Myth: Connections with important people can get you in.

This may be the case in some admissions offices, but UW-Madison’s is famously immune.

In an age when both public and private universities are more dependent on individual philanthropy, a decision to admit can become a valuable commodity, for which wealthy donors might offer, or threaten to withhold, millions of dollars. In his 2006 book The Price of Admission, which documents the eroding wall between the admissions and fundraising functions at America’s elite universities, journalist Daniel Golden argues this game of quid pro quo is “increasingly tainting college admissions, undermining both its credibility and value to American democracy.”

At UW-Madison, however, the wall appears intact. Numerous university officials in both admissions and fundraising told us that admissions decisions are sacrosanct from outside influence.

“It’s a source of pride at the UW that you can’t buy your way in,” says Walt Keough ’69, MBA’78, a vice president at the UW Foundation. Keough says he will contact the admissions office on behalf of a donor to check an application’s status or make sure it is complete. “We try to make the process more personal for them,” he says. “We are very concerned that our donors know that we appreciate them, but at the same time, we’re clear with them that appreciation can’t extend to admissions decisions.”

All of the admissions counselors we talked to confirmed that they feel free to render decisions without outside influence. Many say they have encountered letters of recommendation from prominent politicians, business leaders, and other recognizable names in application files, but they insist those applicants aren’t treated any differently as a result.

“I got a recommendation letter from Dustin Hoffman once,” says counselor St. Arnauld. “I was very excited when I got it. But it didn’t get [the applicant] in. She was postponed.”

“Not a whole lot impresses us,” adds assistant director Olson. “The whole influence factor just isn’t really a value of the state of Wisconsin, and I think we walk the walk of that every day.”

Next myth » Alumni can get their kids in if they pull the right strings.

• Introduction
• Myth: It’s a secretive process.
• Myth: A formula determines whether students are admitted or denied.
• Myth: UW-Madison has raised its admissions criteria in recent years.
• Myth: The UW turns away students with perfect GPAs.
• Myth: Some students get special treatment in the admissions process.
• Myth: It’s impossible for regular students to get in anymore.
• Myth: No one reads personal statements.
• Myth: It pays to apply early.
• Myth: Minority students get in with lower grades than some white students who are rejected.
• Myth: UW-Madison caps the number of students who can be admitted from one high school.
• Myth: Back in the day, UW-Madison let everybody in.
• Myth: Applicants from outside Wisconsin are taking up spots that could go to state residents.
• Myth: Connections with important people can get you in.
• Myth: Alumni can get their kids in if they pull the right strings.
• Myth: Being postponed is the same as being on a wait list.
• Myth: An A is always better than a B.
• Myth: One grumpy admissions counselor can doom an application.
• Myth: Admissions counselors like rejecting people.
• Myth: My son or daughter isn’t emotionally ready to be turned down by the university.
• Myth: It’s a perfect system.