A class-action lawsuit has been filed against 17 elite U.S. universities, including Cornell, MIT, and Columbia, alleging that these institutions formed a 'price-fixing cartel' to favor wealthy applicants. The lawsuit claims that the universities overcharged students by $685 million through lenient admission requirements for affluent candidates, raising concerns about their admission and financial aid policies. The prospective class of current and former students asserts that children of the wealthy received special consideration in the admissions process to attract donor dollars. The case, originally filed in 2022, has recently seen new filings that highlight the admissions practices at these institutions, with testimonies indicating that applicants connected to major donors were often considered 'untouchable.'