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EAB’s Mathew Pellish interviews the interviewer in a rare sit-down with Wall Street Journal higher education reporter Melissa Korn. Melissa shares insights from her reporting and from her investigation into last year’s “Varsity Blues” admissions scandal—the largest college admissions scam ever prosecuted by the Department of Justice. She talks about what she learned through interviews and research that led to a newly released book (“Unacceptable”) Melissa co-wrote with her colleague, Jennifer Levitz.
Matt and Melissa talk about why the scandal was such an eye-opener and what it revealed about the dark side of college admissions. Finally, they discuss how the admissions game has evolved and whether all but the most elite institutions have lost leverage in terms of what they can charge and how selective they can afford to be in turning away applicants.
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