High School Tutor Gets Overwhelming Praises When She Helps an Underprivileged Kid Get a Full Ride Scholarship by Overstepping Ethical Boundaries

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Jesse Kessenheimer • Writer and Editor
Dec 15, 2023 1:00 PM EST

Rich kids have it so easy. Anyone who's ever clawed their way through the class system knows that if you ever reached the top, you'd really have to screw things up to fall from graces. With endless opportunities, golden parachutes, and full-time staff members devoted to helping you succeed, rich kids have the world at their fingertips. It's not so simple for the regular folks down here at the bottom of the totem pole. We've got to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps and grapple for every available good grade, scholarship, and job opportunity we can get our hands on. 

In our next story, a tutor extended a helping hand to an underprivileged student, helping him attain the same level of support as one of those good ol' rich kids– except, she had to cross a few ethical boundaries in order to do so. Scroll for the entire story of how one woman's fight to elevate the little man prompted a scourge of praises and congratulations from the folks enjoying the game of life from the cheap seats.

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    r/r/offmychest. Posted by u/Illustrious-Slide629 18 hours ago Accidentally crossed a line while tutoring and it's haunting me Hey everyone, I just need to get something off my chest that's been sitting there like a rock since it happened. I'm a 21-year-old college girl, just trying to juggle classes, make ends meet. Tutoring high schoolers in writing has been my go- to side gig for a while now. It's
    via u/Illustrious-Slide629
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    something I've prided myself on, being able to help kids express themselves and improve academically. That was until one situation got the best of me, and now I'm not sure how to feel about it. So, there was this one kid-really sweet, and super passionate about his future goals, but writing just wasn't his strong suit. He was applying for this scholarship, one of
    via u/Illustrious-Slide629
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    those life-changing, full-ride deals that don't come around too often. He was so stressed, running on fumes, and the desperation in his eyes was something I couldn't shake. When we sat down to work on his essay, it was like he just couldn't translate his thoughts onto paper. Logic took a backseat, and, before I knew it, I was doing more than just guiding him-I was writing the whole darn thing. It felt wrong, but simultaneously, it felt like I was just helping him out, something friends do for ea
    via u/Illustrious-Slide629
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    Now here's the kicker: he won the scholarship. The full ride. His future, his dreams, they're all coming true, and I should be over the moon for him... but I'm not. I'm tangled in this web of emotions. There's joy, sure, because I genuinely wanted to see him succeed. But then there's this sinking feeling in my stomach that's screaming that what I did was unethical, and that his achievement has this shadow hanging over it because of me. It's gnawing at me,
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    this fear that one day he'll realize the part I played and feel like his success isn't fully deserved... or worse, that others will find out and both our integrity will be questioned. Sigh... Can a good deed overshadow the wrong way it was done? I just don't know, and it's eating me up inside.
    via u/Illustrious-Slide629
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    Fine-Funny6956 17 hr. ago He couldn't have gotten the scholarship solely because of the essay. That's not possible. He'll just have to learn to do that kind of writing in college. Did you step over the line? Yeah, but I'm not sorry he went to college. He must have the grades, the volunteer work, etc to have made it. Are you going to get caught? Extremely unlikely.
    via u/Fine-Funny6956
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    gaypornaccount1996 14 hr. ago Yeah exactly. And tbh the only thing she helped him do is get a scholarship, and in reality everyone should have the chance to go to college, not just those who can afford it The ends don't always justify the means, but in a case where you help someone to more easily navigate late-stage capitalism they absolutely do
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    Thus Spoke 17 hr. ago Rich kids have an entire coaching staff to help get them into elite colleges. I wouldn't let this bother you too much. 3.9k Reply Share... Illustrious-Slide629 OP 16 hr. ago Honestly, yeah, that's just the way the cookie crumbles sometimes. It's frustrating for sure, but stressing over it doesn't change much. I just try to focus on what I can control, like my own efforts and making the best of my opportunities. Plus, at the end of the day, how you use your education matters
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    RanaEire 15 hr. ago OP, do you feel the kid deserved this win? If so, personally, I would not fret too much about it. Like Thus_Spoke said, others have so many advantages and head- starts - and they may not even deserve it.
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    embracing_insanity. 15 hr. ago Also, this just helped him get his foot in the door. The rest is still up to him. I understand why you feel a bit conflicted, but I don't see it as a 'bad' thing. And considering what the person above said, you just helped him to have the same chance (foot in the door) than the privileged flat out pay for.
    via u/embracing_insanity
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    Great-Score2079 - 12 hr. ago. edited 11 hr. ago I recently saw a TikTok where minority/non-legacy Harvard students were asked to share a culture shock that effected them the most and one student remarked on the fact that all of the students in their statistics class hired an agency to complete their work for them. 51 Reply Share ... seeker_of_knowledge 10 hr. ago And you bet their ass they write the essays for them to a greater degree than OP.
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    Teddy Tuffington - 17 hr. ago Remember when all those rich parents went to court for scamming their kids into college. Those same kids who didn't even want to go. U helped someone do something he was passionate about as going to work his ass off to succeed at that's far better then u could honestly hope for
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    Suitable Objective585 18 hr. ago Don't worry about it dude. You did the right thing. I had the same issue but no one helped me. I just can't put my thoughts out on the paper or somewhere. I took multi variable calculus classes, high level coding etc nothing is more harder than writing to me. Also it may not be the essays only also his academic etc
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    FinancialShare1683 - 16 hr. ago You are under the impression that college admissions are 100% fair and merit based all the time. It's not true. You helped him get an opportunity, just tell him not to let it go to waste.
    via u/FinancialShare1683
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    peacefinder 17 hr. ago Were they his thoughts in the essay, that you transcribed and polished? That's not terrible. It's up to him to succeed from here. You just kicked down the door, but he has to walk through. If you believe that the kid is up to it, I'd suggest you not worry about it overly.
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    Mysterious_Shake2894 14 hr. ago I think you'd be surprised how often this actually happens. 21 Reply Share Desperate5389 12 hr. ago Right. It's called ghost writing in the professional world.
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    Powerman Friendship 17 hr. ago I think you are a good person for being bothered by this, and have probably learned your lesson. I wouldn't stress over it too much, you will be more vigilant if a similar circumstance ever happens again. As other people have mentioned, there are a bunch of criteria for getting scholarships and this was only one small part of a very multi-faceted set of criteria that will include all of his subsequent work that you won't be a part of. I'd let go and consider it a l
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    Exbritcanadian 16 hr. ago He'll remember you as the best tutor he ever had, the one that got him a scholarship. I wouldn't let it bother you. Doing someone a good turn is very rarely ever a bad thing.
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    fish-rides-bike 17 hr. ago It's enough that you reflect and feel badly. We all make mistakes. What separates us out is how and what we learn from them. You're fine.
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    Vlxxrd 14 hr. ago it's one paper, it's fine. you've potentially created a future doctor or something helpful. rich people have this every day of their lives and get these privileges. don't beat yourself up over it.
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    Over8dpoosee · 16 hr. ago Your heart was in the right place. Think of it the way, this kid that could take advantage of the scholarship and better his future may or may not have gotten the chance if you didn't help him. It'll be alright.
    via u/Over8dpooosee
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    tay4days 14 hr. ago . I wrote dissertations for two of my friends that helped them graduate college. That was a minor stepping stone for them. They did all the work before and all the work to success in their fields. I'm sure the essay helped but all of his work prior definitely played a major role. You just gave him a helping hand which we all need from time to time and it doesn't define us or negate everything we did.
    via u/tay4days

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