Lawsuit Allegations on Admissions Practices
A lawsuit claiming universities colluded to set students' financial-aid packages offers insight into how top schools evaluate children of privilege differently from other applicants. At Georgetown University, a former president selected students for a special admission list by reviewing parents' donation history, ignoring transcripts. At MIT, a board member secured admission for two children of a wealthy business colleague. At Notre Dame, an enrollment official managing a special applicant list emailed colleagues expressing hope that wealthy families would produce more smart kids the next year.
Lawsuit Progress and Remaining Defendants
The motion, filed Tuesday in Illinois federal court, represents the latest development in a suit started in January 2022 accusing over a dozen elite universities of price fixing. Twelve schools have settled, and the filing now pursues class-action status against the remaining five: MIT, Notre Dame, University of Pennsylvania, Georgetown, and Cornell University. It demands $685 million in damages, which could triple to over $2 billion under U.S. antitrust laws. Ten disclosed settlements total $284 million, with two more undisclosed.
Sure hope the wealthy next year raise a few more smart kids!
Notre Dame's Donor Admissions Data
Notre Dame's Institutional Risk and Compliance Committee warned that admitting many children of major donors posed a major brand risk if publicized. In 2020, the school admitted 86 such applicants, about 4% of the incoming class, with 76% needing special consideration. For the class of 2016, associate vice president for undergraduate enrollment Donald Bishop noted a 30 top academic students decline coinciding with donor list usage.
We allowed their high gifting or potential gifting to influence our choices more this year than last year.
University Responses and Broader Context
Spokespeople for Georgetown, Notre Dame, and MIT state the schools will contest the suit in court, asserting all students earned their places. A Notre Dame spokesman emphasized confidence in every admitted student's qualifications. Penn sees no merit in the claims, stating evidence shows no favoritism toward donors. The case highlights tensions for elite universities amid public frustration, perceived hypocrisy in meritocracy claims, and pressures to admit wealthy students over potentially more qualified ones. Discovery from a related race-preferences case revealed Harvard's 'Z list' for weaker but connected applicants.
Those students were assured of admission. If the school was over-enrolled, they were protected, regardless of their academic record. You had absolutely no power as an admissions officer.
Georgetown President's Selection Process
At Georgetown, the former president reviewed parents' donation history and capacity for an annual president's list without examining applicants' transcripts, teacher recommendations, or essays. Atop the list, he often noted 'Please Admit'.
