University of California wrongly admitted well-connected students, state auditor finds

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https://abc7.com/education/state-auditor-uc-wrongly-admitted-well-connected-students/6503242/

University of California wrongly admitted well-connected students, state auditor finds

By JOCELYN GECKER
Tuesday, September 22, 2020 8:22 PM

SAN FRANCISCO -- A California state audit has found that the University of California wrongly admitted at least 64 wealthy students over the past six years as favors to donors, family, and friends.

The California State Auditor also found in the audit released Tuesday that campus staff falsely designated 22 of the applicants as student-athlete recruits because of donations from or as favors to well-connected families.

One campus, the University of California, Berkeley, admitted 42 applicants through its regular admissions process based on connections to staff, leadership, and donors, but those applicants were not as qualified as others who were denied admission, the audit found.

The audit was conducted in response to the national college admissions scandal last year that embroiled prestigious universities around the country, athletic coaches and dozens of wealthy parents. Those investigations previously identified at least three students at UCLA and UC Berkeley who were improperly admitted.