The Hidden Cost of Academic Backers: How Connections Corrupt School Admissions
There is a particular silence that fills a room when a student who notoriously failed the entrance exam walks in on the first day of class, backpack slung over their shoulder and head held high. It is not the silence of mystery but of recognition. Everyone knows how they got there — they had a backer.
The Ultimate Cheat Code in Academic Culture
In our academic culture, a backer — a parent with influence, a relative on the board, or a family friend in admissions — is the ultimate cheat code. While often dismissed as “the way the world works,” this practice quietly poisons the integrity of our schools. Merit lists are subtly altered, a name is squeezed in, and the rightful student erased.
For families, a backer is seen as a lifeline – a way to secure a child’s future in a competitive environment. But when a student fails an exam designed to measure readiness and a backer steps in to bypass the result, the damage is profound. It undermines fairness, growth, and trust. A seat gained through influence is not a win — it is theft.
The Call for Radical Transparency in Admissions
This is why I call for radical transparency in admissions. Admission boards and backers alike must stop pretending that connections equal competence. Sacrifice, discipline, and merit must once again be the foundation of education. A campus without transparency is a community without trust. When backdoor deals are allowed, we do not just harm individuals — we corrupt the culture of learning itself.
True success is born of struggle, not shortcuts. If we continue to prioritize influence over effort, we fail both those who are turned away and those who are let in. The qualified student loses their rightful place, while the unqualified one is set up to stumble in a role for which they were never prepared. Everyone has a unique purpose, but that purpose is discovered through achievement, not handouts.
The Corrosive Impact on Students and Society
To the admissions boards and the backers hiding behind closed doors: a seat given to a connection is not a favor; it is an act of theft. It robs the deserving student of opportunity and teaches the admitted one that their own effort was never enough. This is not just unfair — it is corrosive.
Ultimately, we must ask ourselves what kind of success we are preparing the next generation for. A seat obtained through a backer is not a victory; it is a loan that the student’s character will eventually have to repay. If we continue to reward shortcuts, we fail to teach resilience, discipline, and the value of hard work.
