Got Those Varsity Blues

Develop Vocabulary
Career Education, English

Many of the terms used by writers of the news articles and commentary are found in In the Know. Review them with students. Perhaps, teachers could see how many of the terms students know and can distinguish, especially those like “early action” and “early decision.”

Discuss Misconceptions About the Ivy League
Career Education, English

Teachers may begin this activity by asking students to list the eight universities that compose what is known as the Ivy League. What impression do they have of these schools?

Many view the eight schools that compose the Ivy League as the foremost institutions of higher education. Read and discuss “Five myths about the Ivy League.”

Discussion questions might include

• To what extent are grades important in admissions? The rigor of the classes taken?

• The eight schools were originally grouped to form a sports conference. How important are athletics in admissions packets today?

• List factors that are considered for admissions? Can they be listed in order of importance (highest percentage of weight given)?

• What makes a university a selective school? To what extent does this factor give parents “bragging rights”?

• Do further reading about Myth 4. Are there additional factors and ways to determine the success of “need-blind” admissions? Would these change conclusions significantly?

• What professions are most likely to have leaders who graduated from or did graduate work in an Ivy League school?

• What are the arguments for and against pursuing admission to an Ivy League school?

Toles Take on Admissions Racket
Art, Journalism, Media Literacy, Visual Arts

The Post’s editorial cartoonist Tom Toles uses visual details, word play, and an alter ego to comment on the news. Give students Toles’ March 13, 2019, editorial cartoon. Notice that his commentary begins with the title he has given it. Five questions are provided to guide “reading” of the visual commentary.

If students are not as familiar with the admissions scandal, teachers may give students “2019 | Operation: Varsity Blues Highlights.” The information explains to students who “some” are who thought they had the “answer book” to getting their children admitted to elite colleges.

Begin an Engaging College Essay
English, Any Class Working on College Essays

Before beginning this activity, teachers are encouraged to review Teachers Notes: Admission Essays — The Thought and the Lede. The suggested activity may be done before the one that follows.

The five ledes that are included in Essays and Decisions resource guide serve as models. The articles cover topics that could conceivably be student experiences or relate issues that could influence a student. We annotated the ledes from The Washington Post to provide approaches to grab readers’ attention. When those readers are the college admissions team, students should consider that hundreds of responses to the same questions are being read. There is no need to repeat the question. When a word count limits the length of the essay, it is even more important to directly, but creatively respond with a real voice.

Give students Lede 1. Read the lede and review the annotations. With which admission essay prompt might this be used? Have they been involved in any civic or community projects? What unsolved case or community issue intrigues them? In the space below the reprinted beginning paragraphs, ask students to brainstorm experiences or to write the first paragraph(s) to relate an ethical dilemma or problem their research/volunteering/job helped to solve or uncover weaknesses.

As a class or in small groups review the other four ledes. Here are questions to guide discussion. Use the space below the reprint for each student to brainstorm personal responses or with which college essay prompts this approach would work.

• Lede 2 — What admission prompts ask about literary works, characters or authors? How might a response such as this demonstrate intellectual curiosity to go beyond the “character that influenced me most is …”?

• Lede 3 — How does the use of specific holidays or significant dates support the focus on a team’s successful season? How might five significant dates in a student’s life be handled in a similar manner? Or times of day (on different days and events) mark important life influences?

• Lede 4 — The environment, climate change and other concerns involving nature might begin with a similar descriptive lede. Note how important it is to begin immersed in the experience.

• Lede 5 — Consider gun ownership or violence against others who do not share the same religion or race, bullying in person or online, or other types of issues which confront one with a decision — to speak up or hide, to get involved in activism or join the crowd?

Teachers might use the common application questions or ask students to bring in the college essay prompt they are working on. Ask students to revise the same essay with different opening paragraphs modeled on the five ledes to see the difference each makes on the impression and focus.

Is It the Wealth?
Economics, English, History, Philosophy, Psychology

Plato, Hobbes, and Rousseau addressed the influence of wealth on the wealthy and the impoverished. Read and discuss “What 3 famous philosophers would think about the college admissions scandal.”

“What They Say About Wealth” begins with questions to guide reading and then extends the activity into movies and books students have seen and read. Next would be for students, after discussion of the three philosophers and fictional figures, to examine the lives of real wealthy individuals (suggested activities 4 and 5). Teachers may go an additional step to have students share their finished paper, PowerPoint or podcast and lead class discussions of the varying viewpoints on wealth.

What Happens When Wealth Becomes Sabotage?
Character Education, Ethics, English, Psychology

Teachers may begin this activity by asking students if they

1. Share college visits with friends and classmates?

2. Tell the parents about the mishaps of their classmates?

3. Do their parents view the Facebook and other social media of their friends and classmates?

What are the upside and downside of the above?

Give students “Cutthroat Competition” to read and discuss. Possible questions include:

• Are they surprised by the actions of these parents? Have they heard of similar actions?

• What does it mean to have “empathy and commitment to the common good”?

•  Do they know of examples of what Richard Weissbourd described: “It fuels the constant competition that a lot of parents feel in this process, and it lower the bar for unethical behavior.”

• Why is “opportunity hoarding” considered unethical and against the common good?

• Should the counseling or guidance department at a school have the right to intervene and take the steps described in the article that were done at Sidwell Friends School?

Is Meritocracy Possible?
Career Education, Debate, English, Government, Social Studies

Teachers should begin this activity by defining “meritocracy.” (in the know link) How does a meritocracy differ from a kakistocracy, theocracy, and plutocracy?

Teachers may form four groups and assign each group one of the following Post articles to read and become the expert in its content. Questions about fairness of admissions, the input that students make on the education they receive, the “oxygen levels” that teachers and students provide in the learning atmosphere and the value of a college degree may be addressed and debated. What are the ideas presented by each writer? Do students agree with the concepts?

• “No one likes the SAT. It’s still the fairest thing about admissions.”

• “College is not a commodity. Stop treating it like one.”

• “Why getting into elite colleges is harder for women”

• “The real college admissions scandal isn’t bribes and cheating. It’s how wealth tilts the playing field.”

Read Advice to Parents
Character Education, English, Ethics

The Post’s On Parenting column offers advice to parents. Read two of the articles related to college admissions. Discuss and evaluate the ideas. Do students find them to be accurate representations of what their parents expect and will do?

• “Feel like the college application process is out of control? Here’s how to keep it ethical."
• “Parents don’t write that college essay. (Here’s how to help instead.”

Consider Two More Perspectives on College Admissions
Character Education, Debate, Ethics, English

The Question: Should parents help their students with their college applications, including the writing of college essays?

If parents are not moving to college with their sons and daughters, will they be ready to do online revisions and research topics? In addition, what is the line that should not be crossed by the high school guidance counselor and English teacher and other faculty members whose help is sought? At what point does the child take responsibility for his or her college application? What is the best way to tell parents you do not want their third re-write of your essay?

Read, discuss or debate ideas presented in these Post commentary.

“How to weasel your kid into an elite college without paying bribes”

“I helped wealthy kids apply to college. Their parents drove me away.”

Are Elite and Ivy League Schools Overrated?
Debate, Economics, Ethics, Personal Finance

Post personal finance columnist Michelle Singletary asks parents — and students — to really look at the value of their money and spending it on elite schools. Read and discuss  “The college admissions scandal isn’t just about rich, entitled people.”

Teachers may form two teams to debate the value of a diploma from an elite school versus one from a in-state school or even a two-year college or community college foundation before transfer to a four-year college. Graduate school may be thrown into the mix of best ways to invest your money in your future.