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Fact check: Was donald trump rejected by harvard

Checked on May 30, 2025

1. Summary of the results

The claim that Donald Trump was rejected by Harvard is false. Multiple sources confirm that Trump never actually applied to Harvard [1]. Instead, his educational path began at Fordham College in 1964, after which he transferred to the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in economics in 1968 [2] [3].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several important contextual elements need to be considered:

  • A viral "Harvard rejection letter" for Trump that circulated on social media was actually an April Fool's Day joke published by The Tab website in 2016 [4]
  • When questioned about Harvard, a White House spokesperson deflected by calling Harvard an "overrated, corrupt institution" [1]
  • Trump's actual educational path included:
  • Initial enrollment at Fordham University
  • Transfer to Wharton School of Finance and Commerce at UPenn
  • Graduation with an economics degree in May 1968 [5]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question appears to be based on several misconceptions:

  • It stems from a viral hoax that was deliberately created as satire but was later misinterpreted as fact [4]
  • The question itself suggests a false narrative about Trump's educational background, possibly influenced by:
  • Current conflicts between Trump and Harvard University [1]
  • Political motivations to either diminish or enhance Trump's academic credentials
  • Social media's tendency to amplify and perpetuate false narratives without proper fact-checking

The truth is simpler: Trump never applied to Harvard, instead choosing a different educational path through Fordham and UPenn's Wharton School [2] [1].

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