Susan Svrluga

Susan Svrluga is a reporter covering higher education for The Washington Post. She has covered the challenges and opportunities facing colleges and universities since joining The Post in 2014.

Biography:  https://www.washingtonpost.com/people/susan-svrluga/

64%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermines the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
Analysis.OverallConflictOfInterestScore * 0.3F + Analysis.OverallBiasScore * 0.3F + Analysis.DeceptivenessScore * 0.3F + Analysis.ReadabilityScore * 0.1F

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

The Daily's Verdict

This author has a mixed reputation for journalistic standards. It is advisable to fact-check, scrutinize for bias, and check for conflicts of interest before relying on the author's reporting.

Bias

85%

Examples:

  • The author cites research by Harvard professors who have a clear conflict of interest in promoting their own research, without providing any independent or critical evaluation of the validity or reliability of their research.
  • The author does not disclose the sources of her information or quotes from other people involved in the issue, which may affect her credibility and impartiality.
  • The author does not report on science and health articles that are not peer-reviewed or pre-print, nor does she link them to sources that can verify their validity and reliability. She also uses these articles as examples to support her argument in favor of standardized tests without providing any evidence or citations to back up their claims.
  • The author implies that making test scores optional during the pandemic had a negative impact on Harvard's socioeconomic diversity, when in fact there is no evidence or data to support this claim. She does not provide any comparison or contrast between the admission rates of students from different backgrounds before and after making the tests optional, nor does she explain how standardized test scores are used as a factor in admissions decisions at Harvard.
  • The author implies that making test scores optional during the pandemic was an exceptional and temporary measure, when in fact there is no evidence or data to support this claim. She also suggests that returning to standardized tests as admissions criteria at Harvard was a necessary and beneficial decision, without providing any justification or rationale for doing so.
  • The author tends to present Harvard in a positive light and portrays its decisions as fair and necessary, without acknowledging the potential harms or alternative perspectives on standardized tests.
  • The author uses editorializing and pontification to express her personal opinion in favor of standardized tests as admissions criteria at Harvard, without providing any balanced or nuanced perspective on the issue.
  • The author uses emotional language and anecdotal evidence to persuade readers of her opinion, rather than providing objective or factual information.
  • The author uses science and health articles as examples to support her argument in favor of standardized tests without providing any evidence or citations to back up their claims. She also does not consider the possibility that these articles may be biased or unreliable, nor does she provide any alternative sources or perspectives on them.

Conflicts of Interest

50%

Examples:

  • The author cites research by Harvard professors who have a vested interest in promoting their own research, without disclosing their affiliation with Harvard and other elite universities.
  • The author does not provide any independent or critical evaluation of the validity or reliability of the research she cites.

Contradictions

85%

Examples:

  • The author contradicts herself by claiming that many campuses have been embroiled in protests and debates over the war without providing any evidence or context for these claims.
  • The author uses sensationalist language to create an emotional response in readers without providing any evidence or context for her claims.

Deceptions

50%

Examples:

  • The article does not provide any balanced or nuanced perspective on the issue of standardized tests at Harvard.
  • The article ignores the fact that other measures of applicants' qualifications may also be biased or prone to favoring students from higher-income families.
  • The article is deceptive because it uses emotional language and anecdotal data to persuade readers without providing any evidence or context for her claims.

Recent Articles

Bloomberg Philanthropies Donates $1 Billion to Make Johns Hopkins Medical School Tuition-Free for Most Students

Bloomberg Philanthropies Donates $1 Billion to Make Johns Hopkins Medical School Tuition-Free for Most Students

Broke On: Monday, 08 July 2024 Bloomberg Philanthropies donated $1 billion to Johns Hopkins University, making medical school tuition-free for most students and covering living expenses for many more. The gift aims to address financial barriers and attract diverse talent to essential fields like medicine.
Harvard College Reinstates Standardized Testing Requirements for Fall 2025 Admissions Cycle

Harvard College Reinstates Standardized Testing Requirements for Fall 2025 Admissions Cycle

Broke On: Thursday, 11 April 2024 Harvard College has announced that it will require standardized test scores for the fall 2025 admissions cycle, reversing its previous policy to remain test-optional through the admitted Class of 2030. The decision comes in response to criticism from academics and admissions experts who have been calling on Harvard to reinstate standardized testing requirements. Research by Opportunity Insights group found SAT scores are a particularly strong predictor of college success, much more so than high school grade point average. Harvard will require applicants to submit either the SAT or ACT scores for fall 2025 admission cycle.
Harvard University Faces Investigation over Allegations of Antisemitism on Campus

Harvard University Faces Investigation over Allegations of Antisemitism on Campus

Broke On: Friday, 16 February 2024 Harvard University is under investigation by the House education committee for allegations of antisemitism on campus. Subpoenas have been issued to three individuals: Penny Pritzker, interim President Alan Garber and Harvard Management Company CEO N.P. Narvekar.