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During a presidential debate with Kamala Harris, Donald Trump once again highlighted his educational background, mentioning that he graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. A common motif in Trump's public appearances has been his repeated mention of his 1968 degree from Penn's Wharton School. He made reference to Wharton fifty-two times between June 2015 and January 2018, according to The Daily Pennsylvanian, the student newspaper at Penn. Trump has never released his academic transcripts, thus even with his constant boasting of his background in academia, nothing is known about his real performance at Wharton.
Entry into Wharton: A Special Favor?
Over the years, concerns have been made about Trump’s entrance at Wharton, especially in relation to how he gained admission to the esteemed institution. Trump attended Fordham University for two years before transferring to Wharton in 1966. Former Penn admissions officer James A. Nolan claims that Trump’s older brother, Fred Trump Jr., helped get him in. Nolan, a Queens friend of Fred’s, acknowledged interviewing Trump and assisting with the application process as a favor for Fred. Even though Nolan says other admissions officers looked over Trump’s application, he regretted his involvement in later interviews, saying he didn’t see any proof of Trump’s “super genius” during their encounter.
Academic Performance at Wharton: Grades Hidden from the Public
Regarding Trump’s time at Wharton, one of the most persistent questions is his academic standing. No formal records that attest to his academic accomplishments or GPA have been made public, despite his claims of being an exceptional student. According to reports, former Wharton marketing professor William T. Kelley called Trump “the dumbest goddamn student I ever had.” Attorney Frank DiPrima, a friend of Kelley’s, said that the professor had often made similar comment, pointing out Trump’s haughtiness and lack of curiosity. In his book The Art of the Deal, Trump minimized the significance of his Wharton degree, saying that its value came mostly from other people’s perception of it as distinguished.
Claims of Finishing First in His Class: Unfounded
Trump has maintained over the years that he graduated from Wharton at the top of his class; in fact, many media biographies of him from the 1970s echoed this claim. The university’s Dean’s List and the commencement ceremony at Wharton, however, refuted these assertions. The Daily Pennsylvanian’s 1968 Dean’s include does not include Trump’s name, nor does it include the graduates with honors. Despite legal prohibitions against institutions disclosing transcripts without agreement from students, the fact that Trump’s name isn’t on these lists calls into question his assertions of academic distinction. In a 1988 interview with New York Magazine, Trump appeared to acknowledge this, stating that he may not have finished first but claimed to have earned “the highest grades possible.”
Social Life at Penn: A Low Profile
Regarding his activity on campus, Trump’s tenure at Wharton appears to have been quite unremarkable. Though he often brags about attending the esteemed university, many of his classmates don’t remember him. Former pupils said in interviews with various media sites that Trump did not participate in any recognized extracurricular activities and did not mingle much. 68 out of 74 members of Trump’s graduating class who participated in a study by The Daily Pennsylvanian claimed they had never met him while attending Penn. Some classmates described him as a loner who kept to himself, while others recalled brief interactions, such as his declaration that he would become “the king of New York real estate.”
Conclusion: Fact-Checking Trump’s Wharton Experience
Even though Donald Trump often uses his Wharton degree as evidence of his brilliance and accomplishment, there are still numerous questions about his academic background. Official records contradict his claims of graduating at the top of his class, and it appears that his entry to the institution was facilitated by family ties. Moreover, many of Trump’s Penn classmates had little to no recollection of him due to his low profile during that period. Even if there are still questions over his academic record, Trump continues to emphasize his Wharton degree as a valuable qualification.