More Fake News From the New York Times

This lengthy New York Times story is unintentionally hilarious. Here is the headline: “Amid ‘Trump Effect’ Fear, 40% of Colleges See Dip in Foreign Applicants.” Just for fun, a screen shot:

Screen Shot 2017-03-27 at 2.34.35 PM

Note that the headline doesn’t say there has been a 40% drop in foreign applications, but rather that 40% of institutions have seen a drop. Meaning that 60% haven’t.

But the article is all about how Donald Trump is devastating higher education. E.g.:

“I’d say the rhetoric and actual executive orders are definitely having a chilling effect,” Mr. Wiewel wrote, referring to the Trump administration’s travel ban.

Like many universities across the country, the Oregon university is getting fewer international applications.
***
Graduate schools appear to be feeling the worst pinch, with nearly half reporting drops. “Our deans describe it as a chilling effect,” said Suzanne Ortega, president of the Council of Graduate Schools.
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For several graduate schools, the Trump administration’s travel ban, which initially affected seven predominantly Muslim countries, could not have been more poorly timed.

And so on, endlessly. But here’s the point: if you look at the survey the Times article is based on, this is what you find:

39% of responding institutions reported a decline in international applications, 35% reported an increase, and 26% reported no change in applicant numbers.

That’s right: the Times headline equally well could have read, “Thanks to President Trump, 35% of Colleges See Increase in Foreign Applicants.”

The Times long ago gave up on being a respectable newspaper. It is now, purely and simply, an organ of the Democratic Party.

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