Full pay matters

[Anonymous]

Guess everyone agrees now?

Trump’s Deals With Top Colleges May Give Rich Applicants a Bigger Edge

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/07/upshot/trump-college-admissions-race-wealth.html

The public release of data on test scores and race could wind up making wealth even more influential in admissions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Guess everyone agrees now?

Trump’s Deals With Top Colleges May Give Rich Applicants a Bigger Edge

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/07/upshot/trump-college-admissions-race-wealth.html

The public release of data on test scores and race could wind up making wealth even more influential in admissions.

You seem giddy about this.

[Anonymous]

It’s not that full pay matters, it’s that rich people spend more $$$s on SAT prep and other things that help applicants. Thats what the article says.

One could argue it means you should spend more on that stuff vs saving for college to gain admittance to schools with great aid.

Your headline implies that schools are looking for more full pay applicants which is not what the story mentions at all.

[Anonymous]

Yay! My kid needs all the help he can get.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s not that full pay matters, it’s that rich people spend more $$$s on SAT prep and other things that help applicants. Thats what the article says.

One could argue it means you should spend more on that stuff vs saving for college to gain admittance to schools with great aid.

Your headline implies that schools are looking for more full pay applicants which is not what the story mentions at all.

Yes, looks like OP can't even read the articles she links to. Or is she deliberately trying to mislead people?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s not that full pay matters, it’s that rich people spend more $$$s on SAT prep and other things that help applicants. Thats what the article says.

+1. One would think an OP would read the article before posting it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Guess everyone agrees now?

Trump’s Deals With Top Colleges May Give Rich Applicants a Bigger Edge

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/07/upshot/trump-college-admissions-race-wealth.html

The public release of data on test scores and race could wind up making wealth even more influential in admissions.

Did you actually read the article?
It helps the top 0.1% people.
MC UMC got screwed.

[Anonymous]

This has always been true, no?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s not that full pay matters, it’s that rich people spend more $$$s on SAT prep and other things that help applicants. Thats what the article says.

One could argue it means you should spend more on that stuff vs saving for college to gain admittance to schools with great aid.

Your headline implies that schools are looking for more full pay applicants which is not what the story mentions at all.

Exactly. Elites spend more money on coaches, club sports fees, houses to get into better school districts, private school tuition, summer programs, math tutors, spanish tutors, AP test tutors, SAT tutors, ACT tutors, writing tutors, pay to play summer programs at colleges they want admission into, you name it ... It's not just about being able to pay college tuition and not need aid. It's about all the advantages Larlo has growing up high income and spoiled (in the top 5%-ish). But let's all pretend SAT scores and GPA are all "merit" and not paid improvements.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Guess everyone agrees now?

Trump’s Deals With Top Colleges May Give Rich Applicants a Bigger Edge

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/07/upshot/trump-college-admissions-race-wealth.html

The public release of data on test scores and race could wind up making wealth even more influential in admissions.

You seem giddy about this.

If they're not, I am.

hopefully we go to a test only admissions process. perhaps adopt the gaokao. winning!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s not that full pay matters, it’s that rich people spend more $$$s on SAT prep and other things that help applicants. Thats what the article says.

One could argue it means you should spend more on that stuff vs saving for college to gain admittance to schools with great aid.

Your headline implies that schools are looking for more full pay applicants which is not what the story mentions at all.

Exactly. Elites spend more money on coaches, club sports fees, houses to get into better school districts, private school tuition, summer programs, math tutors, spanish tutors, AP test tutors, SAT tutors, ACT tutors, writing tutors, pay to play summer programs at colleges they want admission into, you name it ... It's not just about being able to pay college tuition and not need aid. It's about all the advantages Larlo has growing up high income and spoiled (in the top 5%-ish). But let's all pretend SAT scores and GPA are all "merit" and not paid improvements.

they may be paid for but they are real improvements. Larlo will have higher cognitive ability than the non-larlos of the world

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s not that full pay matters, it’s that rich people spend more $$$s on SAT prep and other things that help applicants. Thats what the article says.

One could argue it means you should spend more on that stuff vs saving for college to gain admittance to schools with great aid.

Your headline implies that schools are looking for more full pay applicants which is not what the story mentions at all.

Exactly. Elites spend more money on coaches, club sports fees, houses to get into better school districts, private school tuition, summer programs, math tutors, spanish tutors, AP test tutors, SAT tutors, ACT tutors, writing tutors, pay to play summer programs at colleges they want admission into, you name it ... It's not just about being able to pay college tuition and not need aid. It's about all the advantages Larlo has growing up high income and spoiled (in the top 5%-ish). But let's all pretend SAT scores and GPA are all "merit" and not paid improvements.

they may be paid for but they are real improvements. Larlo will have higher cognitive ability than the non-larlos of the world

There's many students who don't need these advantages at all and do well. Many with similar backgrounds as Larlo. Frankly, if you're upper middle class and your kid needs a whole team of tutors, you're fighting against the inevitable fact that they probably aren't smart.

[Anonymous]

Sounds like many of you didn’t read the full article…

“ …Even when applicants had the same SAT or ACT scores, those from the richest families were more than twice as likely to be admitted, according to the study, which analyzed data on test scores and parental income taxes for nearly all U.S.”

[Anonymous]

I think it is pretty clear that income is the best single predictor of college admission success at top schools. Income is also the biggest predictor of high test scores by the way, and URMs generally have lower incomes (hence lower scores).

And sadly, everything that is happening right now with colleges is VERY intentional and planned. Most of the people supporting it are too naive to realize that though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like many of you didn’t read the full article…

“ …Even when applicants had the same SAT or ACT scores, those from the richest families were more than twice as likely to be admitted, according to the study, which analyzed data on test scores and parental income taxes for nearly all U.S.”

Sigh. Because wealth doesn't only impact academics. It impacts access and achievements in extra-curriculars. Isn't that OBVIOUS to you??? Extra-curriculars are the single most inequitable category of college admissions, FAR surpassing test scores and grades. Any intelligent child can get good grades and test scores, and there are free or low-cost tutors and test prep available everywhere in the US. But no amount of talent can propel a poor kid to the highest levels of any EC that requires money over a sustained period of time.

My kid will have been playing violin for 14 years by the time she applies to college. Twice a week year round, $100/hr, which is cheap given how reputable her teacher is. The violin cost a lot of money. She has won competitions and achieved a high level. Her STEM-minded friend went to Paris last winter for a genetics competition, and does that sort of thing regularly. And that's nothing compared to travel sports (10K+ a year), horse eventing, polo, sailing, flying, car racing, etc.

You seem to have NO IDEA of how much parents can spend on extra-curriculars, and how it influences college admissions.