The recent college bribery scandal involving American actress, Lori Loughlin, was another example of how desperate parents get to put their children into colleges. How has enrolling children into higher education facilities evolved into being a competition amongst parents? Gulf News readers discuss
Prioritise education
It’s a status symbol for parents
Over time it seems like getting your child into college has become a relative social positioning more than an academic one. From parents actively pushing their children to not becoming a dropout, to the parents who have paid hefty fees and collected acceptance letters. A major cause of this could be a parents’ lifelong dream was to send their child to college so the commercial cycle could continue and they could have an established support system by the time they are old. Alternatively, peer pressure on parents could also symbolise their decision into setting their children up for the college race.
Affirmative action, racism, unilateralism and lack of high merits are a few modern and exceptionally common hurdles that a college applicant faces. It is unfortunate that society stamps these students as ‘unworthy’ and for those who make it, university becomes their novelty.
The unanimity amongst the parent body that has decided that certain educational facilities are what to strive for, they forget to prioritise quality education for their children.
From Ms Emen Ali
Student based in Ajman.
Rat race
Colleges have become business focused
With our world turning so fiercely competitive, educational high flying degrees are considered pathways to guaranteed success. This rat race to be the best providers, particularly in some cultures more than others, has given rise to a pressure cooker kind of a situation in the minds of parents.
It won’t be wrong when we say the educational fraternity has now turned into a money spinning business. Parents are now reluctant to disclose their child’s secret formula they use to get them into colleges. Anything additional needs to be bought and parents willingly give in.
We are programmed to rely solely on academic qualifications, so higher the reputation the better our social status. It’s an anomaly because little emphasis is laid on the overall development of the child although it’s now slowly changing but getting an exit certificate from a prestigious college is a must to outshine the envious.
Personally as how I see it, the mind and body development with keen healthy social and human attributes are essential.
From Mr Fayaz Khan
Automobile consultant based in Sharjah
Parents seeking freedom?
Parents are taking extreme measure to enrol their children
Getting your youngster into the best college has now become a competitive sport between parents. Mothers and fathers have always thought that getting their children into a good college will make their child’s life complete and successful. Education has reached a point where its quality has no context to parents. It is instead the name of the college that their son or daughter join that grasps their attention even more.
Some parents end up being so desperate that they are willing to cheat the system and ‘pay’ their way through getting their teenager’s admission. Educational facilities can only smile over the fact that their business is in such a high demand. And high demand plus less seats result in even strict admission processes. Universities make the ability of gaining admission harder by the second. However, as naïve parents can be, they just want what’s best for their children. Sending their child into a renowned college provides a sense of relief upon their teen’s future, because all they want is to make sure that their child gets a job and earns a healthy income. Hence, in certain cases, it’s just to seek freedom over the care of their teen.
From Mr Arjun Kapur
Student based in Dubai
Poll results
Is getting children into college seen as a competition?
Yes: 70%
No: 30%
Have your say
Is quality education the main focus when considering a college?
