Slippery Rock University Responds To Dr. Phil About College Admissions Scandal

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - The president of a Pittsburgh-area university has responded to a popular television show host and mental health professional, who made comments about the school when speaking about the college admissions scandal.

In an interview with People, Dr. Phil McGraw, host of the talk show Dr. Phil, talked about the college admissions scandal.

"They're not buying their kids an education," said McGraw. "That's not what it's about. I don't think it has anything to do with the education. I think this is jewelry for a lot of these people. The kids are leaving high school, they don't want to say, 'My kid's going to the junior college.' They want to say, 'My kid's going to Harvard, my kid's going to USC or Yale.' I think it's bragging rights for them and they don't want to be the one parent that says, 'Well, yeah, my kid's going to, you know, Slippery Rock.'"

President of Slippery Rock University, Bill Behre, took to social media to respond to McGraw's comments.

"In your recent comments to People.com about the college admissions scandal you suggested that one of the motivations of the parents involved was to secure a "trophy" school for their students," said President Behre in a social media post on the university's Facebook page. "Then you mentioned Slippery Rock University by name as the antithesis of a trophy school. We suspect that you didn't mean that as a compliment, but we take it as one anyway."

The university president went on to say, "At affordable and accessible public colleges like Slippery Rock University, students whose parents work to pay their mortgage will find quality institutions that open doors to the American dream."

Behre spoke of McGraw's educational history, Midwestern State College and the University of North Texas, adding that McGraw should know that these smaller schools offer "a refreshing alternative."

"You know that choosing a regional public school is anything but a hollow search for bragging rights at a reception after the Country Club's Memorial Day Golf Outing," said Behre. "In a world of trophies and medals for just showing up, schools like MSC (Midwestern State College) and Slippery Rocky University provide a refreshing alternative."

RT if your parents are proud of your #rocksolideducation @DrPhil pic.twitter.com/lG58kJa1v9

— Slippery Rock University (@slipperyrocku) April 27, 2019

More than 50 people are now facing charges in connection to two sets of schemes: standardized test cheating and college acceptance bribery. CBS News reports that Prosecutors allege dozens of parents, test administrators and college coaches were involved in a widespread effort to rig the college admissions process for children whose parents were willing to pay bribes.