Guest hitoallusa Posted July 13, 2011 Posted July 13, 2011 A freshmen to be at an ivy league school is from a very rich family. The problem is that the kid's parents somehow hide their actual income so the kid can be qualified for a need based scholarship and the kid got it. I personally think that the kid is very talented and sweet but what that kid's parents did is very wrong. A kid that flies first class all over the world doesn't qualify a need based scholarship (zero contribution from parents). I just want to convince myself it's not my business so I should just close my eyes and let it slide. On the other hand I feel like I should do something about it for others who are really in need. I tend to get into trouble for good intentions to help these days as some of you know so I am leaning toward to just let it slide. Am I wrong? What would do in this case? If this topic doesn't belong here moderators can delete it. Thanks. Quote
Members seattlebottom Posted July 13, 2011 Members Posted July 13, 2011 Need based aid is usually dependent on the school having access to tax returns via a return transcript. If the school did it's proper research and got those returns then there is the chance that the parents are hiding money from the IRS and that could spell lots of trouble for them. Personally I would report it but only because I don't like cheats. Quote
TotallyOz Posted July 13, 2011 Posted July 13, 2011 I agree with Seattlebottom that to report it is the right thing to do. However, I learned a long time ago, it is better to mind my own business. Why put yourself at risk for this? Sure, it can be done anonymous but if they found it, you would help to blame. You never know what crazy people will do. Quote
Guest gcursor Posted July 13, 2011 Posted July 13, 2011 I probably wouldn't say anything to anybody. You eventually start to learn that pretty much everybody in the world is breaking or bending laws to do something that they might not otherwise do. Maybe its Bernie Madoff who made so much money before getting caught. Maybe it's the local grocer who knows nobody will care if he raises the price on milk a few pennies. Maybe it's Joe Schmoe who decides to fudge their taxes a little bit. We all have our secrets. The interesting thing is how we eventually start to decide where we draw the line on what we consider illegal. Maybe we won't report parents who are getting financial aid improperly. Maybe we will report somebody who illegally parked their car in a no-park zone because we're having a bad day. Maybe we won't report somebody who is a CEO and having an affair while using business funds to do it (at a company I heard about). Maybe we will report somebody who we hear beating his wife in the apartment next door to you (I did that...the reporting of course). It's all about secrets. Everybody has them. People believe that the person who dies with the most secrets WINS. You have to ask yourself what do you believe in? Quote
caeron Posted July 14, 2011 Posted July 14, 2011 I would report them. Out there, somewhere, is a kid that didn't get into school because this guy soaked up his scholarship. The fact that you don't know their name doesn't mean there isn't a victim here. Quote
Guest hitoallusa Posted July 14, 2011 Posted July 14, 2011 Well I don't think they win. Cheaters lead unhappy life and their end is not that great as I have seen in my life. I'm not worry about the parents here. They will pay their price sooner or later. I just feel sorry for an innocent kid who really needs that money to study. I have no intention to hurt the kid either or get he or she expelled. I have decided to write a letter to the college explaining how they were able to perpetrate this so it doesn't happen again. Maybe my effort will help them to put in a better screening system for the future. Thank you for your input everyone. It's helped to clear my mind. I probably wouldn't say anything to anybody. You eventually start to learn that pretty much everybody in the world is breaking or bending laws to do something that they might not otherwise do. Maybe its Bernie Madoff who made so much money before getting caught. Maybe it's the local grocer who knows nobody will care if he raises the price on milk a few pennies. Maybe it's Joe Schmoe who decides to fudge their taxes a little bit. We all have our secrets. The interesting thing is how we eventually start to decide where we draw the line on what we consider illegal. Maybe we won't report parents who are getting financial aid improperly. Maybe we will report somebody who illegally parked their car in a no-park zone because we're having a bad day. Maybe we won't report somebody who is a CEO and having an affair while using business funds to do it (at a company I heard about). Maybe we will report somebody who we hear beating his wife in the apartment next door to you (I did that...the reporting of course). It's all about secrets. Everybody has them. People believe that the person who dies with the most secrets WINS. You have to ask yourself what do you believe in? Quote
Members JKane Posted July 15, 2011 Members Posted July 15, 2011 Need based aid is usually dependent on the school having access to tax returns via a return transcript. If the school did it's proper research and got those returns then there is the chance that the parents are hiding money from the IRS and that could spell lots of trouble for them. Personally I would report it but only because I don't like cheats. On the one hand, reporting seems wrong if you know and like the kid, especially as he's making good use of it. The next person may well not. But Seattlebottom raises a good point about the IRS which could be a twofer for you. Report them there, if you're right you may get a reward and they may inform the school. Either way the IRS is more likely to see that this family pays their fair share then the school is. Quote
