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Rachel Van Pelt Condemns Participants in College Bribery Scandal

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Photo by Elizabeth Beugg / The Daily Pennsylvanian 

This past Monday, more than 50 notable figures were charged in a college admissions fraud scandal. The involved parties exchanged millions of dollars to gain entry into big-name schools like Yale and Stanford. 

Though Penn was uninvolved in the scandal, staff and students have erupted in rage and disbelief. College sophomore Rachel Van Pelt came on the record to express her disgust with the unfolding events. 

“I cannot believe we live in a world where education is nothing more than a commodity,” she said. “We need to confront the role that generational wealth plays in our society and, even more importantly, our admissions process.” 

Van Pelt was particularly disturbed by the falsification of standardized test scores. “I spent more than ten hours a week with my private tutor working tirelessly to improve my score,” she said, tears welling up in her eyes. “To think that someone used their privilege to override hard-working students like myself — that is unfathomable.” 

“In today’s political climate, it is more important than ever that we act with integrity and compassion. I cannot think of a more grotesque act. 1.2 million dollars wasted in bribes — just think. We could have had another library.” 

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