I'm glad she got accepted and all. But his name mattered in the admissions process.

oh, and the money lol

... so it doesn't count.

I wish her a successful education at USC.

Is it really that hard to get into SC? They've got >45,000 students. I know CA is a huge state, but so is their state university system.
Here, U of I has some highly respected programs, but a 3.9 and a 1500 aren't needed at that school.
With 11k+ plus admitted per year, everyone can't be Rhodes Scholar candidates.

It's very hard to get in.

I once upon a time had dreams of getting into the film program.

it's virtually impossible to get in if you are a poor unknown with good grades.

Several years later, I took a summer film program there and met some of the students in the program.

Several (not many) were normal hard working people . but many many many many of the others were rich, connected and wouldn't think of talking to me. I know of of 5 of them that had gone on to work as assistant producers in the film industry. And they had no grasp of filmmaking what so ever. that didn't matter to them. It was at that point that I realized that filmmaking is all about who you know, and the money you bring. The people that actually make the moves are like race horses to the rich and connected.

I recall a very specific moment, I had gotten friendly a little bit with one of the privileged few. I think he had a love/hate relationship with his wealth. I think deep down he was a good person but was struggling with what his wealth gave him that others would never get. He regaled me with stats of the disparity of poverty in Beverly Hills. that BH has one of the highest per capita poverty rates. He said all of this to me while we were driving in his brand new Corvette.

It was very weird out in Los Angeles. I spent 6 years of my life out there and USC was know by everyone as the university of spoiled children. even by those who were spoiled.


On edit: my experience was but a very small microcosm of what happens there and only in the film program. I have zero knowledge of the other degree programs there.

People have been endowing universities for centuries; it most certainly ensures your kid will get in. Not saying she may have not deserved it, but come on now.