In this week’s higher ed cheating scandal, we saw the combination of access and expectation the rich have grown to expect. Part of what was scandalous, was how organized and efficient the bribery and system-rigging seemed, and how freaked out even those at the top are about having their offspring also end up there. Here are families of real wealth and connection who nonetheless paid to break the law in the hopes of opening doors for their children.
This episode actually reinforced the supremacy of these select institutions. It says that these places are so important that even celebrities will cheat to get their kids in. It cements the brand these schools continually promote, that they are the only places. There’s no doubt that we learned about this week one of many schemes — legal, barely legal, and entirely illegal — to get around the velvet rope and straight into these only places.
We have such fear for our future, and about our children’s ability to prosper in the strange new economy that many hang everything on colleges and universities. And not just any college or university, but the top ones — as measured how? U.S. News and World Reports or some other ranking? Or is it some more amorphous reputation whispered in corridors of power?
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People are obsessed with higher education’s highest profile institutions because they think these are charmed circles, that lead directly to students economic success later in life. As our hold on the American dream slips, we put more pressure on colleges as maybe the only institution left that can provide social mobility and opportunities. The families spending six figures to bribe their kids into these schools had already sent them to elite prep programs. It’s not hard to see the trickle down effect on the middle and working class as the parents of those who have already made it try to help their children bypass the rules and standards that apply to others, and skip the line to get in before the club hits capacity and the door closes.
But, there are many great colleges out there. What matters most is the type of educational experience, fit for the students, and affordability. A college education isn’t one-size-fits-all. We need to move beyond our obsession that there are only ten colleges that matter. For many if not most Americans watching the bribery episode, it was like window shopping at a store you can’t afford to shop in. You look longingly at what’s out of reach.
We as a nation need to do a better job of not only talking about access but doing it. Too many, the news this week confirmed their view about the power of privilege and their lack of access. The scandal also should force us to stop obsessing about the select few universities and start celebrating the many others who do great jobs and open opportunities to thousands. Journalists should start celebrating the successes of these institutions to help educate parents and students to look more broadly. There are over 2,000 universities and many are great institutions.
Parents and students see education as an investment in the future of their student’s success and that success is measured in purely economic terms. This maniacal focus on narrow paths explains why students and parents look at majors or programs of study as if they were merely job preparation tracks, converting the entirety of the college experience to an economic transaction.
We need to acknowledge that the fiscal concerns and worries parents and students have are real. Even the wealthy parents caught this week demonstrate that thinking. Good colleges need to honestly explain that there is no straight pathway from a major to a certain job or career, and that most of today’s students will have many jobs and more than one career. A good education should prepare them for a lifetime of jobs and careers, not only the first one.
As the saying goes, a crisis is a terrible thing to waste. So, while no doubt we will see needed tightening up of college admissions and athletics recruiting, we also need to use this as an educational moment to remind America that there are more than a few great colleges.
