Stephen Downes

Knowledge, Learning, Community

To be clear, this isn't about the rich buying their way into university admissions. As the Chronicle makes clear, this is already well-established and legal: " Applicants could go in through the "front door," applying through the normal process, or the "back door," through large donations to the university." The scheme in question here is called a "side door" scheme, where somewhat less rich (and nouveau-riche) take the more affordable (but less legal) way of buying their way through the admissions process via such means as (for example) "helping non-athletes gain the benefits of being admitted as athletes." The NY Times reports that 50 people were charged. The funniest quote came from Andrew Lelling, a U.S. attorney for Massachusetts, who said (apparently without irony) that "There will not be a separate admissions system for the wealthy. And there will not be a separate criminal justice system either."

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Stephen Downes Stephen Downes, Casselman, Canada
stephen@downes.ca

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Last Updated: Aug 28, 2025 8:55 p.m.

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