UC Berkeley joins list of schools ensnared in college admissions scandal

NY Post ^ | 3/16/19 | Amanda Woods

[Libloather]

The University of California, Berkeley has joined the growing list of universities tied to the sweeping college admissions scandal — as a former Canadian football player allegedly paid someone to take the SATs for his sons, one of whom was on the school’s rowing team.

David Sidoo, who played for the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds and later the Canadian Football League, was busted March 8 on charges related to the scam, ABC affiliate KGO-TV reported.

Sidoo allegedly paid someone $200,000 to take the SAT for his sons in 2011 and 2012, according to court documents obtained by the station.

[Libloather]

Sidoo is among 33 parents who have been charged with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud in the massive scam that has impacted admissions at Stanford, Yale, Georgetown, Wake Forest and the University of Texas.

Chelsea Clinton went to Stanford. Unfortunately, her parents have 'bribe' as a middle name.

[goldstategop]

Elite school diplomas have value because many apply and few get it in.

And some people will do anything to make sure their kids get in for that reason.

[gaijin]

"If the US University system were a stock, I would SHORT it."

--Peter Thiel, famous Silicon Valley venture capitalist

[rktman]

“I’m shocked that berzerklee would be involved.” said no one, ever.

[Liz]

Might be a good time for Donald to step in, Some of these elite schools are nonprofits, meaning they don’t pay taxes on profits their invested endowments might make — which saves them a lot of money.

One report noted that between the 2011 and 2015 fiscal years, the Ivy Leagues received a $9.6 billion tax break on the $27.3 billion growth of their collective endowments invested in public equities, fixed income, hedge funds, private equity, real estate and natural resources.

At the same time, the schools receive money from the government for a number of purposes, which supposedly finance “cutting-edge research,“ and millions in federal grants for other projects. Between 2010 and 2015, the eight Ivies received $23.89 billion in federal grants and $10.6 billion of which came from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the National Institutes of Health.

Other sources of federal education grants: the National Science Foundation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Defense and the Department of Energy.

One report noted $10 million in federal tax dollars went towards sex-related research, ranging from “Injury in Latina Women: Variability in Anal, Genital & Oral Injury in Women – Consensual Sex” to “ Skin Elasticity and Skin Color: Understanding Health Disparity in Sexual Assault.”

Federal tax dollars also fund work-study programs and Pell Grants.

[irishjuggler]

Damn. 200 large? Decades ago, someone offered to pay me to take the SAT for someone since I had a 99%ile score. I declined the offer, but it was like for a piddling $500. LOL

[Pearls Before Swine]

200k to take the SAT?

I’m a senior, but given enough makeup and 200K, I’ll bust the grading curve.

How can it possibly be worth this much to get into a particular school?

[goldstategop]

People are shocked they bribed to enroll their kids. That’s why people gamble in a casino because they hope to get rich.

As long we have human nature, people will break the rules if they think no one’s looking and they can get away with it.

What else is new?

[Larry Lucido]

I did well on the LSAT. I've since tutored it, but it never occurred to me to take it for anyone. Wonder what I could get for that (besides 5 to 10 years).

[FreedomPoster]

I’m not great fan of Ben Shapiro (too much neverTrump BS), but he had a great point in a recent column on this. If these colleges / degrees were really worth anything, these underprepared kids would flunk out. Why is it they don’t?

Clearly there’s not much of importance being imparted.

https://www.dailywire.com/news/44571/famous-actresses-paid-bundles-money-bribe-their-ben-shapiro

[Tzimisce]

Here I am studying the LSAT like a chump.

What I really need is a sugar daddy to buy me in. :)

[867V309]

Clearly there’s not much of importance being imparted.

I think in ivy plague schools you pay to graduate, not to be educated.

[hanamizu]

If these colleges / degrees were really worth anything, these underprepared kids would flunk out. Why is it they don’t?

---

I would speculate that the answer is, once you get in, the school will make efforts to keep you in. Schools’ prestiges are based on selective they are as opposed to how many of the students flunk out.

[MayflowerMadam]

“If these colleges / degrees were really worth anything, these underprepared kids would flunk out. Why is it they don’t?”

I just assume the schools fix these kids’ grades all along the way. How else could it contine?

[Eagles6]

I'm your man!

I sent you a check for $50.

Keep whatever you don't need to hire the ringer and buy yourself something pretty. ;-)

[Jolla]

I have a feeling this will be the last spring break for a large group of administrators at the university level. Also a lot of IRS audits coming up and that will be a lot of trouble.

[TangoLimaSierra]

Chelsea Clinton went to Stanford. Unfortunately, her parents have 'bribe' as a middle name.

In this liberal collegiate system, she could have dropped out in the third grade and Stanford would have paid her to come to their college.

[Maskot]

Not anymore! Now that this is public knowledge (no thanks to the lamestream media), these “elite” school degrees are suspect and possibly worthless.

[Cowboy Bob]

“If these colleges / degrees were really worth anything, these underprepared kids would flunk out. Why is it they don’t?”

I heard long ago that the hardest thing about Harvard is getting admitted. The second hardest thing about Harvard is flunking out. Once you're in, you're set.

[Mrs.Z]

My uncle and aunt taught and researched archeology for Princeton for over 30 years. They said the Ivy’s were only difficult to get in, not to get out.