As someone whose life is currently heavily occupied by the thoughts of applying to colleges and universities, a specific thought has come to mind. Applying to a college or university is not the same process for everyone, especially children of the rich and famous. Nepotism, the concept of being easily granted specific opportunities due to one’s connections, factors heavily into the advantage that some students have when submitting applications.

Nepotism has never sat quite right with me, whether it’s children of celebrities consistently getting into Ivy League schools, or famous actresses, singers, or models becoming famous based on the successes and fame of their parents. 

Arguably, the greatest example of nepotism toward a college applicant is the scandal at the University of Southern California, which included not only average grades and average extracurricular activities getting a student into one of the nation’s top universities, but illegal payments and forgery as well.

I was outraged when Lori Loughlin’s (“Aunt Becky” on Full House) daughter was accepted to USC based not merely on the success of her mom and but also on forgery. My anger stemmed from the fact that millions of other students, including myself, study and pursue several extracurricular activities but do not have remotely as high a chance of acceptance.

Both Kelly Ripa, a talk show host and actress, and Mark Consuelos, an actor, had children accepted to New York University, one of the most prestigious schools in the country. While Ripa and Consuelos did not cheat for their children to get accepted, they failed to recognize their fame in regard to their children’s acceptance into the university. It’s difficult not to see any correlation between the applicants’ famous parents and their acceptance to NYU.

Nepotism spreads beyond college acceptance. Would Willow and Jaden Smith become commercially successful musicians after their first songs if their father was not Will Smith?

Hollywood’s longstanding nepotism is especially aggravating. The nepotism behind Kendall Jenner’s modeling fame centers around her being born into one of the most famous and wealthy families in America, which has elevated her career far more quickly than most new models ever experience.  Jenner is also known as the highest-paid supermodel, but skeptics consider her title undeserving due to the roots of nepotism and the limited amount of modeling she truly does. 

Lila Moss is beneficiary of nepotism in the industry. The vast majority of models are usually 5’9” and over height-wise, but because Moss’ mother is Kate Moss, a famous model, she is a model at just 5’3”.

The world of nepotism should be further investigated for the good of those who either have worked hard for their opportunities or desire opportunities just as much those born into them. The connotation of the word itself is negative to everybody, except to those who reap the benefits.