Hoax: Reports of 'Math Prodigy' Securing Joint Admission to Harvard, Stanford Are False

The story of a South Korean 'math prodigy,' who was said to have secured a chance to attend both Harvard and Stanford Universities through a joint programme, has turned out to be false. 

On Tuesday, both Harvard and Stanford universities denied any such joint programme.

The denial comes days after Kim Jung-yoon, a senior at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Virginia, US, became popular following reports of her supposed achievement. 

Kim's parents had claimed that both the prestigious universities wanted their daughter to enrol and finally agreed on a special joint programme that entailed the South Korean attending Stanford for two years and later Harvard, again for two years. 

The family even provided letters supposedly written by the two universities to the media.  

The claim, however, fell flat after the universities called the letter a 'forgery'. 

"We have been made aware of an alleged admissions letter sent to Ms. Jung Yoon (Sara) Kim by Harvard University. We can confirm that this letter is a forgery. Despite recent media reports, there is no program in existence through which a student is admitted to spend two years at Harvard College and two years at Stanford University," Anna Cowenhoven, a Harvard Public Affairs and Communications official, told South Korea's Yonhap News Agency.

Stanford University has also maintained a similar position. 

"I am confirming that the letter you received was NOT issued by Richard Shaw or Stanford University," Lisa Lapin, a senior communications official at Stanford University, told the news agency. 

Kim's family, however, has stuck to the claim and decided to take the case ahead through a lawyer.