An Open Letter to Lori Loughlin,

As a high school senior, the last few months of my life have been consumed with college applications, research on universities, maintaining my GPA, and waiting for letters of acceptance. I knew as soon as I began this process that there were people who had advantages over me, better GPAs, higher test scores, more extracurriculars, things that are supposed to be the key to admission into prestigious universities — not whether or not they could bribe their way into their school of choice.

I am not a millionaire. My parents are not actors or fashion designers, but hard-working people who instilled in me from the time I was young that if there was something I wanted, I would have to work for it. They did not have the means to bribe my way through life, nor did they want me to have everything handed to me, with nothing of my own to show. Because of this mindset (that I am so grateful for) and before I even stepped foot on my middle school campus, I knew that I would be attending college, and I knew the work I would have to put in to get there.

Flashforward six years. I’m now in high school and I have taken a total of 14 honors and AP classes all while maintaining a cumulative GPA of 4.3; participated in marching band, color guard and numerous other clubs – not to mention the study groups for AP exams and the ACT. Do not get this misconstrued – I am so proud of the work I have put in over the last four years. When I cross that stage four years from now, diploma in hand, I can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that there’s no one else to accredit for this besides my hard work and dedication. Your daughter (if USC doesn’t expel her first) cannot say the same.

I grew up watching Full House. Disgusted is an understatement. This whole situation, in general, leaves me feeling cheated, leaves me feeling sorry for my peers who were shortchanged because we did things the right way and put in our hard work. However, what left me feeling sick to my stomach were your comments regarding Arizona State University – the University I so happen to be attending this fall.

“…make sure we have a roadmap for success as it relates to [our daughter] and getting her into a school other than ASU!”

How dare you. How dare you, as someone who never even attended a university make such claims about a school that you clearly know nothing about. Getting an education regardless of if you attend a local community college or an Ivy League school (unless your parents bribed you into Yale as some of your fellow suspects, in this case, are guilty of) is a feat that should be celebrated, and definitely does not determine a person’s worth. By making this statement you have invalidated and diminished the thousands of hours I have put in throughout high school to get here. The honors college at ASU is my dream school. Last semester, I earned a 4.6 GPA. By no means did I “end up” at ASU. I chose to attend ASU, and boy did I work my butt off for the last four years for this achievement. I am proud of this accomplishment. I made my parents proud. I am proud to be a Sun Devil this fall and continue this hard work for another four years. I know you cannot say the same.

How could you possibly be proud? Are you proud that by paying over $500,000 you secured your daughter a spot she didn’t deserve or earn? Are you proud of the fact that that unearned spot, as well of the other cohorts of this scheme were snatched up, rather than going to students like me, who have worked their whole lives for that spot? Are you proud that your daughter will be using that spot for, in her own words, “enjoying gameday and partying because you guys know school isn’t really my thing”?

Are you proud that you’re now indicted with federal charges?

While I’m moving into my college dorm room, that I worked hard for and deserve, you’ll be moving into your prison cell, for a spot that you, too deserve.

Signed,

A student who earned her spot.