you got the money? UCLA has the degree for yuo! 
I have posted on many different sports cases that I consider to be PR Nightmares.  From Marion Jones to Michael Vick, there are just many to choose from.  But, there of course are PR Nightmares in Academics as well.  I might be a little biased towards this article for two reasons.  First, it involves UCLA, and Second– it involves UCLA (I’m a USC Alum– what can I say?  Fight on!!!!) 🙂  I was absolutely surprised when I saw this article that appeared in the Daily Bruin.  It is an article that talks about how the orthodontics school at UCLA admits students not for their grades or ranking in their class– but for donations.

Basically, if you donate to the school– you get in, and take a spot that would have gone to someone that had earned the spot instead.  What happened to working hard, studying for tests, and doing well in school?  Is this a common thing that is going on in graduate school?  I think that this is shocking, and this is not a private school we are looking at– but a state school?!!  It’s amazing– because there are several PR things that are going on.  First, UCLA is not being transparent to the public and everyone regarding this issue, and the Daily Bruin does provide a lot of facts and details about who has donated how much and who got admitted to the program.  The article cites emails and interviews– and UCLA needs to address this immediately.

Bottom line– the best qualified students should be the ones to get accepted to these graduate programs because they are knowledgeable, creative, and they did the hard work.  Donations should never be a factor to consider. Period. These are just a few of my thoughts.

Hope you all are having a great day!

Best Wishes,

Karen