'It's a crap shoot': Father of girl who wrote scathing letter to Ivy League colleges

[Hunt]

<p>

People use their wealth, connections, legacies, etc. to get into prestigious schools all the time. However, Suzy Weiss did not choose to write a satirical piece on those folks.

Well, maybe she did, but the Wall Street Journal edited THAT part out. Again, remember that this was not a high school girl griping to her pals–this was published in the Wall Street Journal, a newspaper with professional editors who knew very well that a number of lines in the piece were cheap shots that would offend people. Those of you who are defending her are really defending a bunch of cynical people at the Journal.</p>

[mokusatsu]

<p>Why wouldn’t WSJ editorial page editors want to offend people with wealth and connections? Oh . . .</p>

[LoremIpsum]

<p>

I can not believe that they had Marilee Jones on a panel about admissions. She faked her credentials to be an admissions officer

</p>

<p>Sounds to me like she would be the perfect advisor to Suzy… ;)</p>

[calmom]

<p>

As a disadvantaged senior even I knew that all the Ivy mail I was receiving meant nothing. How come my wealthier counterparts can’t see this?

</p>

<p>Perhaps because many of them DO feel entitled – so when those individuals get an envelope with a glossy viewbook along with a cover letter that somehow seems personalized – it never occurs to them that the similar mailings are being sent to disadvantaged seniors like you. They just assume that they are the beneficiary of a highly targeted mailing list.</p>

[xiggi]

<p>

What you are missing is that she didn’t say anything <em>bad</em> about “the others.” To the contrary, she said she wanted to be one of them, because what they had made them something other than the “saltine” girl that she was.

</p>

<p>Where is John MacEnroe when we need him. She did not say anything “bad” and wanted to be like them? </p>

<p>You can’t be serious!</p>

[xiggi]

<p>Haha - an old thread about Tufts Syndrome was revived, and I saw one of my older posts.</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/14613634-post9.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/14613634-post9.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Little Suzy overlooked that one in her sorry opus. </p>

<p>

As far the Tufts Syndrome, someone ought to rename it the Rejected Student Cocktail Party Syndrome, as it must the most used element to explain the non-admittance of Little Suzy or little Tyler to the friends!

</p>

[texaspg]

<p>I think Michigan is not any lower than Tufts in prestige. So we need a new syndrome. :D</p>

[Joblue]

<p>I detected no lies from Marilee Jones in the panel discussion and would have had no idea that she is apparently evil incarnate if I hadn’t read Xiggi’s posts. I will do research on her later when I have some (more) free time though because I’d love to know the juicy story. Apparently it’s not bad enough to keep her from being cited as an “elite” admissions specialist so apparently the media at large don’t have a problem with her.</p>

<p>I won’t repeat again why I found Weiss’ WSJ lighthearted and amusing, but I will say that the response from Ying-Ying and the young lady representing Columbia on the video discussion to be quite dreary and defensive. Their positions seem to boil down to “how dare anyone challenge a system which gave ME the result I wanted. In short, you didn’t get in because you are unworthy and I did because I’m special, special, SPECIAL!”</p>

<p>Sheesh, isn’t getting admitted reward enough? Do they all have to insist that the process is a perfect meritocracy?</p>

[xiggi]

<p>The media does not have a problem with Marilee. The media does not have a problem publishing Weiss’ opus. The media is know to throw unsuspecting kids (and their family) at the wolves by publishing details about admissions that should never be revealed. The media does not know much of anything about college admissions, except for anything that drives a bit of ratings. </p>

<p>See a pattern?</p>

[alexissss]

<p>@calmom </p>

<p>I see. Fascinating.</p>

[muckdogs07]

<p>Would have liked YingYing’s letter better if she had explained why she thought she had been admitted to those top schools. Still, a solid rejoinder re the entitlement mentality although I still enjoyed SW’s humor.</p>

[alexissss]

<p>YingYing is going to Harvard! Her status update was on my newsfeed! :3</p>

[NewHavenCTmom]

<p>Wow… I have said this for a very long time. The sense of entitlement is something that so many people ignore. They think that Suzy’s whining is comical. I wonder if Suzy was low income and URM…and swapped out some of her racial/ homophobic digs…how her essay would have been perceived? I bet folks wouldn’t see the humor in it at all.</p>

[FlyMeToTheMoon]

<p>I found this comment to be particularly interesting.</p>

<p>

Speaking as someone with more knowledge of what goes on inside admissions committees, I can tell you those medians top universities publish are highly manipulated. They typically do no take into account special admits – legacies, underrepresented minorities, athletes, Alaskans, etc. – and at some Ivies this can be 50 percent of the class. Her numbers were fine, and if she had gone to the right New England prep school, written an essay about being the only gay kid in a homophobic Southern school or done volunteer work in Africa, she would have had the “hook” necessary to get in. That was her point.

</p>

[mythmom]

<p>The link said the family has strong political ties. The letter had a strong political agenda. I don’t think it’s successful satire, but I do think it’s political satire aimed at affirmative action, thus the whiff of entitled as in “they took my spot.”</p>

<p>It’s not her spot.</p>

<p>There are tells throughout – “diversity” and “Africa”. I think the subtle racism the problem, and she should be called on it.</p>

<p>And since she doesn’t seem a supporter of diversity and these admit policies, perhaps these are wrong schools for her.</p>

<p>I also felt that she did not have a balanced list of schools. Reaches yes, and schools she was admitted to, but apparently not match and safety schools she really wanted to attend.</p>

[drexter]

<p>many people are getting rejected with 2400 SATs and perfect gpa …</p>

[Hunt]

<p>

It apparently was a mistake she made when very young and first applying for the job. She apparently neglected to correct the error over the course of her career despite reports she was competent at her job.

Except they weren’t mistakes or errors, they were deliberate fabrications. (This is Marilee Jones.) I do feel a bit bad when something like this comes out and wrecks a person’s career decades later, but it’s her own fault. I find it amazing that anybody would give her any credibility at this point.</p>

[Bay]

<p>Hunt,
I don’t find it amazing. Our VP admitted he inflated his credentials, and more.</p>

[Joblue]

<p>

I do feel a bit bad when something like this comes out and wrecks a person’s career decades later, but it’s her own fault. I find it amazing that anybody would give her any credibility at this point.

</p>

<p>I have no problem with her losing her job at MIT. When someone fabricates their credentials they deserve to be fired from the position they hold as a result of the false credentials.</p>

<p>I think you are wrong in saying that she has no credibility at this point because of the fabricated credentials. The woman has 18 years of experience in admissions at MIT and obviously performed well in the job. She saw what she saw and knows what she knows because of her extensive experience at the heart of the admissions process at that institution. It’s a fact that she actually did this job so why would anyone doubt what she has to say as a result of her experience there.</p>

<p>Unless of course they just don’t like the message she brings.</p>

[xiggi]

<p>The problem was more than an early mistake. She had plenty of chances to correct it later but built a career on deception and misrepresentation. And, fwiw, those are the traits she exhibited in her many declarations about MIT’s admissions in which she advocated for a system of admissions she was NOT following in any way or shape at her school. </p>

<p>She can talk all she wants now, but it remains that she went along with a rotten system for years as long as it furthered her career and image. And only talked ill about it after being kicked to the curb. A true hypocrite. </p>

<p>As far as listening to her, one should worry about when she tells the truth and when she makes things up. Her record indicates the latter is more common.</p>