M'sian Student Sues School After Getting Rejected By 15 US Unis Including Harvard & Yale
He claimed that improperly made recommendation letters caused top universities like Harvard, Stanford, and Yale to reject his applications.
By Aqasha Nalani — 22 Jan 2024, 11:31 AM
A Form Six student has taken his international boarding school to court over allegations that it mishandled his recommendation letters, resulting in his rejection by 15 prestigious US universities
The 21-year-old and his parents filed a lawsuit on 3 January at the Kuala Lumpur High Court, naming the school in Negeri Sembilan and four others as defendants.
According to documents reviewed by Malaysiakini, the student argued that improperly made recommendation letters caused top universities like Harvard, Stanford, and Yale to reject his applications in March last year.
The student claimed that he only gained admission to three other US universities — Washington University, University of California in San Diego, and University of California in Davis — as they did not require recommendation letters.
The student alleged that the defendants failed to ensure that the recommendation letters were signed by teachers who had personal interactions with him during his time at the school
He argued that this oversight did not meet the criteria of several US universities, which required qualified individuals and legal employees to endorse recommendation letters.
The scholarship holder also claimed a breach of contract for not providing adequate support for his university applications and allowing the unethical practice of using a standardised template for recommendation letters
He also claimed that the defendants' negligence had jeopardised his future career opportunities and potential income.
The family is currently seeking a mandatory injunction to compel the defendants to prepare and deliver a written statement to the US universities he applied for, acknowledging their alleged mistakes and negligence.
Meanwhile, the plaintiffs are also seeking various reliefs, including general, aggravated, exemplary, and special damages.
