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

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People sue because they thought it was a sure thing and they are enraged at someone taking it away from them. Someone has to pay, and it isn't going to be them.

Until, of course, it is. Suing = discovery.

Letting the sun shine on it would be the perfect defense, except for the fact that the sun is shining on the lies. And the truth is an absolute defense to libel claims.

+1

I think there is an element of magical thinking going on in both cases.

I actually think she sued, knowing she’d lose, to make Penn look bad. Just look at all the dirty laundry she’s aired! The wrongful death suit got way more publicity this way than it did on its own. Penn’s admissions practices look shoddy, and its lauded class mobility stats look to be cynically manipulated. And anyone with aspirations to be a Rhodes scholar knows now, as they didn’t before, that Rhodes must look on applicants supported by Penn with deep distrust.

And what does she lose? An MSW? Does she even really care about reforming foster care? Probably not.

Even assuming she gets nothing from the lawsuit, she walks away with a bachelor’s from an Ivy League university (summa!). Changes her last name again — she’s already had three — and disappears into a sea of Mackenzies.

Whatever the official fee arrangement, you know she’s not paying the bill for the lawyers. When the court rules against her, she’ll just add the judge/jury to the list of people who victimize her. And she never has to apologize. From her point of view suing is win/win, even given a 100% chance that she loses in court.

I think Penn comes out looking good here, not bad, other than highlighting its ludicrous first-generation definition. But otherwise I agree with you.

I do not think Fierceton will be able to easily escape this for employers that actually do proper reference checks. But you are right she will probably change her name again.

Perhaps, but it highlights that Penn was sloppy with the initial admissions check and bought the whole "I'm a victim" story without checking. And then went on to put her in a Master's program. AND support her for the Rhodes. The Higher Ed Community is watching because there has been far too much emphasis put on identity politics, victim stories, "I have overcome" stuff and not enough on academic achievement. Many feel this to be the cas.e And here Penn is caught being duped not once, but thrice or maybe even more times by this young woman.

[Anonymous]

There are thousands of pathological lying rich kids in the Ivy League right now. There are countless articles, in national outlets to student newspapers, that admissions does not verify ANYTHING. You can write whatever make-believe bullshit you want and nobody fact checks a thing. And yes, it’s all rich kids scheming because they know how to scam and play the angles.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are thousands of pathological lying rich kids in the Ivy League right now. There are countless articles, in national outlets to student newspapers, that admissions does not verify ANYTHING. You can write whatever make-believe bullshit you want and nobody fact checks a thing. And yes, it’s all rich kids scheming because they know how to scam and play the angles.

To add, genuine poor and disadvantaged kids don’t wear it on their sleeves and performatively boast about it, it’s acrially embarrassing to them, so they undersell it if anything. It is a safe bet the most theatrical tear-jerking prose and too good to be true narrative is most likely pure malarkey by a conniving rich striver.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are thousands of pathological lying rich kids in the Ivy League right now. There are countless articles, in national outlets to student newspapers, that admissions does not verify ANYTHING. You can write whatever make-believe bullshit you want and nobody fact checks a thing. And yes, it’s all rich kids scheming because they know how to scam and play the angles.

To add, genuine poor and disadvantaged kids don’t wear it on their sleeves and performatively boast about it, it’s acrially embarrassing to them, so they undersell it if anything. It is a safe bet the most theatrical tear-jerking prose and too good to be true narrative is most likely pure malarkey by a conniving rich striver.

So can we agree to go back to admissions based on academic heft and not sob stories. The victimology has gotten out of hand in College Admissions

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sure you felt sorry for her. Her reputation was completely trashed.

You shouldn't feel sorry for her as her life is now. Right?

Why would I feel sorry for someone who grew up top 1% rich, elite private schools, orthodontics, her own car, rich hobbies -- by all accounts she was mollycoddle by her wealthy mum -- then stole multiple scholarships she wasn't entitled to totaling well into the six figures, and arguably stole a seat at an Ivy League college? She is not a victim. She is a dime a dozen spoiled rotten white brat who is simply estranged from her mum. There is nothing compelling or unique about her, just a ruthless status-obsessed sociopath.

“Nothing compelling or unique about her . . .”

Hmmm . . . Something’s got you wasting your time posting here about her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are thousands of pathological lying rich kids in the Ivy League right now. There are countless articles, in national outlets to student newspapers, that admissions does not verify ANYTHING. You can write whatever make-believe bullshit you want and nobody fact checks a thing. And yes, it’s all rich kids scheming because they know how to scam and play the angles.

From personal experience, I know this to be false. The guidance counselor told me that admissions officers called to verify essay info for my kid. It was not UPenn. They were a couple of very top liberal arts colleges. But admissions offices do not unilaterally believe what is written if it is a dramatic story.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:


Perhaps, but it highlights that Penn was sloppy with the initial admissions check and bought the whole "I'm a victim" story without checking. And then went on to put her in a Master's program. AND support her for the Rhodes. The Higher Ed Community is watching because there has been far too much emphasis put on identity politics, victim stories, "I have overcome" stuff and not enough on academic achievement. Many feel this to be the cas.e And here Penn is caught being duped not once, but thrice or maybe even more times by this young woman.

Except she really was academically qualified and did well at UPenn. I think she could have been admitted based on her real story and with her real academic info.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are thousands of pathological lying rich kids in the Ivy League right now. There are countless articles, in national outlets to student newspapers, that admissions does not verify ANYTHING. You can write whatever make-believe bullshit you want and nobody fact checks a thing. And yes, it’s all rich kids scheming because they know how to scam and play the angles.

From personal experience, I know this to be false. The guidance counselor told me that admissions officers called to verify essay info for my kid. It was not UPenn. They were a couple of very top liberal arts colleges. But admissions offices do not unilaterally believe what is written if it is a dramatic story.

+1 they do call the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:


Perhaps, but it highlights that Penn was sloppy with the initial admissions check and bought the whole "I'm a victim" story without checking. And then went on to put her in a Master's program. AND support her for the Rhodes. The Higher Ed Community is watching because there has been far too much emphasis put on identity politics, victim stories, "I have overcome" stuff and not enough on academic achievement. Many feel this to be the cas.e And here Penn is caught being duped not once, but thrice or maybe even more times by this young woman.

Except she really was academically qualified and did well at UPenn. I think she could have been admitted based on her real story and with her real academic info.

Actually there are literally hundreds of other kids with her stats. Top of her class of 14? How hard is that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are thousands of pathological lying rich kids in the Ivy League right now. There are countless articles, in national outlets to student newspapers, that admissions does not verify ANYTHING. You can write whatever make-believe bullshit you want and nobody fact checks a thing. And yes, it’s all rich kids scheming because they know how to scam and play the angles.

From personal experience, I know this to be false. The guidance counselor told me that admissions officers called to verify essay info for my kid. It was not UPenn. They were a couple of very top liberal arts colleges. But admissions offices do not unilaterally believe what is written if it is a dramatic story.

+1 they do call the school.

????? what would the school know about her "bouncing around from foster home to foster home" and how her mother "broke her"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:


Perhaps, but it highlights that Penn was sloppy with the initial admissions check and bought the whole "I'm a victim" story without checking. And then went on to put her in a Master's program. AND support her for the Rhodes. The Higher Ed Community is watching because there has been far too much emphasis put on identity politics, victim stories, "I have overcome" stuff and not enough on academic achievement. Many feel this to be the cas.e And here Penn is caught being duped not once, but thrice or maybe even more times by this young woman.

Except she really was academically qualified and did well at UPenn. I think she could have been admitted based on her real story and with her real academic info.

that's speculation. Maybe. But Penn in particular had a big push from its president, Ms. Gutman, to get more FGLI students. One has to wonder if she just applied to Penn, or to the other Ivys as well - and whether they rejected her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People sue because they thought it was a sure thing and they are enraged at someone taking it away from them. Someone has to pay, and it isn't going to be them.

Until, of course, it is. Suing = discovery.

Letting the sun shine on it would be the perfect defense, except for the fact that the sun is shining on the lies. And the truth is an absolute defense to libel claims.

+1

I think there is an element of magical thinking going on in both cases.

I actually think she sued, knowing she’d lose, to make Penn look bad. Just look at all the dirty laundry she’s aired! The wrongful death suit got way more publicity this way than it did on its own. Penn’s admissions practices look shoddy, and its lauded class mobility stats look to be cynically manipulated. And anyone with aspirations to be a Rhodes scholar knows now, as they didn’t before, that Rhodes must look on applicants supported by Penn with deep distrust.

And what does she lose? An MSW? Does she even really care about reforming foster care? Probably not.

Even assuming she gets nothing from the lawsuit, she walks away with a bachelor’s from an Ivy League university (summa!). Changes her last name again — she’s already had three — and disappears into a sea of Mackenzies.

Whatever the official fee arrangement, you know she’s not paying the bill for the lawyers. When the court rules against her, she’ll just add the judge/jury to the list of people who victimize her. And she never has to apologize. From her point of view suing is win/win, even given a 100% chance that she loses in court.

I think Penn comes out looking good here, not bad, other than highlighting its ludicrous first-generation definition. But otherwise I agree with you.

I do not think Fierceton will be able to easily escape this for employers that actually do proper reference checks. But you are right she will probably change her name again.

Perhaps, but it highlights that Penn was sloppy with the initial admissions check and bought the whole "I'm a victim" story without checking. And then went on to put her in a Master's program. AND support her for the Rhodes. The Higher Ed Community is watching because there has been far too much emphasis put on identity politics, victim stories, "I have overcome" stuff and not enough on academic achievement. Many feel this to be the cas.e And here Penn is caught being duped not once, but thrice or maybe even more times by this young woman.

Yeah, that's not what most people are taking away from this.

Penn may need to at least pay lip service to having more rigorous standards, but they aren't going to be a story in a few months. But people will remember "Fierceton" with the big cheesy grin being the bad guy.

[Anonymous]

A judge has denied UPenn’s request to have the Fierceton case moved from Common Pleas Court. See the linked article from Big Trial, “Penn Loses Round One in ‘Pillow Talk’ Conspiracy Case”:

https://www.big trial.net/2022/01/penn-loses-round-one-in-pillow-talk.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A judge has denied UPenn’s request to have the Fierceton case moved from Common Pleas Court. See the linked article from Big Trial, “Penn Loses Round One in ‘Pillow Talk’ Conspiracy Case”:

https://www.bigtrial.net/2022/01/penn-loses-round-one-in-pillow-talk.html

[Anonymous]

Sorry for the error on the initial link above. It’s fixed in the quote on the follow up post.