SOME SUPER GENIUS

Wharton Admissions Officer: Trump ‘Not a Super Genius’ in University of Pennsylvania Interview

“I certainly was not struck by any sense that I’m sitting before a genius,” said James Nolan, who reviewed Trump’s application.

Donald Trump often brags about getting into University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Finance, but an admissions officer who reviewed the future president’s application back in 1966 told The Washington Post that it “was not very difficult.” James Nolan, who interviewed Trump when he applied, said, “I certainly was not struck by any sense that I’m sitting before a genius. Certainly not a super genius.” Trump has described Wharton as “the best school. It’s like super genius stuff.” Nolan said that at the time Trump applied to the undergraduate program, “more than half of applicants” to the school ended up getting in.

He also said the president’s older brother, Fred Trump Jr., who was a close friend at the time, called him up and asked for Trump to be interviewed. “He said, ‘He’s at Fordham and he would like to transfer to Wharton. Will you interview him?’ I was happy to do that,” Nolan said. At the interview, Trump showed up with his father, who sought to “ingratiate himself,” Nolan recalled. While Trump’s school transcripts remain private, materials show he was not honored at commencement, nor did he make it onto the dean’s list of top students in his graduating class.