School responds to college admission scandal

Ryann Perlstein, Editor-in-Chief

Head of School Mark McKee was “astonished and offended” when he first read about the college admission scandal, which made headlines in March when dozens of parents, coaches and university officials were charged in what federal prosecutors are calling the “largest college admissions scam ever prosecuted by the Department of Justice.”

“If the behaviors alleged in the indictment are true, it surprises me that parents would go to such lengths–out of what might appear to be a benefit to their children–in a way that doesn’t benefit their children,” McKee said. “And it surprises me that people on the other side of the admission process in our colleges would be susceptible to engage in such behavior.”

News of the scandal came just as many seniors began to receive admission decisions from colleges. School administrators held meetings with the junior and senior classes before spring break to discuss the scandal.

The meeting focused on a broad discussion of ethics in the college process, with an emphasis on maintaining honesty and integrity. Head of School Mark McKee began the meeting by reading a statement that was sent to families when the story first broke last week. According to McKee, the School learned about the incident when the first news stories came out.

“We were shocked and disturbed by the allegations and concerned for the students and victims,” McKee wrote in an email to parents. “Viewpoint first learned of the indictment and its allegations through the breaking news. Our jaws dropped.”

Many students were concerned about how the scandal will impact them, but McKee says he does not believe it will have an impact on Viewpoint students’ applications in the future.

“Colleges will still continue to need great applicants from great schools and Viewpoint produces great applicants from a great school. It will not be in colleges’ interests at all to change how they treat our school,” McKee said. “These events are such a small extreme of human behavior that I don’t believe they’ll have an impact on Viewpoint.”