From 1978 to his death, Silver served as the medical school's associate dean of admissions.

An experienced administrator and teacher, he has also served the school as dean of admissions.

But the movement has accelerated over the past five years or so, many deans of admissions say.

He was dean of admissions from 1965 to 1969.

Joe stood up and headed for the door, realizing they weren't going to get anywhere with the dean of admissions.

Harvard's dean of admissions, "is never going to ask where your child went to preschool or elementary school," she said.

His firm handshake finally persuaded the dean of admissions to accept him, he was told.

In the piece, the school's long-time dean of admissions calls this "clearly disappointing."

But then he received a personal letter from Tom King, the associate dean of admissions, who included his home phone number.

Lee Stetson, dean of admissions at the university, explained the motivation.