I had an almost exact same "forget-it-not-gonna-happen" conversation with an admissions officer at MSU around 1984 (I think). It was suggested to my parents that a substantial bribe would reverse my fortunes. We chose not to apply - I went to my local U instead - but they could have definitely afforded it: they were both high-earners (my dad headed a science lab and my mom was a professor) plus they both made the so-called northern coefficient (basically, 2.5x regular salary for living in Bumf--k Siberia).