N C E O N

T U E S D A Y . ( S T E V E N S E N N E / A P )

"W H AT WE DO I S W E HELP th e we a l t h i est f am i l ie s i n t h e U.S. g et t h ei r k id s i n to s c hoo l . "

W i l li a m R ic k S i n g e r , a N ewp o r t B e ac h, C a l if or n i a- b a s e d c o ll e ge a dm i s s i o ns e x p er t , wa s t e d n o t im e c ut t in g t o t h e c ha s e i n a c o nv e r s at i o n wi t h a p ar e nt , wh i c h t h e F BI r ec o r d e d l as t J u n e.

"T h e y wa n t gu a r a nt e e s , t h e y wa n t t his t h i ng do n e. T h e y d o n ' t wa n t t o b e m e s s i n g ar o u nd wi t h t h is t hi ng . A n d s o t he y wa n t i n a t c er t a i n s c h oo l s . S o I d i d 7 6 1 wh a t I wo u l d c a l l, ' s id e doors.' "

[ S E E : T h e W e ek i n C a r t o o n s f or M ar c h 11 - 1 5 ]

H e e l ab o r at ed : "T h er e i s a f r o nt d o or wh i c h m ea n s yo u g e t i n on yo u r o wn . T h e b ac k d oo r i s t hr o u g h i ns t i t ut io n a l a dv a n c em e nt , wh i c h is t e n t im e s as m uc h m o n e y. A n d I ' v e c r e at e d t h is s i d e d o or i n . "

S i n g e r t h e n m o v e d t o c l os e t h e d e al : " B e c a us e t he b ac k d o or , wh e n yo u g o t h r ou g h i n s t it ut i o n a l a d v a n c em e nt , a s yo u k n ow, e v e r yb o d y' s g ot a f r i en d of a f r i e nd , wh o k n o ws s o m e b o d y wh o k n o ws s om e b o d y b u t t h e r e' s n o g ua r a nt e e, t h ey' r e j us t g o nn a g iv e yo u a s e c o n d l o ok. M y f a m il i e s wa n t a g u ar an t e e. "

THE CIVIC REPORT

" I t ' s t h e h om e r u n of ho m e r u n s , " S i n ge r l at e r a d d ed , f o r g o o d m e a s ur e.

" A n d it wo r k s ? " a s k e d t he p ar e nt .

" E v er y t im e, " S in g e r s a i d, s e al i n g t h e d e a l .

F iv e m o nt hs l a t er , t h e p ar e n t , G o r d o n C a p l a n, wh o l iv e s i n G r ee n wi c h , C o nn e c t i c ut a n d i s a n att o r ne y a n d c o - c h a ir m a n o f t h e in t er n at i o n al l a w f i r m W i llk i e, F ar r a nd G a l l a g h er, wo u l d p a y S i n g e r $7 5 , 0 0 0 t o a r r a n g e a pr o c t o r t o c o r re c t t h e a n s we r s t o h i s d au g hte r ' s A CT t es t a f t e r s h e c om p l et e d it .

T h e s t or y i s j u s t on e o f 50 b et we e n S in g e r a n d N CA A D iv i s io n I c o ac h es , Ho l l y wo o d c e l e b r i t i e s an d we a l t h y p a r e nt s l ik e Ca p l a n wh o we r e c h ar g e d T u es d a y wi t h br i b e r y a nd f r au d i n c o nn e c t i o n wi t h a s we e p i n g c o l l e g e a dm is s i o ns s c a n da l , a c c or d i n g t o d o c um e nt s u n s e a l e d i n f e d e r a l c ou r t i n B o s t o n.

T h e c as e – t h e l ar g e s t c ol l e g e a d m is s i o n s c am e v e r p r os e c ut ed b y t h e D e pa r t m e nt of J u s t ic e – e xp o s e s a l o n g- r u n ni n g r ac k e t ee r i n g s c h e m e d at i n g b a c k t o 2 0 1 1, i n wh i c h p a r e nt s p a i d S in g e r a c om b i n e d $ 2 5 m i l l i o n t o h e lp s t u d en t s c h e a t o n c ol l eg e e nt r a n c e e x a m s a n d ga i n t h em a dm i s s i o n t o e li t e c ol l e g es a n d u n iv er s iti e s a s r e cr u it e d at h l et e s wh e n i n r e a l it y t h e y we r e n o t at h l et e s a t a l l.

T h e r ev e l at io n is a da m ni n g p or t r ai t of h i g h er e d uc a t i o n t ha t t h e i n d us t r y ha s be e n t r yi n g t o s h e d f or d ec a d e s : T h at it' s a r i g g e d s ys t e m ac c es s i b l e o n l y t o t h e we a l t h i es t a n d m o s t e l i t e f a m i l i es i n t he U. S .

"T o z o o m o ut a l it t l e b it , wh e n yo u s e e c r it iq u es ab o u t h o w we h a v e s t r uc t ur e d a n e c o no m y t h at h a s d if f e r e nt r u l es f o r d if f er e nt pe o p l e , t h is i s E x h i b it A , " B e n M i ll e r , v i c e p r es i d e nt of p o s t s ec o n d ar y e d u c at i o n a t t h e C e nt er f or A m e r ic an P r o gr e s s , s a ys . " A l o w- i n c om e f a m il y wo u l d n e v er t h i nk t o c l a im t h e y f a l s ely c o m p e t e on a c r e w t e am . "

I n a d d it i o n t o C a p la n , t he p ar e nt s – d e s c r i b e d b y A n dr e w L e l l in g , U. S . att or n e y f or t h e D i s t r ict o f M a s s ac h u s et t s , as " a c at al o g u e of we a l t h a n d pr i v ile g e " – i nc l ud e CE O s of p u b l i c a n d pri v at e c om p an i e s , r e a l est at e m o g ul s , a f a s hi o n d es i g n e r a nd Ho l l y wo o d celebrities.

"T h is i s a c as e i n wh i c h t h e y f l a u nt e d t h e ir we a l t h a n d s e t t h e ir c hi l d r en up wi t h t h e b es t e d u c at i o n m o n e y c o u l d bu y – l it e r a ll y, " s a i d J os e ph R. B o n av o lo n t a, s p ec i a l a g e nt i n c h a r g e of t he F BI ' s B o s t o n f i e l d off ic e .

A l l of t h em k n o wi n g l y c o n s p i r e d wi t h S i n g e r , t h e d oc u m e nts s a y, p a yi n g h i m u p t o $ 6. 5 m i l l i o n a n d di s g u is i n g t h e p a ym e n t s as c h ar it a b l e d o n a t i o ns, wh i c h t h e y t h en wr o t e o f f as a t a x d e du c t i on . M os t o f t he m p a i d S i ng e r , wh o f u nn e l e d t h e m on e y t h r o u g h a f a k e c h a r i t y, b e t we e n $ 2 0 0 , 0 0 0 t o $ 4 00 , 0 0 0.

"T h e e li t e c ol l e g e s a dm i s s i o n s s t r uc t ur e i s a lr ea d y s o h e av i l y we i g h t e d i n f av o r of we a l t h y f a m i l i es t h at t o s e e e gr e gi o u s c h e at ing o n t op of i t s u gg e s t s t he r e i s n o l ev e l of b a d b e h a v i or t o wh i c h s om e o f t h e s e we a l t h y f am i l i es wi l l s t o o p, " M i l l er s a ys . "I t ' s n ot e n o ug h t h e y h a v e e no u g h m o n e y f o r a pr iv a t e S A T t u t or , t ha t t h e y h a v e e n o u g h m o ne y f o r a d m i s s i o ns c o a c h e s a n d t o p a y f or wh a t e v e r s tr a ng e e xt r ac u rr ic u l a r act i v it y m ak es t h em l o o k g o o d, bu t t h e y s t i l l ha v e t o br i b e t h e ir wa y i n . "

T o b e s ur e, in c o m e i n eq ua l i t y i n e d u c a t i o n h as a lo n g h is t o r y, i n l ar g e p ar t b e c a u s e s o m u c h of K - 12 b u d g et s a r e d e p e n d en t o n l oc a l p r op e r t y t a x e s , m e a n i n g we a l t h i er c o m m u n it i es wi t h h i g h er t a x b as e s a ut o m a t i c a l l y ha v e m or e m on e y t o p a y f or t h in g s l ik e b e t t e r t e ac he r s , A P c o urs e s a n d c o l le g e c o u n s elo r s – a l l of wh i c h p r ov i d e a l e g u p i n t h e c o l l e g e a dm is s i o ns p r oc es s .

C o m b i n e t h at wi t h f a m il i es wh o c a n a ls o aff or d c oa c h i n g f o r t he S A T a n d A CT , a d d it i o na l c o u n s el o r s wh o g o ov e r c o l l e g e es s ays wi t h a f i ne - t o o t h c o m b a n d c o s t s f o r r ec r e at i o na l

s p o r t s , m u s ic l e s s o n s a nd ot h er e xt r ac u r r i c ul ar s , a n d a dm i s s io n t o t h e m os t e li t e c o l l eg e s i s a s s u m e d b y m a n y l o we r - i nc om e f am i l i es t o b e o u t of r e ac h.

[ R E A D : 5 0 C h a r g e d i n La r g e s t C o ll eg e A d m is s ion s S c am E v er ]

A s o n e r ec en t s t u d y f ou nd, 3 8 c o ll e g es , i nc l u d in g f i v e I v y L e a gu e s c h o o ls , e n r o l l e d m o r e s t u de n t s wh o s e f am i l ie s a r e a m o n g t h e t o p 1 p e r c e n t of i nc om e e a r n er s t h a n f r o m t h e e n t ir e b ot t om 60 pe r c e nt . A n d c h i l d r e n wh o s e p ar e nt s ar e i n t h e t o p 1 p e r c e n t of e ar ne r s a r e 7 7 t i m es m or e l ik e l y t o att e n d a n I v y L e a g u e c o l l e g e t h an t h o s e wh o s e p a r e nt s ar e in t h e b ot t o m in c o m e q u in t il e , t h e s am e r e p o r t f o u n d.

" I t ' s a bs o l ut e l y o u t r a g e ou s , " S us a n Dyn a r s k i , a pro f e s s or o f pu b l i c p o l ic y, e d u c at i o n a nd e c o n o m i c s at t h e U n i v ers i t y o f M i c hi ga n , s ays . "I' v e b e e n s t ud y i n g i ne q u a l ity i n c o l l eg e - g o i n g a nd c om p l et i o n f o r d e c a d e s a n d i nt e l l ec t u a l ly I k n e w t h a t t h i s s o r t of t h i n g h a pp e ne d , b u t t o s e e it l a i d ou t i n a l e g a l p r oc e ed i n g dr iv e s it a l l h om e. "

D yn a r s k i ' s r e s e a r c h s h ows , i n p a r t , t h a t l o w- i nc om e s t u d e nt s wh o a r e q u a li f i e d f or t o p-t i e r s c h o o ls r ar e ly a p p l y b a s ed o n t h e a s s u m pt i o n t h at t h e y c a n n ot a f f o r d t h e c os t of t u it i o n.

B u t D yn a r s k i f o u n d t h at as s um pt i o n c h a n g e s if s om e o n e f r om t h e s c h o o l s p e c if i c al l y g e t s i n t o u c h wi t h l ow- i n c o m e s t u d e n t s a n d pr o m is e s t h em f r e e t u it i on if t h e y a p p l y a n d a r e a d m itt e d. I n f a c t , t h e y a r e t wi c e a s l ik e l y t o a p p l y, b e a d m i t t ed t o a n d e n r o l l .

" I f a n yo n e ev e r a g a i n ask s m e, ' I s c ol l e g e wo r t h it , ' I wi l l j u s t pu s h t hi s s t ory i n f r o nt of t h em be c a use t h e s e p ar en t s c l e ar l y k n o w t h a t g et t i n g i nt o a h ig h - q u a l it y c ol l e g e i s v a l u a b l e, " Dyn a r s k i s a ys . "T h at t h e s e v al u a b l e a dm i s s i o ns po s i t i o ns wo u l d g o t o u n p r e p ar e d, r i c h k i d s wh i l e s o m a n y s m a r t k i d s , p oo r k i ds a r e be i n g le f t o n t h e s i d e l i n es i s a b s o l ut e l y ou t r a g i n g. "

D yn a r s k i i s qu i c k t o n ot e t h at t h e e n t i r e s ys t em i s n o t r i g g e d an d t h at t h e v a s t m a j or it y o f c o l l e g e c o u ns e l o r s a n d c o l l e g e a d m iss i o n s off ic e r s ar e d o i n g a g o o d j o b, d e s p it e t h e u n s a v or y i m a g e t h e s c a nd a l p ai n t s of h i g h er e d u c a t i o n wr i t l a r g e .

"T h e a dm is s io n s s i d e d o or s – s p ort s , le g a c i es – are r i p e f o r t h is k i n d of c or r u pt i o n, I t h in k , " s h e s a ys . "Th e s e s i d e e nt r i e s t h r o u g h at h l et ic s , t hr o u g h l e g ac y , t h r o u g h f u nd r a i s i n g j u s t n e e d t o b e s h u t d o wn . T he c r e d i bi l it y t h a t h i g h er ed u c at i o n h a s i n t h e U. S . is at r i s k . "

S t or i es o f we a l t h a n d pr iv i l e g e s e c ur in g s p o t s at el i t e i ns t it ut i on s f or f a m il ie s wh o d o n a t e m a s s i v e s u m s of m o n e y o r ha v e i nc r ed i b l e p o l it i c al c l o ut a r e no t h i n g n e w. T h e y r a n g e f r o m p o l i t i c a l l y c on n e c t e d a p p li c a nt s g iv e n p r ef e r e nc e at t h e U n i v ers i t y o f I l l in o i s t o a $ 2. 5 m i l l i o n gi f t g iv e n t o H ar v ar d b y t h e p a r e n t s of J a r ed K us h n er, Pr e s i d en t D ona l d T ru m p's s o n - i n- l a w, t wo ye a r s b ef o r e K us h n e r wa s a d m i t t ed .

L a s t ye a r , wh e n H ar v ar d wa s f o r c e d t o d et a i l f or t h e v e r y f ir s t t im e i t s e nt ir e a dm i s s i o ns p r o c es s d ur in g a l a ws u i t t h at' s c h a l l en g i n g t h e s c h o o l ' s u s e of r ac e i n it s ad m i s s i o ns p r o c es s , it r e v e a l e d s pec i a l c at e g or ie s t h at a dm is s i o ns of f i c er s c on s i d er, i n c l u d i n g le ga c y a p p l i c a nt s , ap p l i c a nt s wh o s e f am i l ie s m a d e s iz e a bl e d o n at i on s , c hi l d r en of f a c u lt y a n d r e cr u it e d at hl e t es , t h e l att e r of wh i c h we r e a d m i tt ed 8 6 p er c e nt of t he t im e.

" M y h o p e is t h at t h i s wi l l p r o m pt a l ar g e r c onv e r s at i o n a b o ut a ll t h e wa ys n o n - i l l e g al u s e s o f p r i v i l eg e c a n a ls o u n d er m i n e t h e a dm i s s i o ns pr oc e s s , " M i ll e r s a ys . " B r i b es ar e o bv i o us l y b a d a n d we s h o u l d s t o p t h e m , bu t we s h o u l d n' t f o r ge t t h at i t ' s a l r e a d y a n i nh e r e nt l y u n f a i r p r o c es s f or a l ot of s t u de n t s . "

T h e s we e p i n g s c a n d a l is l i k e l y t o pr o v i d e a n e w l en s t hr o u g h wh i c h m a n y wi l l c o n s i d e r s e p a r at e, o ng o i n g d eb a t es a bo u t hi g he r e d u c at i o n, i n c l u d i n g aff ir m at iv e a c t io n a n d r a c e- b a s e d a d m i s s i o n p o l ic i e s a n d t h e u s e of s t a n d ar d iz e d t es t s i n a d m i s s i o ns.

" I t i s s t u n n i ng t o m e t h at i n a wo r l d wh e r e t h e r e are s er i o us ef f o r t s at u n d e r m i n i n g t h e us e o f r ac e i n c ol l e g e a d m is s i o n s , t h at we wo u l d t a lk ab o u t t h at i s s u e at a l l i n l ig h t of t hi s , "

M i l l er s a ys . "T h e r ea l p r ob l e m i s t h e pe r v as i v en e s s of we a l t h t o i nf l u e nc e ad m i s s i o n; n ot r a c e. "

T u es d a y' s ne ws p r o m pt ed q u ic k c a l ls f o r i nt er na l r e v i e ws b y o r g a n i z a t i o n s t h at r e pr e s en t c o l l e g es , un iv e r s it i e s a n d t h e ir ad m is s i o n s of f i c er s .

[ R E A D : W h it e S t u d e nt s G et M or e K - 1 2 F u n d i n g T h a n S t u d ent s of C o l or : R e p o r t ]

"T h is b e h av io r c om p r om is e s t h e i nt e gr it y o f c o ll e ge a dm i s s i o ns a nd r e i nf or c e s s t er e ot y p e s t h at p e o p l e o f p r i v i l eg e c a n c i r c u m v en t t h e r u l es , " M i c h a e l Re i ll y, e x e c u t i v e d ir e c t or o f A m er i c a n A ss o c i at i on of C o l l e g i at e Re g i st r ar s a nd A dm is s i ons Off i ce rs , sa i d i n a s t at em e nt . "I t u n d er m i n es p u b l ic c o nf id e n c e i n o u r i ns t i t u t i o n s . "

R e i l l y s a i d he ' l l pr e s s t h e g r o u p' s 1 1, 0 0 0 h i g he r ed u c at i o n p r of e s s i o n al s wh o r e p r es e nt a p p r o x i m at e ly 2 , 6 0 0 in s t itu t i o ns t o r e v i e w t h e i r a dm i s s i o ns pr oc e s s e s , i nc l ud i n g t h os e r e l at e d t o s t u d e n t - at h l et e s , t o e ns u r e t h at t he y a r e "t r a ns p a r e n t , f a i r a n d a b i d e b y t h e l o n g - s t a nd i n g et h ic a l e x p e c t at io n s o f o ur p r o f e s s i o n. "

" I f t h e s e a ll eg a t i o ns a r e t r u e, t h e y v i ol a t e t he e s s en t i a l pr e m i s e of a f ai r a n d t r a ns p ar e nt c o l l e g e a dm is s i o ns p r oc es s , " T e d M i t c h e l l, p r es i de n t of t he A m e r ic a n C o un c i l o n E d uca t i o n, wh i c h r ep r ese n t s m or e t ha n 1, 7 0 0 p ub l i c a n d p r i va t e c ol l e g e an d u n iv e r s it y p r e s i d e nt s , s a i d i n a s t at em en t . "T h i s al l eg e d b e h av i or is a nt i t h et ica l t o t h e c or e v al u e s of ou r i n s t it ut i o ns , d e f r a u d s s t ud e n t s an d f am i l i es , a nd ha s ab s o l ut ely n o p l a c e i n A m e r i c a n h ig h e r e d u c at io n . "

M a n y i n t h e h i g h e r e d uc at i o n f i e l d s a y t h e y a r e n' t s u r pr i s e d t ha t s uc h a r ac k e t wa s i n t he wo r k s , b u t t ha t t h e o v ert ne s s wi t h wh i c h S i n g er a nd t h e p a r e n t s we r e wi l l i n g t o t a l k a b ou t s e c ur i n g a n a d v a nt a g e – a n d a n i ll e g al o n e at t h at – is br e at ht ak i n g.

" I t h i nk wh a t we ' r e s e e i ng n o w i s a p r o c e ss t h at ha s go n e i n sid e - o ut a n d up s i d e -d o wn , " P e t er V a n B u s k ir k , f o u n de r o f B e s t Co l l e g e P r e p a n d s o m e o ne wh o ' s s p e nt m or e t h a n 2 5 ye a r s i n c o lle g e a dm i s s io n s , in c l u di ng 1 2 a s t h e f o r m er d e a n o f a d m i s s i o ns at F ra n k li n a n d M a r s h a l l C o ll e g e , s a ys .

" W e h av e i ns t i t ut io n s t h at a r e a lm os t i n a c c es s i b l e, wi t h a dm i s s io n s r at es of 1 0 p er c e nt , a n d s o m e f am i l i es , n ot a l o t of f a m i li es , b ut s o m e, a r e wi l l i n g t o d o wh a t e v e r it t a k es t o b e c o m e t h e e x c e p t i o n in t h at a d m i s s io n s p r oc e s s , et h i c s b e d am n e d, " h e s a ys . "I t ' s a n i n c r e di b l y s el f is h a p p r oa c h . "

Lauren Camera, Education Reporter

Lauren Camera is an education reporter at U.S. News & World Report. She’s covered education policy and politics for nearly a decade and has written for Education Week, The Hechinger Report, Congressional Quarterly, Roll Call, and the Chronicle of Higher Education. She was a 2013 Spencer Education Fellow at Columbia University’s School of Journalism, where she conducted a reporting project about the impact of the Obama administration’s competitive education grant, Race to the Top.