You won’t find DC’s George Washington University in the US News & World Report ranking of best colleges. Last year GWU admitted that it had been inflating admission data for a decade. The school claimed that 78% of incoming freshmen were in the top 10% of their high school graduating classes, but the real figure was 58%. The stats may have been goosed to get a higher ranking in the USN&WR college listing.
Until October 21st the website of this $60,000-a-year school reassured applicants that “Requests for financial aid do not affect admissions decisions.” That was another misrepresentation. The first sorting of applications is done “need blind,” but after that applications from rich students go to the head of the line while those from the less-wealthy are wait-listed.
Before The Hatchet student newspaper revealed the truth, GWU’s website claimed that its admissions policy was “need-blind.” The university now admits it is “need-aware.” The school’s motto is Deus Nobis Fiducia, “God is Our Trust.” perhaps it should be “Got a Trust Fund?”
George Washington University may be named after a man who “cannot tell a lie,” but it seems to be run by Pinocchio.
More:
“Pretending to Be Need-Blind,” Scott Jaschik, Inside Higher Ed
“George Washington University Has for Years Claimed to be ‘Need-Blind.’ It’s Not.” Marian Wang, ProPublica
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Tags: college admissions, economic inequality, ethics, George Washington University, GWU, inequality, the one percent
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