University Admissions Scandals

The breaking scandal concerning the rich 'buying' their offspring's admissions to prestigious universities has elicited two reactions against the practice. Since most of the offenses have an illegal aspect to them, there is a justifiable cry for charges to be brought against the perpetrators. To the extent that applicants test scores and accomplishments have been falsified there should be repercussions for the fraudulent acts involved. On the other hand, however, the proper reaction to the universities lowering or ignoring admission criteria based on money offered by the wealthy is a more complex problem.

The practice of giving priority to wealthy donors' children is as old as the university system itself. It is well known that considerations other than academic merit have always existed, although with all of the athletic, political, affirmative action, diversity and other factors currently in play it may well be worse now than in the past. If such advantages can be proven to violate published admission criteria on which an applicant has expended time and money only to be rejected, there ought to be a legal tort case against the school, but apparently this is rarely if ever done.

However, the point that I would like to make is related to the arguments against socialism that I posted only a little over a week ago. As I pointed out there, there is not an unused supply of goods and services lying around waiting for sale, including university admission slots. The money from the rich, whether spent by them or stolen by government, can buy available slots, but only by bumping more deserving applicants. The same money can build more universities and train more professors, but only with considerable time and at the detriment of other goods and services. Those that profess alarm and disgust at the usurpation of a few admission slots for the scions of the wealthy somehow fail to see the vastly greater problem with buying admissions for huge numbers of less wealthy (and probably less qualified) freebie seekers.