Kazakhstani Sues Admissions Consultant: Ha Ha Borat Something Something
Daniyar Nazarbayev had a dream. During those lonely nights on the plains of Kazakhstan, he would look into the stars and pray for admission into America's Ivy League. And then, according to a suit he filed Monday against a high-profile New York college admissions consultant, he got plaaaaayed.
Nazarbayev claims that his family wired Robert Shaw, co-founder and partner of strategic college admissions firm Ivy Success, $200,000 after Shaw "gave assurances the fee would cover a 'complete strategy program' for admission to a 'top-tier American university.'" Then, according to the suit, Shaw was all like, peace out:
Shaw, following an initial meeting with Nazarbayev, informed a family representative that "Daniyar is not Ivy League material," the suit said. Rather than offer a refund, the company "retained the funds and simply left Daniyar to his own efforts," the suit added.
This reminds me of middle school lunches where I would offer someone my sandwich for their fries, and they would give me their fries first and I'd say "You are not sandwich material. I am going to retain the fries and leave you to your own efforts." But I never got sued. Over that.
We ran Shaw through the system to see what he's all about. Before Ivy Success he was an admissions officer at Penn, also his alma mater. IvyGate tried to contact Ivy Success, but they have no phone number, e-mail or address listed on the website. Just this form thingy. Go Quakers!
As for Nazarbayev, he still got into his first choice, Columbia, and will start in the fall. He has no Facebook profile as of yet, so we're not sure which side he'll take in the ongoing War of the '11s.
The Kazakhstani wunderkind, with Ivy admission safely secured, simply wants bygones to be bygones:
The plaintiff, Daniyar Nazarbayev, "just wants his money back," attorney Sam Israel said Tuesday.
There's your attempted Borat joke.
--JIM NEWELL
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Read more: Admissions, borat, Columbia, kazakhstan, Penn, snidely whiplash
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August 3rd, 2007 at 2:29 pm
i like these editors a lot
August 3rd, 2007 at 2:56 pm
Me too! Go Jim!
August 3rd, 2007 at 7:09 pm
the post. so no new reporting yet. but thanks for bringing it up. i’d love to get some more details because the whole thing seems entirely bizarre. both the family who ponies up 200k, and the company who only works with a select group of students. i mean, if the group only works with ivy caliber students anyway, what exactly does this consulting group DO.
August 3rd, 2007 at 8:39 pm
Way back when I was applying to colleges, I stumbled on them while looking for application. I actually filled out a form thing and got an e-mail response. Ridiculous prices, ridiculous services. They pretty much take personality-less kids with Ivy-caliber resumes and give them personalities. They’re also “strategists” so they tell you, for example, what extra-curriculars you should emphasize more than others.
August 3rd, 2007 at 8:40 pm
When I was applying to colleges, I stumbled on them while looking for application tips. I actually filled out a form thing and got an e-mail response. Ridiculous prices, ridiculous services. They pretty much take soulless kids with Ivy-caliber resumes and give them personalities. They’re also “strategists” so they tell you, for example, what extra-curricular activities you should emphasize more.
August 3rd, 2007 at 8:42 pm
Wtf. ^ The second one is edited.
August 3rd, 2007 at 9:04 pm
agree with the first two posters, i like the new editors.
August 3rd, 2007 at 10:58 pm
when is somebody gonna fix the damn double-post issue???
August 21st, 2007 at 8:35 am
I like this editor too.
August 26th, 2007 at 9:16 am
daniyar does have facebook, under daniyar N- add him! lol, he really isnt too bright tho!
May 16th, 2008 at 8:52 pm
does anyone here realize that he’s the nazarbaev family member, as in the president of kazakhstan? funny funny! he had a dream.