UMC suburban college student lied about background to become prestigious Rhodes Scholar

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think she figured out a way around the system, PP. Isn't that why we have this thread in the first place?

She did because Penn’s own definition of 1st gen to college worked for her situation even though her mom is a doctor.

At least any publicity is good publicity!

No, PP. Not really. This scandal will follow her, especially if she keeps pursuing it and the facts of the matter become public record. And, apparently, she chose a quite memorable name to graduate under, so good luck with that at hiring time.

This is not what winning looks like. Shame.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find it so depressing that people are falling all over themselves to punish someone who was estranged from both parents at 17 and went into foster care. Her coming from an upper-middle-class background doesn't mean that she wasn't deeply traumatized by what happened to her.

I think the Chronicle article is even-handed and on point: the application essay was written from that traumatized 17-year-old's perspective, and by Penn's standards, Fierceton qualified to identify as a "first-generation" student. Penn comes off really quite badly in my view, in its rush to publicize Fierceton's story and its punitive attitude.

If you believe her side of the story. But we haven't heard from them mom. Or the prosecutor who looked into the charges. Nor seen the hospital records. She's alleging Penn conducted a "sham" investigation, and a "bogus" investigation, but there's no reason they wouldn't want to claim her as a Rhodes Scholar - and the President did laud her in a speech as very deserving - a speech given long after the basement incident. Sorry, if I have to balance the credibility of the parties, Penn comes out better than she does.

No .. you can just believe Penn’s report.

She is emancipated
She was in foster care
She aged out of foster care
She lived with multiple families
She was in the hospital 22 days
The divorce was contentious
Authorities were called 7 time
Her father was estranged after the divorce
She doesn’t speak to her mom
Her grandparents didn’t take her in when removed from the family home

Hmmm. You left out that the Rhodes Committee doesn't believe she was first-generation/low income or injured nearly as badly as she claimed. I guess you think they didn't investigate the matter thoroughly enough?

[Anonymous]

Let's investigate it in deposition. Surely no downside there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I find it so depressing that people are falling all over themselves to punish someone who was estranged from both parents at 17 and went into foster care. Her coming from an upper-middle-class background doesn't mean that she wasn't deeply traumatized by what happened to her.

I think the Chronicle article is even-handed and on point: the application essay was written from that traumatized 17-year-old's perspective, and by Penn's standards, Fierceton qualified to identify as a "first-generation" student. Penn comes off really quite badly in my view, in its rush to publicize Fierceton's story and its punitive attitude.

She does have a powerful story - if she had only been truthful about it. There was no need to embellish. I really think that as brilliant as she is, with the backstory that she spent a year in foster care, she would have been accepted at Penn or a similar school.

She didn't have to exaggerate her injuries. She didn't have to say she grew up in the foster care system. Most kids at Penn are upper middle class. Very few of them have lived a year in foster care and have the insight into the pain those kids feel. She didn't have to claim their trauma; her own trauma was more than enough (most kids are accepted without trauma). She is obviously very bright, very driven and very capable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think she figured out a way around the system, PP. Isn't that why we have this thread in the first place?

She did because Penn’s own definition of 1st gen to college worked for her situation even though her mom is a doctor.

That’s on Penn. They set a definition that is not what most people would think of as 1st generation.

I don't think anyone would actually think their definition applies to her. I think most honest people would have not checked it, called and asked or checked it and added an explanation. I suspect what UPenn meant was if a student, for example, had a parent who has a degree but had not been a part of their life - for example, the child of single parents where the mom doesn't have a degree and the dad does but he didn't stick around. That scenario - where the child has not had the benefit of a college-educated person in their home - is what I understand Penn to be referring to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Je**s Christ! 36 pages of lefitst hand-wringing! She deserved it and figured out a way around the system. Let her be.

? Figured what out, how to get into Penn? She didn't figure out how to get over on the Rhodes Committee though did she?
As far as "Let[ting] her be," she hasn't let it be has she? She doubled down by filing a lawsuit. That's what most of the comments have been about.

DP. No she was awarded the Rhodes. Penn should have sweeper it under the rug but Penn just could not let it go. Penn needs to review their mission.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Je**s Christ! 36 pages of lefitst hand-wringing! She deserved it and figured out a way around the system. Let her be.

? Figured what out, how to get into Penn? She didn't figure out how to get over on the Rhodes Committee though did she?
As far as "Let[ting] her be," she hasn't let it be has she? She doubled down by filing a lawsuit. That's what most of the comments have been about.

DP. No she was awarded the Rhodes. Penn should have sweeper it under the rug but Penn just could not let it go. Penn needs to review their mission.

The anonymous tip was sent to both Penn and the Rhodes Committee, which conducted its own independent investigation. Penn had not have the power to rescind her Rhodes Scholarship.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Je**s Christ! 36 pages of lefitst hand-wringing! She deserved it and figured out a way around the system. Let her be.

? Figured what out, how to get into Penn? She didn't figure out how to get over on the Rhodes Committee though did she?
As far as "Let[ting] her be," she hasn't let it be has she? She doubled down by filing a lawsuit. That's what most of the comments have been about.

DP. No she was awarded the Rhodes. Penn should have sweeper it under the rug but Penn just could not let it go. Penn needs to review their mission.

News flash: The top schools do not take academic dishonesty lightly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Je**s Christ! 36 pages of lefitst hand-wringing! She deserved it and figured out a way around the system. Let her be.

? Figured what out, how to get into Penn? She didn't figure out how to get over on the Rhodes Committee though did she?
As far as "Let[ting] her be," she hasn't let it be has she? She doubled down by filing a lawsuit. That's what most of the comments have been about.

DP. No she was awarded the Rhodes. Penn should have sweeper it under the rug but Penn just could not let it go. Penn needs to review their mission.

I'm afraid that the responsibility for her actions and character cannot be shifted to anyone else.

[Anonymous]

She's a private school lifer, with a medical doctor mom, who lives in a Midwest mansion. Period. Everything else is BULLSH*T.

[Anonymous]

How many lies were on the Questbridge app?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Je**s Christ! 36 pages of lefitst hand-wringing! She deserved it and figured out a way around the system. Let her be.

Leftists??? So, you want to make this political? How about all of the right wingers who defend another lying, hypocritical, corrupt, seditious, money laundering Penn alum who unscrupulously bought his way into Penn after having someone else take his exams/tests for him. Is Penn revoking his degree?

Please leave politics out of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She's a private school lifer, with a medical doctor mom, who lives in a Midwest mansion. Period. Everything else is BULLSH*T.

While this isn't exactly true, it does illustrate what Penn and Rhodes Committee were up against once the news stories about her actual background became public.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think she figured out a way around the system, PP. Isn't that why we have this thread in the first place?

She did because Penn’s own definition of 1st gen to college worked for her situation even though her mom is a doctor.

That’s on Penn. They set a definition that is not what most people would think of as 1st generation.

I don't think anyone would actually think their definition applies to her. I think most honest people would have not checked it, called and asked or checked it and added an explanation. I suspect what UPenn meant was if a student, for example, had a parent who has a degree but had not been a part of their life - for example, the child of single parents where the mom doesn't have a degree and the dad does but he didn't stick around. That scenario - where the child has not had the benefit of a college-educated person in their home - is what I understand Penn to be referring to.

Penn's definition of "first-generation" college students goes against what you say, though. Their definition includes not only the first generation to go to college, but also being estranged from family or emancipated, AND being the child of parents who graduated from a non-elite college or university. Fierceton qualifies on the latter two definitions.

You can fault Penn's definitions, but it's pretty clear that they did apply to her.

[Anonymous]

DP. Okay. And if that's the only problem (and there were no frank lies on her application or otherwise), then no problem.

But if there were, then she has a problem.

PP she has a problem.