Can you actually buy Ivy admission?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All of this also assumes a family connection to the school. An unconnected person suddenly wanting to give multiple millions to a school they didn't attend isn't common.

Interesting story on TV over the weekend about the MIT football team. It noted that 17 of the players were class valedictorians and 9 had 2400 SATs. So while we all complain about athletic recruits it's important to remember that many of them, as well as legacy kids, are fully qualified.

MIT is not D1.

recruiting at MIT is way different than the Ivy's.

In fact MIT recruiting is way different top NESCAC schools that put out really strong teams.

PP was not comparing recruited athletes at MIT to recruited athletes at other school, but just saying that at competitive schools, those in the athletic set-aside ALSO meet the academic qualifications. There are way more highly qualified applicants to the top schools than slots. Even if they set aside 10% of the freshman class for athletes, it doesn't mean the school has to accept anyone below the top tier, because they still have tons of applicants who are highly qualified AND athletic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All of this also assumes a family connection to the school. An unconnected person suddenly wanting to give multiple millions to a school they didn't attend isn't common.

Interesting story on TV over the weekend about the MIT football team. It noted that 17 of the players were class valedictorians and 9 had 2400 SATs. So while we all complain about athletic recruits it's important to remember that many of them, as well as legacy kids, are fully qualified.

MIT is not D1.

recruiting at MIT is way different than the Ivy's.

In fact MIT recruiting is way different top NESCAC schools that put out really strong teams.

PP was not comparing recruited athletes at MIT to recruited athletes at other school, but just saying that at competitive schools, those in the athletic set-aside ALSO meet the academic qualifications. There are way more highly qualified applicants to the top schools than slots. Even if they set aside 10% of the freshman class for athletes, it doesn't mean the school has to accept anyone below the top tier, because they still have tons of applicants who are highly qualified AND athletic.

Yes exactly, thank you for clarifying. I know MIT isn't D1, and my DC was recruited by several NESCAC schools so I know about those too, but that really wasn't my point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Price of Admission talked about people buying their ways into Brown and Duke (not an Ivy, before someone jumps on me, but still selective). It seemed like a few particularly egregious cases, but who knows, maybe this goes on more extensively and even if Dad isn't a Beatle or a novelist.

I do know of someone who bought their student's admission to Duke. It took a 7 figure "donation."

was this student within the range of duke to begin with or was it an egregious admission?

Folks were somewhat surprised.

[Anonymous]

OP, it's understood by some that Brown will entertain both high-donor "relationship" developments cases, and that outside of the Ivies, BU, Northwestern, and Georgetown will sometimes do the same. But the general theme is that the candidates admitted via this route are typically not competitive -- but not palpably unqualified. A wealthy development-case kid with two alumni parents, but with a C- average and 40th %ile scores, stands little chance, even with a very large check in hand.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You need to fork over enough in advance to make it worth their while. Perhaps The Donald wasn't interested in making a 7-8 figure donation just then.

Friend of mine was told if he donated 150K to the alumni fund, his kid had a spot. His kid was good enough grades and SATs alone. He felt extorted and she went elsewhere

[Anonymous]

I know a hedge fund manager who's four kids went to Penn. what are the chances that all four got in on merit alone? They come from a great public school system, but still.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know a hedge fund manager who's four kids went to Penn. what are the chances that all four got in on merit alone? They come from a great public school system, but still.

"merit" is such bs though - because there are truckloads of kids across the country who via pure academic 'merit' fall right at in the 40th-60th percentile window and could easily do the work and be 'successful' at said school.

so what do you mean by merit? That because otherwise they would be 'unhooked' that they need to all be in the 80th+ percentile?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You need to fork over enough in advance to make it worth their while. Perhaps The Donald wasn't interested in making a 7-8 figure donation just then.

Friend of mine was told if he donated 150K to the alumni fund, his kid had a spot. His kid was good enough grades and SATs alone. He felt extorted and she went elsewhere

Seriously? If that's all it took many people would do that. Heck, I would have done that. I think for my Ivy it would have required an extra 0.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You need to fork over enough in advance to make it worth their while. Perhaps The Donald wasn't interested in making a 7-8 figure donation just then.

Friend of mine was told if he donated 150K to the alumni fund, his kid had a spot. His kid was good enough grades and SATs alone. He felt extorted and she went elsewhere

Seriously? If that's all it took many people would do that. Heck, I would have done that. I think for my Ivy it would have required an extra 0.

+1. If it were this easy, you'd see banks offering special loans for "college admissions purchase," maybe against your home equity.