James Arthur Hogue, a serial impostor, got into Princeton University in 1988 by posing as a self-educated ranch hand. Short of outright fraud, popular culture has glorified the hardship story in college admissions, persuading many students to make it an essential part of their application. The Common Application asks students to certify that they are telling the truth, but does not try to independently confirm that they are. It is up to colleges to take that extra step, said Daniel Obregon, a spokesman for the Common Application. Some universities require students to sign a sworn statement that they are telling the truth, under pain of prosecution.

Source: New York Times December 16, 2018 17:37 UTC