I have to agree. The behavior is wrong because money shouldn’t buy entry into colleges but it has for decades. It says something about the arrogance & materialism of these parents but plenty of parents have helped the colleges see past a small scandal or less than stellar academic record for less self centered motives as well.
I think the full weight should be on the bribe takers who allowed this to become SOP.
As often posted here, the issue was that she and her husband do not have the kind of cash needed to make a donation large enough to get their kid into school. $500,000 is a nice gift but doesn’t turn any heads when others are paying millions to build whole schools on campus. They COULD afford to bribe an administrator, hire a cutout to take entrance exams, or fake the kid’s way onto a sports team.
If people have been cheating the system for decades and they have, what does it say about America’s higher education? Teachers never teach to the smartest in the class. college is a waste of time and money. Buying a degree is a smart idea is you can afford it.