Educational Consultant sued

soxfan99 · 10-09-2012, 07:06 AM

Story about an former Harvard professor being sued after hif efforts to get a student accepted into Harvard fails.

Quest for admission to Harvard ends in $2 million tangle - News - Boston.com

Pizzagirl · 10-09-2012, 07:14 AM

"The Chows, who lived in Hong Kong, knew little about the US educational system, but they did know that they wanted an Ivy League education for their sons. "

And there is half of CC right there. That's why I always laugh when there are discussions of "how prestigious is it in X other country"? Like prestige counts for anything among people who don't know anything.

oldfort · 10-09-2012, 07:34 AM

This should be interesting. I am sure there were many emails going back and forth about their "Plan" and what the money was to be used for. Chows should have just given 2.2 million to Harvard or come on CC.

mhmm · 10-09-2012, 08:33 AM

Only surprising that there arent more families like Chows that file lawsuits. Unfortunately in Europe and China you are able to buy your way into higher education, thus making what the consultant was telling them extremely plausible. It's much more subtle to buy your way in, in the US.

jym626 · 10-09-2012, 08:41 AM

They sent $2.2M to this consultant? Words fail me.....

emeraldkity4 · 10-09-2012, 08:50 AM

I guess intelligence can't be bought.^^^

Consolation · 10-09-2012, 09:03 AM

I find all parties to this fraud extremely distasteful.

CTTC · 10-09-2012, 09:24 AM

I wonder if the Chow boys cheated on their SATs? Isn't that common in other countries (more common than in the US, although apparently it also occurs here, too)?

Hunt · 10-09-2012, 09:27 AM

I guess I'm a little sorry for the kids. Maybe.

Consolation · 10-09-2012, 09:28 AM

*I* wonder what prep schools they went to and whether they closed an eye to the "consultants" who wrote papers for them. Oh, those full-pay tuition $$.

chashaobao · 10-09-2012, 09:35 AM

Quote:

... Unfortunately in Europe and China you are able to buy your way into higher education, thus making what the consultant was telling them extremely plausible. It's much more subtle to buy your way in, in the US.

I seriously doubt this is true in most of Europe, and it is definitely not true in China. Through there is still regional inequities (some provinces/metropolis, like Beijing and Shanghai, are allotted more seats per number of applicants), in China, college admission is one place (and maybe the only time in one's lifetime) that everyone competes fairly.

However, the offspring of the rich and powerful in China, these days, don't have to compete with those millions of hardworking poor kids. They can just come to the US, and the elite schools like Harvard love these Chinese princelings. Chinese communist leaders send children to U.S. colleges | Washington Post

The Chows believed that money would buy you seats at elite schools in the US, because it is mostly true. They just went about it the wrong way.

lookingforward · 10-09-2012, 09:39 AM

Oh, yeah, a lecturer and visiting asst prof-?
For anyone interested, the court filing: IvyAdmit's Mark Zimny Caught In Embezzling Clients' Money Includes details on the schools the kids attended here and etc. The suit was fied in April 2010.

Speechless.

amandakayak · 10-09-2012, 09:52 AM

I like how the unbiased reporter claims that a couple in HK "knew little about the US educational system" like it's some state secret. Do you really think wealthy business people, who have sent their kids to US boarding schools are that ignorant?

ellemenope · 10-09-2012, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Zimny said he would grease the admissions wheels, funneling donations to elite colleges while also investing on the Chows’ behalf.

Not only was he doing his consultant job he was also investing on the parents' behalf??!!! It's bad enough when people spend tens of thousands of bucks on these kind of college counselors...but to have them "invest" millions for you? Amazing!

Bay · 10-09-2012, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Do you really think wealthy business people, who have sent their kids to US boarding schools are that ignorant?

No, and I don't think the U.S. education system is all that hard to understand.

But the Chows probably need the court to agree that it is reasonable for them to be so ignorant in order to win this case. If they come across as sophisticated business people, then I assume this will be treated as a simple contract case, with the outcome turning on the terms of the agreement.