As hard as they try to make the college admissions process as equal as possible, the rich have a huge advantage over the poor. The system encourages huge amounts of spending to account for a variety of trips, tutors, counselors, etc. These are all things that most of us take for granted, but there is still a huge amount of people who cannot afford such luxuries. Because of this, it is important that we acknowledge the ways in which the wealthy have an advantage over the poor.
1. The rich can afford tutors to achieve higher grades and test scores
At the end of the day, having a a tutor can really make a difference. They help you to maintain good grades in your most difficult classes as well as ace your standardized tests. For those who cannot afford tutoring, they are left with no one to rely on but themselves for managing good grades.
2. The wealthy can afford college counselors to guide them through the admissions process
The college admissions process proves to be extremely stressful for just about everybody. However, wealthier kids will be able to afford a college counselor who can help make the affair ten times easier. While the rich are able to have somebody to advise them on each and every essay and application, the poor are left to attempt to navigate the extremely confusing and difficult admissions system on their own.
3. The rich can afford to go on resume-building service trips over the summer
Its been said that colleges look for students who have made good use of their summers by doing something productive. With the increasing popularity of expensive community service trips to different parts of the world, the wealthier will have the chance to broaden their horizons and have experiences that will provide for great resume and college essay material. Meanwhile, for those who may not be able to afford such trips, they will have no such opportunity.
4. A poor person is unlikely to have the beneficial connections to the school that a wealthier person may enjoy
Wealthier people are more likely to have relatives who have either attended or have donated large amounts of money to the school. Having such connections will boost the applicant’s chances of admission. This means that poorer kids, who have not donated a library or have a long line of school legacies, will be at the disadvantage.
5. A poorer person may have sess time to focus on their school work.
There are many high schoolers that must work after school to provide for their family. Getting home late from a long day at a job is not only tiring and stressful, but also means that they will have less time to complete their work. Even keeping up with school work can be extremely difficult in these types of situations, let alone worry about college applications and standardized testing.
