Student Union
Reports: Millions Paid for Chinese Admissions to US Schools
The family of a Chinese student paid $6.5 million to a consultant to ensure her admission to Stanford University in California in 2017, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The family of Yusi "Molly" Zhao, who was admitted to Stanford's sailing program in 2017, paid to get their daughter into the highly selective school, the paper reported. It also was reported that the family of another student, Sherry Guo, paid $1.2 million to the consultant to assist in her entry to Yale University in Connecticut.
William "Rick" Singer of Newport Beach, Calif., has pleaded guilty of orchestrating a multilevel, years-long scam and is named as a cooperating witness in the admissions scandal the U.S. Department of Justice has nicknamed "Operation Varsity Blues."
Zhao's family, who live in Beijing, met Singer through a financial adviser at the Morgan Stanley investment bank, the Times wrote.
When the case broke in mid-March, DOJ documents did not identify which family paid $6.5 million to Singer to arrange their child's admission. Most of the 33 parents involved are accused of paying tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars for various services, such as having standardized tests taken for the student or having the test graded to show exemplary scores. Other families paid to have Singer and his associates market the students as star athletes even though they had not previously participated in a sport.
Guo's family was introduced to Singer by a Los Angeles financial adviser, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Wealthy and well-connected parents on the list of those indicted for conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud include the owner of a California vineyard and the former owner of a California media company that was sold for $325 million a year ago. Some own corporations and firms, and deal in private equity and real estate development.
Several executives, entrepreneurs, investors and CEOs were among the 50 who were charged. Parents charged in the scandal listed addresses on New York City's Fifth Avenue and at Rockefeller Center, California's Beverly Hills, Greenwich, Conn., and Hyannis Port, Mass., where the Kennedy political dynasty owns an oceanfront summer compound.
Of 33 parents charged, 14 have pleaded guilty. Others have asked prosecutors for discovery evidence before entering pleas.
It is not clear whether the Chinese families are subject to the same charges. Guo's attorney denied wrongdoing in the case, saying the family has not been charged, the Journal reported.
Also not clear is whether Zhao or Guo remained active students at Stanford and Yale, respectively, but those universities have rescinded the admission of students believed to be involved in the scandal, without releasing names.
Singer reportedly earned more than $25 million by connecting parents and their children with test administrators and college coaches who took their cut for endorsing bogus applicants, the Justice Department said.
See all News Updates of the Day
Trump administration opens antisemitism inquiries at 5 colleges, including Columbia and Berkeley
The Trump administration is opening new investigations into allegations of antisemitism at five U.S. universities including Columbia and the University of California, Berkeley, the Education Department announced Monday.
It's part of President Donald Trump's promise to take a tougher stance against campus antisemitism and deal out harsher penalties than the Biden administration, which settled a flurry of cases with universities in its final weeks. It comes the same day the Justice Department announced a new task force to root out antisemitism on college campuses.
In an order signed last week, Trump called for aggressive action to fight anti-Jewish bias on campuses, including the deportation of foreign students who have participated in pro-Palestinian protests.
Along with Columbia and Berkeley, the department is now investigating the University of Minnesota, Northwestern University and Portland State University. The cases were opened using the department's power to launch its own civil rights reviews, unlike the majority of investigations, which stem from complaints.
Messages seeking comment were left with all five universities.
A statement from the Education Department criticized colleges for tolerating antisemitism after Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel and a wave of pro-Palestinian protests that followed. It also criticized the Biden administration for negotiating "toothless" resolutions that failed to hold schools accountable.
"Today, the Department is putting universities, colleges, and K-12 schools on notice: this administration will not tolerate continued institutional indifference to the wellbeing of Jewish students on American campuses," said Craig Trainor, the agency's acting assistant secretary for civil rights.
The department didn't provide details about the inquiries or how it decided which schools are being targeted. Presidents of Columbia and Northwestern were among those called to testify on Capitol Hill last year as Republicans sought accountability for allegations of antisemitism. The hearings contributed to the resignation of multiple university presidents, including Columbia's Minouche Shafik.
An October report from House Republicans accused Columbia of failing to punish pro-Palestinian students who took over a campus building, and it called Northwestern's negotiations with student protesters a "stunning capitulation."
House Republicans applauded the new investigations. Representative Tim Walberg, chair of the Education and Workforce Committee, said he was "glad that we finally have an administration who is taking action to protect Jewish students."
Trump's order also calls for a full review of antisemitism complaints filed with the Education Department since Oct. 7, 2023, including pending and resolved cases from the Biden administration. It encourages the Justice Department to take action to enforce civil rights laws.
Last week's order drew backlash from civil rights groups who said it violated First Amendment rights that protect political speech.
The new task force announced Monday includes the Justice and Education departments along with Health and Human Services.
"The Department takes seriously our responsibility to eradicate this hatred wherever it is found," said Leo Terrell, assistant attorney general for civil rights. "The Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism is the first step in giving life to President Trump's renewed commitment to ending anti-Semitism in our schools."
- By VOA News
STEM, business top subjects for international students
The Times of India breaks down the most popular subjects for international students to study in the U.S.
STEM and business lead the pack. Read the full story here. (January 2025)
- By VOA News
Safety and visa difficulties among misconceptions about US colleges
U.S. News & World report addresses some of the misconceptions about U.S. colleges and universities, including the difficulty of getting a visa.
Read the full story here. (January 2025)
- By VOA News
Work opportunities help draw international students to US schools
US News & World Report details the three top factors in foreign students' decision to study in the U.S. They include research opportunities and the reputation of U.S. degrees. Read the full story here. (December 2024)
- By VOA News
British student talks about her culture shock in Ohio
A British student who did a year abroad at Bowling Green State University in Ohio talks about adjusting to life in America in a TikTok video, Newsweek magazine reports.
Among the biggest surprises? Portion sizes, jaywalking laws and dorm room beds.
Read the full story here. (December 2024)
