why are rich people obsessed with getting into elite colleges?

why are rich people obsessed with getting into elite colleges? idk man but in this video, I kind of try to figure it out. I talk about elitism, socioeconomic class, and college admissions in America and of course the huge college admissions scandal of 2019 involving people like Olivia Jade and Lori Loughlin as well as schools like USC, Stanford, and Yale. Of course I had to bring up Gossip Girl for a pop culture reference too! Also why hasn't HBO done a documentary or biopic about this thing yet.

~socials~

~sources~

Raj Chetty & John N. Friedman & Emmanuel Saez & Nicholas Turner & Danny Yagan, 2017. "Mobility Report Cards: The Role of Colleges in Intergenerational Mobility," Working Papers 2017-059, Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Working Group.
Ann L. Mullen (2009) Elite destinations: pathways to attending an Ivy League university, British Journal of Sociology of Education, 30:1, 15-27,DOI: 10.1080/01425690802514292

~videos used (I do not own)~

College Admissions Scandal Reporting
The Price of Youth Sports
Olivia Jade News Footage
USC Campus Footage
Dear White People (2014) Footage

[FloEbem]

When I started at NYU I was so shocked that my peers had MULTIPLE high school friends going to ivies... meanwhile i felt like a miracle kid for leaving Texas

[adaezeezeani]

honestly, i feel like rich kids just go to these top universities so they could have their name associated with them

[jettwashed]

donating money to colleges is SO weird to me

[lovebug]

I recently got into Stanford University and found this video really interesting. I am a low income/ first gen/transfer student and transferred from a community college. The transfer acceptance rate was 2%, so yes getting in is extremely hard, and when you hear the stories of other students you will probably feel inadequate. However, regardless of that feeling apply!!!

[luiysia]

queen of research and intelligence... this is a stellar video essay

[oscarrhoades]

The middle class is also totally obsessed with this too they just suck at actually getting in.

[Stingray]

When that girl said she didn’t really liked school and just wanted the college experience and parties... that really broke me. I know so many people who love learning and would kill to go to a school that’s really good for their subject area, I’m not even talking Ivy League/Oxbridge. It’s so much wasted potential for these rich kids to go to these institutions, being taught by literal masters at the subject, just to be guaranteed a job regardless of how they perform. They are just treating it as a vacation between adolescence and adulthood instead of education.

[tiffanyferg]

this video absolutely slaps. I wanted to quote like a dozen lines but instead I'll just say YUP!!!

[MaiDay]

The idea of a legacy entrance is just weird, like
'Ah yes granddaddy was uber rich and I actually dont strive to achieve and yet here ny gold star for privilege and blood lineage so I can continue to hoard my wealth'. Like who let that happen.

[christianevalerietia]

the fact that not only did she include her sources but used the APA format makes me stan her even more. we love an educated queen

[meghnakrishnan]

I remember when the whole Olivia Jade thing happened I was so confused on why someone like her who was already had a career as a YouTuber and was also super famous and wealthy would even want to go to college in the first place. Also btw love your channel and you are so inspiring to me!

[araealis]

i went to trinity for high school on scholarship and lemme tell you, most of gossip girl is accurate to the point of absurdity lol

[zcalhoun]

The thing my mom always said(went to Harvard in the 90s, full ride) is that the difference between Ivy League and other colleges isn’t the education, it’s the other people around you. Loved the video!

[cubevision]

Rich kids always have access to premium education and yet still turn out dumb

[augustvirgo]

It sucks that college isn’t even about academics anymore or ever was. I’m attending community college this year although I did get accepted into a couple universities, I’m glad I’m doing this financially and it’ll be more easier for me. I’m hoping to get a scholarship this year so I can graduate debt free because it’s not fair that education has a price tag.

[georgiabunch]

“all the parents involved probably had all the resources their child could ever need to get into one these universities legitimately. they didn’t seem to be invested in the quality of their children’s higher education but the brand associated with these schools” EXACTLY!!

[daisy-fulc]

The same happens in the U.K. - many parents quietly donate to Oxford/Cambridge colleges in order for their children to get in. It's not about education: it's about marriage and friendship with the 'right' people, and bragging rights.

[gheller]

It's all about ego and measuring worth as a parent. People do think "my kid got into a better college than yours, that means I was a better parent and my kid is better than yours."

[LisaFevral]

a way to justify why they get to run their parents companies later

[froggy]

Am I the only one who had no idea who olivia jade was before the scandal