What Do You Think Of Adam Wheeler’s Deception?

The Crimson's roving reporter took to the streets to see what people thought of former Harvard student Adam B. Wheeler's unveiling as a fraud who lied his way into college. See what people had to say:

Justin A. Lavner, works in Boston

RR: How do you think he did it?

JAL: I have wondered that exact thing! I have no idea—as an outsider, you wonder the extent to which people actually look into applications.

RR: Do you think that this problem is unique to the Ivy League?

JAL: Well, I don’t think that it is a rampant problem in general. I would say that embellishment happens at the same frequency at all schools.

RR: What do you think should be his penalty?

JAL: Restitution and definitely community service. Maybe a little jail time.

Sutlana Revina, Chicago resident visiting Harvard

RR: What do you think of the Adam Wheeler story?

SR: Sucks to be him.

RR: How do you think he did it?

SR: He got lucky.

RR: Do you think it happens frequently at Harvard that people lie on their resumes?

SR: I wouldn’t say [this happens] frequently. The Admissions office was not careful enough.

RR: Do you think that the charges that he is facing are appropriate?

SR: [His penalty] should be weighed for his crimes...it depends on how much he gained from it really; 25 years is a lot.

RR: How do you think he got away with it for such a long period?

SR: It’s a combination—that he wasn’t checked out thoroughly, and he is a good liar. Some people just have that skill.

Melinda E. Kurtzky, Kennedy School student

RR: How much have you been keeping up with the Adam Wheeler story?

MK: Well I see it a lot on the blogs, and I have read a couple of blurbs.

RR: Do you think that this was the fault of the Office of Admissions?

MK: I think that the administration should always be careful...every admissions process should be rigorous and thorough.

RR: What do you think the effect of this case will be?

MK: Stories like this always get published on the blogs. It becomes a check for the administration so the next person who wants to do this will be deterred.

RR: What do you think should be his penalty?

MK: I think that he has already paid a huge penalty by having his name dragged in the mud.

RR: Do you think that this sort of fraud is a common problem?

MK: Well I don’t think that people put nearly as much effort into their lies as he did.

Fei Gong, Cambridge resident

RR: Are you following the Adam Wheeler story?

FG: Yes, I am following the story. I just saw the title on the Internet.

RR: What do you think about it?

FG: I think that it’s absolutely wrong. But also, this person has a lot of imagination.

RR: Do you think the administration pays enough attention to this sort of thing?

FG: I don’t know if it’s technically possible to check every piece of paper if it is correct. At least for SAT scores it is important to check.

RR: Do you think this happens a lot at Harvard?

FG: I don’t think its a common thing. I believe most of the students are truthful.

Tarik Umar ’10

RR: What do you think about the Adam Wheeler ordeal?

TU: It was shocking to hear about it.

RR: Do you think the administration is to blame?

TU: I haven’t dissected it—how responsible are the admissions staff? We have a relationship of trust and we don’t approach applicants with distrust.

RR: How do you think he did it?

TU: I don’t know...I’m surprised it lasted this long...if people do something wrong over and over again, they are going to get caught.

RR: Do you think other people at Harvard do this sort of stuff?

TU: I would be shocked if other people [who do this] didn’t get caught.