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U.Va. took perks from Chinese company in exchange for admissions help, Reuters reports

U.Va. denies giving advantages to certain applicants

<p>University Spokesperson Anthony de Bruyn said creating a better system for Chinese applicants is a key goal, especially since more than 2,500 Chinese applications were received last year.</p>

University Spokesperson Anthony de Bruyn said creating a better system for Chinese applicants is a key goal, especially since more than 2,500 Chinese applications were received last year.

The University Office of Admissions denied having a “special relationship” with a Chinese education company accused of admissions fraud in an investigative report Reuters published Friday.

The article spoke of “special relationships” that the Shanghai-based Dipont Education Management Group has with several institutions including the University, Vanderbilt University, Wellesley College and Tulane University. Dipont said admissions officers from these colleges have been visiting China since 2014 and advising Dipont students at an annual summer program.

The article also denounced the Shanghai-based Dipont Education Management Group for admissions fraud. Former Dipont employees accused the company of writing application essays and editing recommendation letters and transcripts for applicants, according to the report.

Dipont was founded in 1990 as an emigration and visa consulting company but now advises and works with Chinese students who apply to American universities. As more Chinese students aspire to attend exclusive U.S. colleges, companies like Dipont have sought to be intermediaries that guide clients toward admission.

Reuters also reported the University accepted a paid plane ticket in 2014 to attend a Dipont conference in Shanghai to advise students on how to apply to U.S. institutions.

In an interview with The Cavalier Daily, Dean of Admissions Gregory Roberts confirmed acceptance of the ticket, but said it was in line with University policy.

“In 2014, one junior counselor attended one college workshop designed to educate Chinese families applying to colleges in [the] U.S.,” Roberts said. “The counselor did not accept any payments but did accept a plane ticket, which is in line with University policies as well as national admission association policies.”

Roberts also said the University would never do anything to give certain individuals an unfair advantage in the application process.

“At U.Va. we have certain principles and values we adhere to, including honesty, integrity and fairness,” Roberts said. “We would never pursue any relationship that would place any group of students or a single student at an advantage.”

Christy Pratt, senior associate dean of admissions, said applicants are also expected to abide by the Honor Code even before they are accepted.

“Students have their first experience with the Honor pledge when they first apply to make sure that all documents are truthful to their knowledge,” Pratt said.

With regard to international students, the Office of Admissions also seeks to promote fair practice through the use of official education evaluation services. These services are provided by companies which work with overseas students to help evaluate, translate and certify applicant’s documents and applications.

“I have been working with deans at many leading universities such as Duke, Columbia, MIT, UCLA and others to have conversations and develop a better system for reviewing applications from China so that students would not have to rely on agents,” Roberts said.

University Spokesperson Anthony de Bruyn denied the allegation that University has any relationship with Dipont and said the University is working with several other U.S. colleges in addressing this issue.

“Many U.S. universities and colleges, including U.Va., have been concerned about the viability of Chinese college admissions companies and agents representing Chinese applicants, and the University does not offer preferential treatment to applicants using such services,” de Bruyn said in an email statement.

The University established an office in Shanghai in March 2015, which Roberts said he hopes will help the Office of Admissions facilitate contact with potential students and their families.

“We are working to build a better system for Chinese applicants,” Roberts said. “But that shouldn’t suggest the Chinese applicants at the University have not applied in an honest way. Chinese students are very important to us and do great things at the University.”

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