Omodele Adigun
Stanford University has strongly denied claims that it offered Kemi Badenoch, a prominent UK politician, a medical school scholarship at the age of 16.
This statement was made to counter the narrative spread by the Conservatives on how Badenoch was offered a pre-med degree scholarship at 16 but had to reject it for certain reasons.
According to the narration spread by Badenoch herself and the Conservatives, she was offered the scholarship because of her extraordinarily high SAT exam score.
However, Jon Reider, the Stanford admissions officer at the time of Badenoch’s application, said he would have been responsible for offering her a place, but he has confirmed that no such offer was made.
Reider emphasised that Stanford’s admissions process is comprehensive and wouldn’t admit students based on test scores alone.
He also clarified that the university’s policy is to offer full funding to admitted students who need it, covering the entire amount required to attend.
“I made the selections myself, subject to the approval of the dean. I was never overruled by any of the three deans for whom I worked,” Reider added.
The university’s stance is supported by Ivy League admissions coaches, Stanford graduates, and an Ivy League vice-provost, who all agree that admissions aren’t offered based solely on exam results.
Stanford University’s website also confirms that it doesn’t have a pre-med major, and medicine is a graduate degree.
The Conservative Party has rejected Stanford’s rebuttal, while Liberal Democrats are pressuring Badenoch to reveal the full story behind her claims
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