By Kennedy Dendy | Broadcast Reporter
The largest prosecuted college admission scandal in U.S. history is still ongoing, and payments ranging from $200,000 to even millions have been used as bribes by celebrities, doctors, lawyers and wealthy executives to help get their kids into elite universities.
At least 50 people were accused, and those arrested included actresses Lori Laughlin and Felicity Huffman. Some Baylor students expressed their thoughts on this nationwide investigation.
Sugar Land junior Iman Dawson shared how she feels about the scheme.
“If you are letting these underqualified students go into these colleges and then they go out and get these jobs, are they even qualified for those jobs,” Dawson said. “How do we know that they hadn’t bribed their own professors to pass those courses?”
Abilene senior Heath McCabe said he took a total of 10 practice SAT tests and took the actual test twice, in order to get the score he felt would get him accepted to the universities of his choice.
“Well it seems a bit unjust that that is how certain people are getting access to their education,” McCabe said. “I think if someone is willing to cheat a system in order to gain something, then that means that that thing has value.”
Bedford junior Sandra Miruka said she applied to several Ivy League schools during her college search. Despite not receiving a favorable letter from those schools, said is grateful for her Baylor education and said that she has full trust in the decision made by those universities. To Miruka, this nationwide scandal does bring up many important questions.
“College admission should be based on the intelligence of the student who is trying to get in,” Miruka said. “Taking shortcuts as we’ve seen through this college scandal really devalues what it means to have a college degree.”
Baylor’s Director of Admissions Jessica King Gereghty said there are steps that the university takes to ensure a fair entrance for all.
“It’s very important to us that every students has a fair, and equitable admissions review, and that as we consider who’s the best fit for the university they know what we’re looking for,” Gereghty said.
