Lawsuit Accuses Elite Institutions like Georgetown and MIT of Preferencing Well-Off and Influential Applicants

In a significant development, a class-action lawsuit has been amended to accuse several prestigious American universities of conspiring to form a "price-fixing cartel" in their admissions processes. The universities named in the lawsuit include Georgetown University, MIT, the University of Pennsylvania, Cornell University, and others.

The allegations claim that these universities favored wealthy applicants and applicants with donor family histories or connections to university board members. For instance, according to the lawsuit, the University of Pennsylvania allegedly used the term "BSI" for a small number of students admitted at a higher rate than others. Former dean of admissions Sara Harberson testified that these students were donors or had connections to school board members. BSI students, she claimed, were considered "untouchable" and "would get in almost 100% of the time," even if they had weak applications or major issues.

Similarly, at MIT, two applicants recommended by a wealthy banker with university board ties were given preferential treatment and admitted despite not being strong candidates. Georgetown University is accused of placing about 80 applicants on a "special" admissions list reserved for wealthy or donor families.

However, not all universities named in the lawsuit have admitted to any wrongdoing. The University of Pennsylvania, along with many co-defendants, has denied any wrongdoing in the lawsuit. The university spokesperson stated that the school sees "no merit" in the lawsuit and believes it was filed to embarrass the university about its admission practices on unrelated issues. MIT states that potential philanthropic gifts had no bearing on the isolated cases of preferential treatment.

Ten schools out of the original seventeen defendants have already settled, paying a total of $284 million to the plaintiffs. The search results do not provide specific names of the other sworn universities involved in the lawsuit that have not yet been concluded.

Georgetown University, in response, stated that it admits students who will contribute to and strengthen the university's community and does not solicit or accept gifts from individuals with relatives or close personal interests applying. The University of Pennsylvania denies favoring donors in admissions and takes precautions to ensure no such preference is given.

The settlements and ongoing legal proceedings highlight the need for transparency and fairness in university admissions processes. As the case progresses, more details are likely to emerge, shedding light on the practices of some of the country's most prestigious institutions.

Lawsuit Accuses Elite Institutions like Georgetown and MIT of Preferencing Well-Off and Influential Applicants