This project investigates the impact of wealth and income on the college admissions process in the United States. It addresses the changing landscape of college admissions, focusing on the 2019 "Operation Varsity Blues" scandal that exposed corruption. The primary questions explored are: Does wealth/income affect a prospective student's chances of admission to a prestigious college? Do selective colleges accept a higher/lower percentage of students based on family income? Background In the college admissions scandal of 2019, well known celebrities were exposed for bribing college admissions personnel to ensure acceptance for their children. The scandal raised questions about resource disparities between high and low-income families, and what goes on in admissions offices around the country. This study aims to explore relationships between income levels and acceptance rates for different levels of college institutions. Data Two datasets from Opportunity Insights were used, focusing on students aged 19-22 attending college from the early 2000s to 2013. Limitations include data exclusions (international and non-representative), time period constraints (up to 2013), and missing data for some colleges. Method Regression analyses were conducted with independent variables college type, college tier, iclevel (4 year vs 2 year degree), tuition price , and the fraction of parents in the top X% of income distribution. Dependent variables included college’s parental mean income, parental median income, and rejection rate.
The results confirmed hypotheses, indicating that higher-income families are correlated with higher chances of admission to prestigious universities. The income percentile regressions emphasized the impact of parental income distributions on rejection rates. Further discussion highlights societal issues, such as unequal access to resources and the need for college admissions process reform.
The study concludes that wealth and income correlate with university acceptance, emphasizing disparities in the college admissions process. The call for changes in the American education system and admissions process aims to promote integrity and equality.
*** For more in depth analysis and discussion, see the report in this repository.