The Unwritten Rules of American Universities: Unveiling the Secret Actions Behind Obama’s Daughter's School Selection

 

Worldway Investment Immigration's latest comprehensive news: "What university will the 'First Daughter' attend?" On February 6, local time, First Lady Michelle Obama visited several universities in New York with her 16-year-old daughter, Malia. This is considered an important reference trip for the 'First Daughter's' school selection. One of the more notable stops was Columbia University, Michelle's alma mater. Speculation suggests that Malia may follow in her father's educational footsteps. In the United States, many children of 'First Families' choose to attend the same schools as their presidential fathers, continuing a shared set of values.
 

David Hawkins from the National Association for College Admission Counseling stated in a media interview: "Given her status, I think many universities will be eager to have her." There are some publicly known "unwritten rules" for celebrity children when it comes to school selection, such as being the child of a major donor or having a parent who is an alumnus of the school, making it easier to gain admission.
 

Mother and Daughter's Low-Key Campus Visit

 

In addition to Columbia University, Michelle and Malia also visited New York University and Barnard College, a women's college affiliated with Columbia. Upon seeing such a "big name" visit, students were astonished and shared their excitement on social media.
 

Some netizens jokingly declared that if Malia came to their school, they would definitely want to be her close friend. Others were even incredulous that Obama’s daughter was already of college age, as many still remember her as just a child of around ten years old.
 

Media reports quoted Barnard College student Courtney Craig, who said she saw Michelle, Malia, and several adults dining not far from her in the school cafeteria, with about ten Secret Service agents sitting nearby and seven black SUVs parked outside. When Michelle stood up to leave, everyone applauded her.
 

As early as last June, media noted that Malia visited Stanford University and the University of California, Berkeley. At that time, Malia was working a "summer job" as a production assistant for the sci-fi series "Extant" produced by Steven Spielberg. The Obamas have stated that Malia aspires to become a filmmaker.
 

Will She Be an Alumnus of Her Father's School?

 

Journalists have compiled the college education histories of past U.S. presidents and their children, finding that among the 44 presidents, aside from seven who did not receive formal education or were self-taught, eight presidents attended Harvard University, while Yale University produced five presidents. Many presidents have also transferred schools, and some have dropped out.
 

Many presidential children choose to attend their father's alma mater. For example, among former President Jimmy Carter's four children, his eldest son John Carter and second son James Carter both attended Southwest Georgia State University, just like their father. Bill Clinton studied at Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar, and his daughter Chelsea received her doctorate in international relations from Oxford last year.
 

A larger alumni network comes from the Bush family: George W. Bush and one of his twin daughters, Barbara, graduated from Yale University, which is also the alma mater of George H.W. Bush, continuing the conservative values. Additionally, Bush's grandfather and uncle were also Yale alumni and members of the famous Yale secret society "Skull and Bones," which has produced many elites in American political and economic fields.
 

Before 2005, Obama served as a constitutional law lecturer at the University of Chicago Law School. Before obtaining his Juris Doctor degree from Harvard Law School, Obama attended Occidental College in Los Angeles and later transferred to Columbia University.
 

Observing the schools attended by some politicians and social elites reveals that the ideological leanings of universities can be an important factor in predicting the future political landscape. For example, Columbia University has produced 97 Nobel Prize winners, three U.S. presidents, nine U.S. Supreme Court justices, and 29 U.S. governors, with its fervent and radical political ideology making it a significant bastion of liberalism. Additionally, in American history, both Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin D. Roosevelt attended Columbia Law School.
 

How Will the 'First Daughter' Choose?

 

Many speculate whether Malia, the 'First Daughter' who stepped into the public eye as a teenager, will feel pressure from Obama to attend his alma mater and whether her college choice will ultimately break new ground. "Based on her parents' educational levels, I can only speculate that she will be a bright and outstanding student," Hawkins stated.
 

In addition to Malia's own admission qualifications, there are other factors to consider in the 'First Daughter's' school selection, one of which is safety. To avoid the impression that this is a school endorsement or a political show, Malia's pre-admission visit was meticulously arranged and kept very low-key, suggesting that safety considerations after admission will still be a significant concern.
 

When the Obamas first entered the White House, they put considerable effort into arranging high school for their two daughters in Washington, ultimately choosing the prestigious private school Sidwell Friends School, which has a 130-year history. Next year, Malia will graduate from this school, coinciding with Obama's departure from office.
 

In the United States, when high school graduates submit their college applications, in addition to basic personal information, high school transcripts, campus activities, and work experience, they are also asked about their reasons for choosing that university and whether they have visited the campus. Additionally, universities also engage high school graduates and their parents from various regions to visit school facilities and environments to foster closer relationships and increase enrollment numbers.
 

The "Unwritten Rules" of American Universities

 

In the United States, which is founded on the principles of equality and freedom, is there a gray area for the children of celebrities and politicians attending prestigious schools? The answer is yes, but these "unwritten rules" are not illegal and are gradually accepted by a society that values pragmatism. One of these rules is donations. According to the latest statistics from the non-profit organization Council for Aid to Education, last year, 70 surveyed higher education institutions in the U.S. received a total of $37.5 billion in donations, setting a historical record, with alumni donations reaching $9.85 billion. Donations from social groups and foundations, especially from elite alumni, constitute a powerful and sustained force for the development of American universities, which also means that schools generally tend to be lenient when reviewing applications from the children of significant donors, making exceptional admissions quite common.
 

Another situation that is prioritized is known as "legacy preference," meaning that applicants whose parents or family members attended the school will receive preferential consideration for admission. Journalists have found that legacy preference accounts for about 10% of the admission rates at top U.S. universities. For example, in the 2014 admissions cycle for Ivy League schools, Yale University and the University of Pennsylvania both had a legacy preference rate of 13%. Cornell University and Dartmouth College also had rates around 10%.
 

In 2011, Harvard University education expert Michael Hurwitz found that after analyzing the admissions data of 30 universities, legacy applicants had a 45.1% higher chance of being admitted compared to others, given equal SAT scores and other factors.
 

One perspective suggests that, in the long run, universities that attract alumni donations and prioritize the admission of alumni children cultivate a positive cycle of loyalty among elite alumni towards the university. The donations received are used for research development and can also be used to provide scholarships for more disadvantaged groups and minorities, thereby offering more educational opportunities and achieving social equality in another dimension.
 

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