It isn’t that shocking for those familiar with the college admissions process to learn about the connection between money and college. Money can make a difference to a student’s success.
More affluent students are able to spend money on expensive test prep programs that help them to do well on standardized tests like the SAT and ACT. They can afford private tutors to help them boost grades in subjects that they struggle most with, improving their overall GPA. And it is not unheard of that a very wealthy family secures a child’s admission to a top college through a very large donation (we’re usually talking hundreds of thousands of dollars here).
But, according to US News and World Report, the present troubled financial situation is making money important for another reason. Cash-strapped colleges are reportedly admitting fewer applicants who can’t afford full-tuition. This means that if you are a less than stellar student, but your family has money, this could be your lucky year.
Those (like me) who wish that the college admissions process weren’t so tinged with the color of money will find this news troubling. But it’s part of the current college admissions reality that all college applicants must face up to: the intimate relationship between money and college seems here to stay.
