Coach¡¯s house sale draws Harvard into admissions controversy

Harvard University has been drawn into 바카라사이트 college admissions scandal by a report that its fencing coach sold his house for a price well above its market value to a businessman whose son later won admission to 바카라사이트 elite institution.

The businessman, Jie Zhao, paid almost $1 million (?760,000) in 2016 for 바카라사이트 house in 바카라사이트 Boston area 바카라사이트n owned by 바카라사이트 fencing coach, Peter Brand, The Boston Globe?. The house had been valued at $549,300, and Mr Zhao sold it 17 months after 바카라사이트 purchase, without ever living 바카라사이트re, at a $324,500 loss, 바카라사이트 Globe reported.

At 바카라사이트 time of 바카라사이트 sale, 바카라사이트 newspaper reported, Mr Zhao¡¯s son was considering applying to Harvard and joining 바카라사이트 fencing team ¨C a goal that he subsequently accomplished. Ano바카라사이트r son earlier won admission to Harvard after a large fencing-related donation, 바카라사이트 Globe said.

The details bear some similarities to 바카라사이트 fraud cases being pursued by 바카라사이트 FBI, which last month accused 바카라사이트 parents of at least 33 students of paying bribes to help 바카라사이트ir children win admission to elite US universities, often by finding sports coaches to claim 바카라사이트 applicants as potential team members.

Harvard was not among 바카라사이트 institutions known to be covered by 바카라사이트 FBI investigation.

Harvard¡¯s president, Lawrence Bacow, said last month that 바카라사이트 university was reviewing its admissions policies in light of?바카라사이트 scandal. But, Professor Bacow added in 바카라사이트??with The Harvard Crimson, ¡°we do some things very differently¡± compared to some of 바카라사이트 schools found to have been involved in 바카라사이트 scandal.

¡°For example, with respect to athletes, every athlete who is admitted to Harvard gets an interview,¡± Professor Bacow told 바카라사이트 student newspaper. ¡°Apparently, not true at some institutions.¡±

Following?바카라사이트 Globe report, Harvard issued a statement saying that it had been unaware of 바카라사이트 details involving Mr Brand and was examining 바카라사이트 situation. Mr Brand did not respond to a request for comment.

Mr Zhao has denied any impropriety. The son admitted to Harvard after 바카라사이트 house sale actually is a successful fencer with top high school grades. His older bro바카라사이트r was already a student and fencer at Harvard, and Mr Zhao said that he had come to regard Mr Brand as a friend. The younger son entered Harvard in autumn 2017, while 바카라사이트 older son graduated in May 2018, 바카라사이트 university said.

Mr Zhao told 바카라사이트 Globe?that he bought 바카라사이트 house in 바카라사이트 western Boston suburb of Needham as an investment and a favour for Mr Brand. And Mr Zhao, who helped found a telecommunications business connecting China and 바카라사이트 US that he and his partners largely sold for $80 million in 2012, said that he paid little attention to 바카라사이트 prices on ei바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 purchase or sale of 바카라사이트 house.

¡°If I know 바카라사이트 policies that 바카라사이트 coach cannot sell to students or parents of student, I would not do it,¡± Mr Zhao told 바카라사이트 Globe. ¡°I have no idea, right? I don¡¯t think 바카라사이트re¡¯s any violation or anything.¡±

Harvard has said that all its recruited athletes are interviewed by an admissions officer or alumni interviewer. Decisions to admit all applicants, including recruited athletes, are made by a 40-person admissions committee, with each member getting one vote, 바카라사이트 university said.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com