After You Go There

Aside from all the other scandals and tales of corruption and greed, we're currently being exposed to these days, don't forget that this will go down as the year of the college admissions scandal.
Today, the top of the news featured the headline that the 10th person (i.e. parent) was sentenced to jail time today.
There is something particularly conniving and evil about the parents who would cat and buy their way into prestigious schools.  They have the money and the inclination to apply their sense of entitlement and privilege to the fullest.  Their kids will have the best...that's all their is to it.  But no, that is not all there is to it.  In fact,  I'd go further and say that is not all there is.  Getting into what you might consider a "good" school is highly overrated.
Some of the kids whose parents got busted could care less about where they go to school.  In fact, a few were vocal that they didn't even want to go to college.  So what makes a parent go so far as offering hundreds of thousands of dollars to either fix test scores or fake athletic ability and go for elite athlete scholarships?

I submit that they know little of a college education, it's purpose and worth and have fallen victim to flawed conventional wisdom.
I spent over half my life with juniors and seniors anxious about applying to college. I'd make a point of discussing it with their parents too at evey open house and Back to School night. The college admissions process was something we discussed every year.  The best message I could offer to students and their parents is one simple line.  I don't know who deserves the credit for this gem but "It's not where you go, it's what you do after you go there that counts" continues to be genius.
I recall one poor student who told me that his parents made him take the SAT test 7 times.  As if the more times taken would yield better results.  Poor kid would never be good enough.  Good enough for what? As if there were any connection between SAT scores and college success.
I welcome all the schools that are now no longer asking for ACT or SAT scores.  They get it.  It's going to take a huge shift in thinking and a lessening in valuing prestige, but I'm hopeful we'll get there.  That involves opening up college for everyone who welcomes the challenge and ending the vice grip of Educational testing.
Things are headed that way.