Nepotism Beats Hard Work When Hard Work Doesn't Nepotism

I seriously cannot think of anyone more deserving of going to that legendary, prestigious Ivy League school than my beautiful, brilliant best friend whose grandfather also happens to have a building named after him there.

She’s majoring in Public Policy, and so, based on her political opinions, I’m really excited about the future of the country. She’s always giving such urgent and astute reminders about our political climate like, “Okay, but like, Trump is just trying his best, guys,” or “the situation in Israel is just really, really complicated.” She’s not, “like a Republican or anything” though.

She actually comes from a very rich and storied political legacy. Her grandfather was on the National Security Council for Bush during the Iraq War, her uncle is a billionaire, and her mom voted for Obama. The second time.

When I heard that she got in, I was both overjoyed and not surprised at all. She’s just such a talented and genuinely bright girl. She always has the most fascinating perspectives on the world, like when she thought “laundromat” was French for “Loup de Mer”.

When I explained to her that Loup de Mer was already in French, she said that she had had it so much as a child that she just thought it was American. She also thought this about foie gras. I love my girl, she’s always showing me new ways to see the world.

And even though it’s abundantly clear that the girl who applied test-optional and whose most meaningful extracurricular is going to the thrift store—or as she explains it on CommonApp, “helping the needy”— got in on her glowing academic merit, many people have been trying to diminish her accomplishment.

They say things like, “Wait, she passed AP Bio? I was in that class with her and the entire time she just talked about handjobs and her best friend’s sunglasses business.” Or, “Doesn’t her grandpa own a building there? Well, that explains it.”

Statements like these reek of nothing but jealousy and ignorance. Okay, so what if her grandfather owns a building there? Sorry, Avantika, but here’s a little lesson about the world. Nepotism beats hard work when hard work doesn’t nepotism.

It’s not her fault that her family is who they are. It sure as hell is her benefit, though. And your detriment.