Student Poses as 71-Year-Old to Get College Tuition Break

by Amy Hatch (Subscribe to Amy Hatch's posts) Sep 16th 2009 8:10AM

Categories: Money & Work, In The News, Education

A Florida college student used a stolen identity to qualify for tuition funding assistance. Credit: jupiterimages

You know the economy is in bad shape when a coed poses as 71-year-old woman just to pay for her college education.

According to The Palm Beach Post, Patricia Brandao, 25, faces criminal charges for allegedly using the Social Security number of a 71-year-old Florida woman in order to receive the in-state tuition rate at Florida Atlantic University in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

Brandao, who graduated three years ago, was caught when she requested that school officials change the Social Security number on transcripts she sent to medical schools.

Whoops! Guess they aren't teaching Fraud 101 in college these days. But Brandao was apparently paying attention in economics class: This year at Florida Atlantic University, students can save $13,000 if they claim in-state residency. FAU's in-state undergraduate tuition and fees for the 2009-2010 academic year are $4,186, compared to $17,532 for a non-resident, according to The Palm Beach Post.

The newspaper reported that as a non-resident, Brandao, who was born in Brazil, would have paid an additional $51,443 for 142 credit hours accrued at FAU.

FAU Associate General Counsel Larry Glick said that the woman should have been registered as an out-of-state student for tuition purposes, according to The Palm Beach Post. State schools are cracking down on granting in-state status to out-of-state students due to a new law that requires students to live in Florida for at least one full year before enrolling.

That's all well and good, but we wonder if the 71-year-old woman, now a victim of identity theft, wants to give this alleged college cheat a piece of her mind.

Source

Comments (20)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

JennyB 9-16-2009 @ 3:29PM

As a grad student myself, I sympathize with Brandao, though I don't condone her illegal actions. Education in this country is ridiculously expensive compared to other democratic countries, producing a generation of graduates so buried by student loan debt that it affects their ability to participate in the economy. If I was presented with a morally suspect method of significantly lowering my $150,000 student loan debt, I have to say I might consider it.

kady44 9-16-2009 @ 3:38PM

She could have handled this many different ways: go to a less expensive school, go to a school in her own state and qualify for instate tuition there and (my personal favorite is -- GROW-UP! She could have declare independent status and become a resident of the state and qualify LEGALLY and RIGHTFULLY for in-state tuition in FL if she just had to go to that school. jeez.

Tea 9-16-2009 @ 4:43PM

She wasn't even from this country. I joined the military to help pay for my tuition and am set up to pay back the rest until 2039, and that's after paying in full the first half of my education. 37 years of payments!!!

Meg 9-16-2009 @ 6:01PM

That's all fine and good, but do you realize the hoops one has to jump through in order to prove they are a state resident?! Colorado has had a law like this on the books for many years and I have a friend who has lived in state for over 5 years now, does not take money from her parents, has a Colorado drivers license, her car is registered here, and they still won't give her in state tuition.

Sassylil14u 9-16-2009 @ 4:33PM

Out of district fees are stupid anyway. If you live in france your education is free! What difference does it make where you live when you are getting an education. I think it is a scam that they are able to charge someone triple the amount just because they live in a different area. The ENTIRE state should be considered IN DISTRICT. If you live in a different STATE then pay out STATE fees.

tofuti1960 9-16-2009 @ 4:45PM

I think it is criminal that young people are stressed to this extent about paying for education. It is becoming big business.....my son's tuition is near $50,000/year.....will he even make that much when he graduates and goes to work???? As for stealing, of course it was wrong but you can understand why.....

Sassylil14u 9-16-2009 @ 11:25PM

I just wanted to clarify...Where I live you could live 20 minutes away from a school in a different county and be charged out of DISTRICT fees. If in Florida you are able to go to school anywhere IN FLORIDA, then the woman should have definately done things differently. But it is almost understandable if she lived near the school and IN florida and was charged extra.

Tea 9-16-2009 @ 4:50PM

I agree! They should NOT give her the diploma unless she pays the bill plus interest in full first. People don't understand that when someone doesn't pay their tuition it is assessed through interest attached to other students down the road. Gee, I wonder why its so expensive to go to school in the U.S.?!!!!

Sherylynn Peacock 9-16-2009 @ 4:53PM

What a bummer! Give her a break!!!!!!

mezl 9-16-2009 @ 5:04PM

sooo... did she go to the school disguised as an older lady, or was it an online thing....details, please...

angela 9-16-2009 @ 5:10PM

OMG does it matter, she defrauded the school. Jail baby Jail

Susan Avery 9-16-2009 @ 6:19PM

According to reports, she used the social security number of the 71-year-old just so she could claim Florida residency. She didn't walk around in senior disguise. Had she done that, I would've demanded photos :)

dickn2000b 9-16-2009 @ 5:24PM

Yeah, it's OK to give free tuition, books, etc. to illegal aliens but it's a criminal offense to use someone else's social security number so they can afford college. What's wrong with the system?

T.J. 9-16-2009 @ 6:45PM

How can you ask such an assinine question. You don't get free tuition or free medical care or free anything if you are an illegal alien. Stop spreading ridiculous false lies.
You can not even register in school without proving citizenship, legal residency or student visa allowing to to attend schools here, and NO college is free for anyone other than scholarship students.

jorgebrito2 9-16-2009 @ 6:05PM

She is a delinquent and should be put in jail. No excuses.
What she did was a serious crime and should she should pay a good price for it. This young lady deserves absolutely no sympathy.
So yeah, Lock her up.

Dee Anna 9-16-2009 @ 6:43PM

There is no justification for bad behavior. What she did is wrong - and she knew it. A college degree is an honor and a priviledge that come with a hefty price tag. Would it be as valuable if it were free? No. All good things come at a price and that is what makes them worthwhile and valuable.

Looks like her "education" really did not educate her...

Lori K 9-16-2009 @ 6:48PM

She's probably going to prison. Her degree isn't going to much good there. What an idiot.

Karen 9-16-2009 @ 7:13PM

Of course, she could probably earn another degree while in prison... preferably from a school she could actually afford to attend.

I faced the same situation when I attended UC Berkeley, which was something like $2K a year for in-state students and $25K for out-of-state students. You know what I did? Took out loans, found scholarships, applied for grants, and all those crazy legal and ethically aboveboard activities. I have some sympathy for the sticker shock, but none at all for this little felon's methods.

Elizabeth 9-22-2009 @ 6:25AM

It is unfortunate that this girl had to bend the law in order to pay for college. What does that say about society? Honestly, in this day and age when you need a college education, our government should really do something about the cost of higher learning. Also, since the job market is so thin for students just graduating college, the government needs to make new laws regarding student loans. You wanna fix the economy, how about you help out the 18-29 set who can't afford to stay in college, but can't get a job yet.