Fact check: What were Donald Trump's academic credentials before transferring to University of Pennsylvania?

1. Summary of the results

Donald Trump's academic path before University of Pennsylvania is well-documented: he attended Fordham University from 1964 to 1966, studying business and economics ^[1]. Prior to university, he attended the Kew-Forest School and the New York Military Academy ^[1]. He then transferred to the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School in 1966, where he ultimately earned his Bachelor's degree in Economics in 1968 ^[2].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several important contextual elements are worth noting:

• While Trump's educational timeline is clear, his actual academic performance remains unknown, as his academic records have never been made public due to federal student privacy laws ^[3]
• A widely circulated claim about Trump having a 1.28 GPA at Fordham was explicitly declared false by a Fordham University spokesperson, who confirmed the alleged transcript was a forgery ^[3]
• During his time at Fordham, Trump began developing an interest in real estate, influenced by his father's career ^[4]
• His subsequent education at Wharton provided formal training in business principles and real estate ^[4]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question itself is neutral, but there are several areas where misinformation commonly occurs:

• Claims about Trump's academic performance often circulate on social media, but these are typically unverified or false ^[3]
• Those seeking to either praise or criticize Trump might benefit from spreading unverified claims about his academic performance
• It's important to note that while we can confirm where and when Trump studied, any specific claims about his grades or academic standing should be treated with skepticism unless officially verified, as these records are protected by privacy laws ^[3]