<p>What's the deal with the so-called "development candidates" who get into Ivy League schools because of money?</p>
<p>Let's say you're a parent with 1 billion dollars. How do schools know you have this money? Many rich people are extremely private. Would you call the school and say "please let my kid into your school, because I have lots of money"? Or, do you make a donation to the school during admissions season, and hope that helps?</p>
<p>How does this mysterious aspect to admissions usually work?</p>
<p>The Ivy’s, and other universities have entire offices full of staff members who spend their whole lives tracking down potential donors and charming money out of them.</p>
<p>It works something like this. The donor calls the school. “Hi, My name is Rich V. Guy. I’d like do donate a little cash to your fine institution. You want it? Okay, Great! By the way, my kid just submitted an application to you.”</p>
<p>And just take it from there…</p>
<p>And it does happen. I remember a few years ago that my daughter was puzzled about how one of her classmates got accepted to Brown (and this was not sour grapes–my daughter didn’t apply to Brown–too close to home for her tastes). Now my daughter’s high school regularly sent a number of students to Brown each year and, for the most part, these admissions made perfect sense–top grades and SAT’s and the occasional recruited athlete. But this one classmate had mediocre grades and SAT’s and was not a great athlete. She also was not a legacy. She also was admitted over students who, on paper, appeared much better qualified. My daughter just didn’t get it.</p>
<p>So the summer after she graduated, I took my daughter for a walk on the Brown campus to see a brand new building that sported the surname of her classmate on the front. She got it.</p>
<p>While throwing down new buildings is rarely the case, college are willing to go for the super rich for donors. It’s always “I’ll scratch your back you scratch mine”.</p>
<p>Let’s say I’m at any school, and I make a billion dollars tomorrow. What steps would be taken for a transfer? I’m just curious and I want to know how this works.</p>
<p>The explanation by ConcernedDad just seems fictional. I’m seriously wondering if this sort of thing actually happens, and how. Wouldn’t the kid feel “out of place if he/she” knew the parents just donated money to the school for an acceptance? And would you even need to submit an app if your family is donating $20 million?</p>
<p>if you are in school and are on the verge of making a billion dollars, you are no longer in school. No kid is that stupid and if they were they would nt be the Bill Gates, Steve Jobs or Mark Zuckerberg.</p>
<p>Nearly every point in that article lacks reference or substantiation. Especially the early assertions about Duke. I’d take it with a (big) grain of salt.</p>