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Fact check: What professors or classmates have spoken about Trump's performance at Wharton?
1. Summary of the results
Based on the analyses provided, several professors and classmates have indeed spoken about Trump's performance at Wharton, with predominantly negative assessments:
Professors:
- Professor William T. Kelley repeatedly told friends and associates that Donald Trump "was the dumbest goddamn student I ever had" [1]. Attorney Frank DiPrima reported that Kelley made these comments over the course of 30 years, describing Trump as arrogant and uninterested in learning [1].
- Professor Eric Orts has publicly stated that Trump is "the worst admissions mistake that the Wharton School has ever made" [2].
- Six current Wharton professors - Brian Berkey, Julian Jonker, William Laufer, Eric Orts, Amy Sepinwall, and Kevin Werbach - have called for an investigation into allegations that Trump cheated on his SATs and believe his degree should be revoked if the allegations are true [3].
Classmates:
- Louis Calomaris recalled Trump standing up in class and declaring "I'm going to be the king of New York real estate," prompting eye-rolls from classmates [1]. Calomaris also described Trump as "loath to really study much" and noted he "did not seem to care about being prepared" [1].
- Steve Perelman (1968 classmate) stated that Trump "was not in any kind of leadership. I certainly doubt he was the smartest guy in the class" [4].
- Larry Krohn wrote that "Four years — including lots of required classes — is a long time never to hear of a classmate, especially with such a distinctive name" [4].
- Ted Sachs provided the only positive assessment, remembering Trump as "a really nice low-key guy" who was "very self-effacing" and had "a magnetism about himself" [1] [4].
2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints
The analyses reveal important contextual information not typically discussed:
- Admission circumstances: James Nolan, a former University of Pennsylvania admissions official, revealed that he interviewed Trump at the request of Trump's brother, Fred Trump Jr., suggesting family connections facilitated his admission [5]. Nolan found Trump to be "decent enough" but not exceptional [5].
- Academic standards of the era: Wharton's acceptance rate was over 50% at the time Trump attended, making admission "relatively easy" compared to today's standards [5]. Another source noted acceptance rates were "slightly greater than 40%" in the 1980s [6].
- Contemporary faculty response: Current Wharton faculty members are actively distancing themselves from Trump's legacy, with multiple professors publicly calling for investigations into his academic credentials [3] [2].
- Alumni perspective: Prominent lawyer and Penn alum Stephen Sheller has joined calls for investigation, citing the need for the university to maintain its integrity [7].
3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement
The original question appears neutral and factual in seeking information about professors and classmates' assessments. However, there are no apparent biases or misinformation in the question itself - it simply requests documented accounts of Trump's academic performance from those who knew him at Wharton. The question allows for a comprehensive examination of available testimonies from both supporters and critics of Trump's academic abilities.