College Admissions Scandal: Felicity Huffman Arrested!

[AmazonGrace]

3 hours ago, nausicaa said:

Also, if that much finagling had to go on to get them into these colleges (and if they're on video saying they don't care about academics, just socializing and football games ?), I really doubt they have the ability to keep up with college level coursework-- especially at an elite school-- without more dodginess. 

 

There's one of those priceless ads in this. Football tickets,  50 dollars.

Bribes: 500,000 dollars

Bonding mommy out of jail: 1,000,000 dollars

 

Edited March 14, 2019 by AmazonGrace

[Terrie]

What's interesting is that Huffman's younger daughter was apparently very competative academically and this was a factor in not doing anything with regards to her. One article has a quote from Huffman that, no matter how she did on the SAT, she'd want to take it again, just to see if she could do better. I have some sympathy for kids like that, who were working hard and actually cared about their education, and whose parents basically went "Your best is not good enough." Talk about a slap in the face. Plus, at least they value the education they have, however they got it. For the rest of them, the "party and prestige" crowd, if you will... Even if they didn't know, I have to wonder if they think there was anything wrong with what their parents did.

[AmazonGrace]

(He didn't go to college but he does have a mixtape to promote)

[47of74]

7 minutes ago, AmazonGrace said:

(He didn't go to college but he does have a mixtape to promote)

Fuck this guy.  There are probably all sorts of things that could make the world better but they're locked in the minds of kids who can't afford any time of post secondary education and there's no way to get it out without schooling.  Meanwhile he's acting like his rich ilk have a right to go to college, but their actions caused worthy students to get bumped.  Makes me fucking sick.

And I hope this fuck stick gets disbarred

Quote

Willkie Farr & Gallagher co-chair Gordon Caplan has been put on leave from the firm after a highly publicized charge Tuesday that he paid $75,000 to have his daughter’s college test score fixed.

The firm announced Caplan’s leave of absence in a statement Wednesday that said he would have no further management responsibilities at Willkie.

“This is a personal matter and does not involve Willkie or any of its clients,” the firm said. “In light of the seriousness of the matter, Mr. Caplan has been placed on a leave of absence from the firm and will have no further firm management responsibilities. The firm will continue to be managed by its chairmen, Steven Gartner and Thomas Cerabino, and its executive committee. Our focus remains on our responsibilities to our clients, partners and employees.”

“I’m not worried about the moral issue here,” Caplan said, according to a wiretap transcript cited by federal prosecutors in Massachusetts. “I’m worried about the—if she’s caught doing that, you know, she’s finished.”

 

Edited March 14, 2019 by 47of74

[Hisey]

5 hours ago, nausicaa said:

Also, if that much finagling had to go on to get them into these colleges (and if they're on video saying they don't care about academics, just socializing and football games ?), I really doubt they have the ability to keep up with college level coursework-- especially at an elite school-- without more dodginess. 

These elite schools are hard to get into, definitely. However, the classes are really no different  than any other decent school. They are not super-hard schools for geniuses. They are pretty much the same (and often easier) than any other good school. Depends on the subject matter and your skills, of course, but in general a class at Dartmouth is not much different than a class at Boston University. Speaking from experience, here.

[front hugs > duggs]

8 minutes ago, Hisey said:

These elite schools are hard to get into, definitely. However, the classes are really no different  than any other decent school. They are not super-hard schools for geniuses. They are pretty much the same (and often easier) than any other good school. Depends on the subject matter and your skills, of course, but in general a class at Dartmouth is not much different than a class at Boston University. Speaking from experience, here.

I've had a very different experience. I transferred schools and went from one good, solid school to a more elite (but not ivy) school. My transition from college 1 to college 2 was SIGNIFICANTLY more difficult than my transition from high school to college 1. I found an enormous difference in class work, expectation, and rigor of material. In fact, ease of college 1 was a big part of why I had transferred, among a few other reasons.

I'm not discounting your experience, but I wouldn't feel confident saying it's the norm. 

[OutoftheShadows]

7 minutes ago, front hugs > duggs said:

I've had a very different experience. I transferred schools and went from one good, solid school to a more elite (but not ivy) school. My transition from college 1 to college 2 was SIGNIFICANTLY more difficult than my transition from high school to college 1. I found an enormous difference in class work, expectation, and rigor of material. In fact, ease of college 1 was a big part of why I had transferred, among a few other reasons.

I'm not discounting your experience, but I wouldn't feel confident saying it's the norm. 

100% cosigning this. I transferred, after freshman year,  from honors level classes at College A to regular classes at College B and had to work much, much harder. The expectations were infinitely higher. There was a world of difference, and these are both large, public universities, albeit with very different reputations and selectivity of enrollment. There's a reason its much more difficult to get into College B. 

Because I got curious...College A acceptance rate 66.3%. College B 26.3%. 

[JermajestyDuggar]

1 hour ago, AmazonGrace said:

(He didn't go to college but he does have a mixtape to promote)

I don’t even need to know what that guy said. He just looks like a total d-bag. 

*I know we shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but that book may as well be titled “The autobiography of Richie McDouchebag IV.”

Edited March 14, 2019 by JermajestyDuggar

[AmazonGrace]

There is a non-zero chance that Olivia Jade will not be the next Kylie Jenner. 

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/lori-loughlin-s-daughter-olivia-jade-loses-sephora-partnership-wake-n983331?cid=sm_npd_nn_tw_ma

14 minutes ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

I don’t even need to know what that guy said. He just looks like a total d-bag. 

*I know we shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but that book may as well be titled “The autobiography of Richie McDouchebag IV.”

"My friends call me Rich." 

[ViolaSebastian]

6 hours ago, nausicaa said:

Also, if that much finagling had to go on to get them into these colleges (and if they're on video saying they don't care about academics, just socializing and football games ?), I really doubt they have the ability to keep up with college level coursework-- especially at an elite school-- without more dodginess. 

I don't know about you guys, but I was a pretty good high school student at a college-focused high school and I majored in English at a state university that is good but definitely not elite. And I had to freaking work in college. Nothing was easy except for a couple 101 courses. My upper level courses in my major required both mental effort and a lot of work. To graduate with honors, you had to write a 25 page thesis with at least twenty sources. Primary sources were strongly encouraged, which required nearly everyone to do hours of research directly at the Library of Congress.

I always boggle at dumb and/or lazy kids who get degrees.

I've discussed this before, but a member of my major's co-hort in undergrad was a very good football player. He is a wonderful guy, so I don't want to sound insulting when I say that he was not bright and hadn't received an adequate secondary school education---but, he struggled quite a bit and was open about it. To give you an idea, he once admitted that he started college not knowing how to write a paper or essay. It was clear from his questions in class that he had difficulty understanding certain concepts. This guy received quite a bit of academic support in the form of tutors, people to sit down with him and help him write papers, and study guides. This was all provided to him free of charge via the school's athletic program. He was very generous with the study guides the academic tutors provided him, so to be frank the entire group got that sort of help due to that, but his study guides were always thorough and excellent. He also once earned a "D" in a core curriculum class, which should have meant that he couldn't graduate with our group, because he had to take it over and earn at least a "B." But he managed to graduate with us somehow and, to my knowledge, he did not retake that course.

This guy, with all this extra help that he received, mysteriously managed to make it into grad school and, as luck would have it, he could stay on the football team another year. So this fellow is walking around with the same degree I busted my ass for. And again, he's a great guy and he's doing good things with his degree, but sometimes it was hard to realize that I worked so hard for something that was essentially given to someone else. None of this was news to me now or at the time, but it was irritating to watch it play out in real time in one's life.

 

[HermioneSparrow]

1 hour ago, OutoftheShadows said:

100% cosigning this. I transferred, after freshman year,  from honors level classes at College A to regular classes at College B and had to work much, much harder. The expectations were infinitely higher. There was a world of difference, and these are both large, public universities, albeit with very different reputations and selectivity of enrollment. There's a reason its much more difficult to get into College B. 

Because I got curious...College A acceptance rate 66.3%. College B 26.3%. 

When I was doing my bachelor's I started at a very prestigious school and I transferred to a much smaller not that known school (I did not liked the huge college experience, it was kinda overwhelming for so many reasons at the moment) and tbh it was a more demanding school than the presitigious one. I think it depends on the school, now I'm in Medical School in one of the most prestigious universities in Latin America and the World and sometimes I wanna die, lol... JK but it's a LOT of work.

[Alisamer]

I think there's such a range among schools that it's impossible to generalize. I know that my smaller private college was known to have a tough English department, compared to the big state university next door - the same paper turned in at both would get a D at ours, an A at the state school. But they had other departments that were top notch and really difficult, and some of our students would take classes there with a sort of exchange program. And even within the same school, different people get different treatment. I've read of a NFL player who graduated college as a top-ranked player, but who was functionally illiterate the entire time.

It's not right or fair, but really, I don't know that there's a clear way to judge the quality of a school. There are so many moving parts involved, and all of them can be at different levels.

I am pretty sure, however, that the wealthier you are the better you are likely to do at whatever college you attend, assuming you make at least a minimum of effort. That might be due to better preparation, or tutors, or paying for someone to write your essays for you. Money opens doors.

[VelociRapture]

For those asking, Hallmark has cut ties with Lori Loughlin:

https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/Lori-Loughlin-Olivia-Jade-Loses-Sephora-Partnership--507159691.html?_osource=SocialFlowFB_CTBrand&fbclid=IwAR15jZaD85EZeNzrT5I4MpLKXm_PQkFG1W42oPDq8zoWJ4TMIZ-RN33x-ss

Thoughts and prayers. 

[DangerNoodle]

20 hours ago, luv2laugh said:

What does everyone think is going to happen with Lori Loughlin and her contract with Hallmark? 

Th only way she could salvage her reputation would be to own up to it and pay her debt to society. 

If she tries to fight it or take an Alford plea or whatever it's called, but I think public opinion will stay turned against her. I seriously doubt a lawyer would allow her to fight the charges in a trial though. The feds usually have over a 90% conviction rate. 

I imagine she'll take a plea deal and issues some vague statement through her lawyer. 

[Ozlsn]

11 hours ago, Howl said:

Amazing that there are 1 million dollar bonds being posted.  This is some serious shit. 

Hoping this is the IRS getting tough. In which case - have they thought about looking at the tax fraud allegedly committed by that family with the bigly named buildings?

It occurs to me though that this is really very small fry as far as tax fraud goes, and in fact as far as dodgy admittance practices go. It's catching the admittedly wealthy - but not the stratospherically rich who endow the buildings in a perfectly legal but still dodgy fashion. 

Edited March 14, 2019 by Ozlsn
More thoughts

[Hisey]

5 hours ago, front hugs > duggs said:

I've had a very different experience. I transferred schools and went from one good, solid school to a more elite (but not ivy) school. My transition from college 1 to college 2 was SIGNIFICANTLY more difficult than my transition from high school to college 1. I found an enormous difference in class work, expectation, and rigor of material. In fact, ease of college 1 was a big part of why I had transferred, among a few other reasons.

I'm not discounting your experience, but I wouldn't feel confident saying it's the norm. 

I don't think either one of us can figure out what the norm is. There are so many variables: certain departments are harder than others, students have different strengths, some teachers are better than others.

However, we can definitely say that just because it's an elite school doesn't automatically mean it is harder academically.

I've studied at several of the ivys, and the classes were pretty much the same as my average-ranked college. However, someone else could have the opposite experience. It also could be related to age--I was slightly older when I studied at the more prestigious schools, so my maturity could've made things easier.

But I didn't not feel out of my league, was not wowed by the level of instruction, and didn't think the undergrads were noticeably different in any of the schools. Incidentally, I had a good friend who followed a similar academic track, and her feeling was much the same. We'd get together and be like, "Where are all the geniuses? Why are we doing OK?"

So I have a feeling that these students--even if they are average academically--might coast along fine in their illegally-gotten Ivy League spots. 

[Vivi_music]

I saw this on Buzzfeed today and of course I didn't know about Olivia Jade, because I am not a impresionnable 12 years old tween. And here is the article... she sounds like she’ll be a great contribution to society. ?
 

https://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/olivia-jade-lori-loughlins-influencer-daughter

I really don't know if this article was meant to humanize her, but it had the opposite effect on me. I can’t believe that such a vapid young woman has power to influence people. Being on YouTube to show off your expensive Christmas gifts. Realllllyy? She is just basically flaunting her wealth without any self-awereness of her privilege. And I am sure she gets tons of lovey-dovey comments from admirers on these videos. Maybe if the scandal continues to unfold, we will know how involved some of these kids were. I don't really know if they should be expelled or not. I simply didn't form an opinion on it at the moment.

As for Lori Laughlin's daughter, it seems Sephora and Trèssemme have dropped her. She could potentially lose her "influencer" status because of this and thus loose her ''dream job''. This is the lesson kids: don't be persuaded by your parents! (I don't know if this is her case but the irony is still there). I am not rejoicing, but perhaps it will teach her some humility and what it means to not have everything handed out to you on a silver platter.

[JermajestyDuggar]

42 minutes ago, Vivi_music said:

I saw this on Buzzfeed today and of course I didn't know about Olivia Jade, because I am not a impresionnable 12 years old tween. And here is the article... she sounds like she’ll be a great contribution to society. ?
 

https://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/olivia-jade-lori-loughlins-influencer-daughter

I really don't know if this article was meant to humanize her, but it had the opposite effect on me. I can’t believe that such a vapid young woman has power to influence people. Being on YouTube to show off your expensive Christmas gifts. Realllllyy? She is just basically flaunting her wealth without any self-awereness of her privilege. And I am sure she gets tons of lovey-dovey comments from admirers on these videos. Maybe if the scandal continues to unfold, we will know how involved some of these kids were. I don't really know if they should be expelled or not. I simply didn't form an opinion on it at the moment.

As for Lori Laughlin's daughter, it seems Sephora and Trèssemme have dropped her. She could potentially lose her "influencer" status because of this and thus loose her ''dream job''. This is the lesson kids: don't be persuaded by your parents! (I don't know if this is her case but the irony is still there). I am not rejoicing, but perhaps it will teach her some humility and what it means to not have everything handed out to you on a silver platter.

Yeah, that did nothing to humanize her. She refuses to shower in her dorms and so she goes to her sister’s apartment to shower. She gets An assload of extremely expensive gifts every Christmas. She just wanted to go to football games and parties instead of class. 

And of course the person who wrote this said they are fascinated by rich people. WHY? They are so boring! Why are wealthy people interesting? Because they can buy anything they want? I don’t think that is interesting at all. 

[Dreadcrumbs]

Quote

Last year, before this Aunt Becky bribe mess, Olivia Jade got involved in a mini scandal when she posted a Q&A video where she talked about how she basically was going to school for game days and partying.

I wonder what her grades look like.

[DangerNoodle]

On 3/13/2019 at 9:33 PM, luv2laugh said:

What does everyone think is going to happen with Lori Loughlin and her contract with Hallmark? 

According to NBC, production on whatever she was working on for her When Calls the Heart series has been put on hold. 

That really sucks for the other people who depended on a paycheck from that series. 

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/lori-loughlin-s-daughter-olivia-jade-loses-sephora-partnership-wake-n983331

Edited March 15, 2019 by DangerNoodle

[candygirl200413]

Olivia left USC

Lori Loughlin’s daughters drop out of USC after admissions scandal

[PennySycamore]

@VelociRapture, I was just going to post about the Hallmark Channel dropping Lori Loughlin.  

And @luv2laugh,  I think that Lori should have no problem with surrendering her passport now.

[AliceInFundyland]

4 hours ago, Hisey said:

I don't think either one of us can figure out what the norm is. There are so many variables: certain departments are harder than others, students have different strengths, some teachers are better than others.

However, we can definitely say that just because it's an elite school doesn't automatically mean it is harder academically.

I've studied at several of the ivys, and the classes were pretty much the same as my average-ranked college. However, someone else could have the opposite experience. It also could be related to age--I was slightly older when I studied at the more prestigious schools, so my maturity could've made things easier.

 

Yet with all that knowledge, wisdom, age and maturity - you can’t keep a consistent internet persona

:

[ViolaSebastian]

I'm dying to see if Lori says anything about all this, being that she's a Hallmark fan. Yes, cheating is wrong, but so is a woman going to college...hmmm.

I went and watched one of this insipid woman's Youtube videos. I picked the aptly named "WEEKLY VLOG l spend time w me at college! (friends, parties, class, etc.)" because, well, she's documenting a week at college and class is third on the list. Anywhoo, here is a brief rundown of a week:

1. She feels poorly, so she's wearing glasses. Apparently she feels well enough for a frat party that night. She online shops while Facetiming her buddy because she's bored of her style.

2. She and her roommate go to Green Leaf. They got cookies.

3. They get ready to go to a party. They're in pajamas because it's a pajama-themed party. Her roommate says she woke up Olivia earlier because she was sleeping and had to call her name 15 times. 

4. She and her buddies have a pre-party dance party. They go to the party. 

5. On what I assume is the next day, she and her buddies go to a Superbowl party. Olivia Jade doesn't film again until the next day "hehe"

6. Holy crap, they're in class. They're learning about correspondence inference theory, "a psychological theory proposed by Edward E. Jones and Keith E. Davis that "systematically accounts for a perceiver's inferences about what an actor was trying to achieve by a particular action." The irony here is too much for me to even start to unpack, so I'll just leave that y'all.

7. Oh geez. She goes on an explanation because people always say that she just films parties and going out. She talks about how she didn't want to to college, so she initially thought she'd just go to go to go to parties and meet people, but that's "literally the dumbest thing you could ever think" and she was naive and dumb before she went to college. But education is important and that's why she's still there. She just doesn't show going to class because it's not that fun to film a whole college class.

8. She has a phone call with Tresemme.

9. She showers and self-tans. She shows off her shower kit. She has an at-home laser hair removal device that retails for $229.

Fin.

In contrast, because I know you'll be fascinated, here is a rundown of a week in my life when I was an undergrad college student:

1. It's the weekend. I'm in glasses because my eyes hurt because I'm tired. I spend the weekend writing multiple papers and being on FJ.

2. I may order a pizza. I feel conflicted because I don't really have the money and should just eat a peanut butter sandwich.

3. I do some reading and get on Facebook to get on a private group to ask other students who are my major about an assignment. That is my socialization for the weekend.

4. Wake up at 6AM on Monday morning to go to the work. Work until 10AM.

5. Go to class. Go to another class. Go to another class. Go back to work. Go home and do papers and reading. FJ.

6. Throw in a random car, financial, computer, or health problem in there somewhere.

Admittedly she says she doesn't film class (emphasis here on just class and not writing or studying or reading...), but...this does not make her come off well. At all.

 

[HoneyBunny]

On 3/13/2019 at 8:28 AM, PennySycamore said:

Being vegan does not have to be expensive.  Beans, lentils, and rice are pretty cheap.

Thank you!  I went mostly vegan last year (occasional salmon). The money spent on food for my husband and me went down by at least 25% (for me alone probably 50%, maybe more). Lentils and beans are cheap cheap cheap. I buy organic quinoa and brown basmati rice at Sam’s that lasts forever. My biggest expense is the occasional salmon and organic greens. And this is cooking on a 30 year old electric range and $100 microwave and (my splurge) a Vitamix blender, but no food processor, no juicer. I’m sure I can beat the dollar menu at any fast food restaurant for nutrition and still eat at half the price. 

This whole college admissions thing makes me madder than anything has in a long while (and, considering the headshaking antics of our current president, that’s saying something). You know what pisses me off the most?  That brat Olivia Jade bragging about how she’s really just at USC for the games and parties, not the classes. I find that sense of entitlement equally infuriating and nauseating, but am even more outraged that any of her “followers” would think that was something to aspire to. 

Edited March 15, 2019 by HoneyBunny