Full Forecaste

Past Month's Most Commented Stories

Home > Breaking News

VP hopeful Palin attended 5 colleges in 6 years

Thursday, September 4, 2008 2:42 PM PDT

By Nicholas K. Geranios
The Associated Press

Font Size:
 
 

 SPOKANE — Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin attended five colleges in six years before graduating from the University of Idaho in 1987.

Federal privacy laws prohibit the schools from disclosing her grades, and none of the schools contacted by The Associated Press could say why she transferred. There was no indication any of them were contacted as part of the background investigation of Palin by presidential candidate John McCain’s campaign.

“Our office was not contacted by anyone,” said Tania Thompson, spokeswoman for the University of Idaho in Moscow.

Palin, the governor of Alaska, was born in Idaho. Her family moved when she was only a few months old to Alaska, where she was raised.

She began college at Hawaii Pacific University, a private, nonsectarian school in Honolulu. She attended only as a freshman during the fall of 1982, school spokeswoman Crystale Lopez said.

Then known as Sarah Louise Heath, she was in the business administration program as a full-time student, Lopez said.

“We’re trying to track down someone who knew her,” Lopez added.

From Hawaii Pacific, Palin transferred to North Idaho College, a two-year school in Coeur d’Alene, about 30 miles east of Spokane. She attended the college as a general studies major for two semesters, in spring 1983 and fall 1983, spokeswoman Stacy Hudson said.

“We were not able to track down club affiliations or anything,” Hudson said.

The school identified one of her professors but he did not remember her, Hudson said.

Prior to her selection by McCain, the North Idaho College Alumni Association notified Palin in June she would be the recipient of its 2008-2009 Distinguished Alumni of the Year Award.

From North Idaho College, Palin transferred 70 miles south to the University of Idaho, the state’s flagship institution. She majored in journalism with an emphasis in broadcast news. She attended the University of Idaho from fall 1984 to spring 1985.

She then returned to Alaska to attend Matanuska-Susitna College in Palmer in fall 1985.

Then she returned to Idaho, for spring 1986, fall 1986 and spring 1987, when she graduated. Despite her journalism degree, she does not appear to have worked for the college newspaper or campus television station, school officials said. She worked briefly as a sportscaster for KTUU in Anchorage after she graduated college.

The McCain campaign did not have an immediate comment on Palin’s higher education record.

In a recent interview with the school’s alumni magazine, before her selection to run on the GOP ticket, she explained that her curiosity and love of writing made journalism a natural choice.

“I was always asking everyone the questions, and I still am today,” Palin told the magazine.

The University of Idaho is taking advantage of Palin’s nomination. A prominent photograph of her is featured on the school’s Web site.

Previous Next

pedrotay wrote on Sep 4, 2008 2:50 PM:

" Her college background really doesn't mean much. George Bush graduated from Yale and look how much good that did all of us! "

Doug McCratch wrote on Sep 4, 2008 3:17 PM:

" Whatever, Pedotray. At the very least, transferring from school to school to school (five times!!) is odd behavior and warrants further investigation. I'd like to know more. Sounds like she was either really indecisive or had some big personal problems... and extremely indulgent parents willing to foot the bill for these transfers. "

nexus wrote on Sep 4, 2008 3:19 PM:

" I don't see what this has to do with anything. Haven't seena anything on Joe Biden's College and don't care about it! "

Kelso, WA wrote on Sep 4, 2008 3:29 PM:

" What is this? Always trying to pick her apart. Media is trying to win this election. Find anything wrong with Palin just to tear her apart...and find things that aren't even true also! "

RAL Alum wrote on Sep 4, 2008 3:41 PM:

" I don't see the relevance to this story. I also didn't see the part of the story that Doug McCratch read about her parents paying for her schooling. "

citizen pote wrote on Sep 4, 2008 3:48 PM:

" Dems are suffering buyers remorse and won't accept that a qualified woman was selected for vp. Regardless, Obama was recruited for the race by Daschle, and would still be serving in the margins of gov't without Daschles' team of advisors propping Barry from behind. "

TDN Bad Boy wrote on Sep 4, 2008 3:50 PM:

" Non story. Simple more Liberal Yellow Journalism. Newspapers editors across our great country are seeing a steady decline in readership and they wonder why. How stupid can the editors be? "

reasonable1 wrote on Sep 4, 2008 3:59 PM:

" I agree that it's not news, but you have to admit, introducing such an unknown into the race this late in the game stirs up a lot of - uh - stuff. If she'd been on the radar for six or eight months, all this data - significant or in- - would have sifted away already. Look past it. The way to extinguish undesired behavior is to stop rewarding it. "

lord gregor wrote on Sep 4, 2008 4:14 PM:

" 5 schools in 6 years? Well, we can finally say she has experience in SOMETHING! "

louie wrote on Sep 4, 2008 4:36 PM:

" If I was going to vote the Republican ticket I certainly would want to know who I was voting for and what her credentials were. What is the matter with you people who think otherwise. Are you not concerned with the extreme power of the President of the US and the staff of that office? Anybody with half a brain would want to know all they possible could about the people who will be in control...looks like a lot of you don't have half a brain.
TDN Bad Boy you are always spouting off about your hiring and firing practices so I ask you, do you have potential employees fill out an application? If they had listed 6 different jobs in 5 years? I sure would be asking WHY! "

greenbean wrote on Sep 4, 2008 4:39 PM:

" I attended 3 schools in 6 years, and took a year off in the middle to work and save money. Does that make my degree questionable? Of course not! Besides, it's all the lawyers in WA DC who have taken our country to where it is now -- we need a new approach! "

bmoc wrote on Sep 4, 2008 4:51 PM:

" at least it wasn't five "online" colleges. "

justiceall wrote on Sep 4, 2008 4:53 PM:

" This is just more digging into the background of someone that wants to be a leader of our country. The media isn't attacking her anymore than the other candidates. It is just that she is so new to the political circus that there is so much news to be discovered. We have heard just about everything to be told about everyone else. I say the more we learn now the better informed voters we are. "

DUH wrote on Sep 4, 2008 4:54 PM:

" Even though I plan to vote Democrat, I think this is stupid. Stop trying to dig up stuff on her already. Give her enough rope, she'll hang herself. "

DW wrote on Sep 4, 2008 5:00 PM:

" Found out today that Sarah Palin put some trash in her recycle bin. Should be big news by tomorrow. Oh, and she put her shoes on the wrong feet once in pre-school, that should completely disqualify her for VP. And she wet her pants once as a baby!! OMG!! "

Local Yokel wrote on Sep 4, 2008 5:07 PM:

" Transferring her credits and ordering up transcripts must have taken most of her time in school. LOL! But this is just one more thing against her. It certainly doesn't show her commitment or her lengthy attention span. Most of us knuckled down and got an education; not a bunch of transfers. "

Cheney119 wrote on Sep 4, 2008 5:13 PM:

" President of the Harvard Law Review, the brightest student in the school with the brightest people in the entire country; that's Barrack Obama. McCain was very very low in his class rank (894 of 899) at the Naval Academy he had a admiral as a father and grandfather, that's how he got into (and probably out of) the naval academy. Biden is a constitutional law professon at Widener University School of Law, Obama teaches constitutional law at Northwester. You see the connection. The democratic ticket are college professors and the republican ticket barely finished their bachelors degrees. To all you people that say this isn't important where did you go to college? LC? Not at all? I think it speaks for itself. The less you know the easier it is to be a republican. This is the complaint about colleges, hotbeds of liberalism, the simple truth the reason the are liberal at college is because they are intellectual. The obvious truth must really hurt. "

Diesel wrote on Sep 4, 2008 5:27 PM:

" It's strange how the media is dead set on picking this woman apart. Going after her and then her daughter. I wonder why the liberal media has said nothing about Bidens 21 year old daughter being arrested for assulting a police officer. And in troopergate I wonder why nothing has been said about her ex brother in law using a taser on his own step son. As a dem I am seriously rethinking the moral and ethical standareds that the democratic party seem to be leaning towards. "

LongviewFam wrote on Sep 4, 2008 5:54 PM:

" WHO CARES?! THIS is news?... "

kelso gringo wrote on Sep 4, 2008 6:04 PM:

" There is something fishy about this lady. Transferring to five colleges in six years is quite odd. "

slowburn wrote on Sep 4, 2008 6:21 PM:

" It scares me to death to see that there are people who believe the educational background of a potential U.S. vice president is irrelevant. Stop blaming the media for doing their jobs. Ask yourself, if the candidate in question wasn't part of "your" party, would you still be so flippant about their credentials? If this was a woman from the Democratic Party vying for an office in the White House, you'd just give her a pass on the five schools in six years? Really? "

cheney119 wrote on Sep 4, 2008 6:21 PM:

" Now there's a leap, work the refs because you don't like the coverage in the media, it's another time tested republican tactic though, reeks of despiration. The coverage is some how the democrats fault? Hard to claim masogeny when you refer to yourself as a pitbull with lipstick, also hard to take someone like her seriously. This story on her education, or lack there of, is just another example of what a complete and total lightweight she is. If you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen. If you want a friend in the presidential election, buy a dog. "

El Gabilon wrote on Sep 4, 2008 6:41 PM:

" The greatest concern we have with this candidate is whether or not she abused her power as governor to get her x-brother-in-law fired from his job, and why she is lying about the "bridge to nowhere". She also needs to explain why she professes being against "earmarks" but has applied for them in the past. One wonders also who is going to continue the reforming of the republician party in Alaska. She was also too quick to announce her support for "special needs" children. Her speech did not inspire us. We heard nothing in regard to what exactly she and McCain intend to do about the debt, tghe deficit, social security, reforming the income tax, how we are going to pay for the war, cutting back the waste in government, curbing the inflation in health care, establishing a national health care system and a hundred more problems that plague the country, not to mention ending lobbyist influence, and campaign fund reforms. We are also not impressed with Barack Obama and Joe Bieden. From what we see far too many voters are going to vote on the basis of being black, or a woman rather than on how either candidate is going to be if elected. We have no doubts that Ms Palins school grades will soon be made public as well as what kind of student she was. "

bulldog42 wrote on Sep 4, 2008 6:54 PM:

" WHO CARES!!!!!!! Boring, the media keeps giving Obama and Biden a free ride. They did all the way through the primaries. Go McCain!!!!! If Obama had choosen Hillary he would have gotten my vote. She was the more qualified one of the two, but the media didn't see that way and made sure she wasn't choosen. "

cheney119 wrote on Sep 4, 2008 7:20 PM:

" Come on Bulldog you are supporting McCain who doesn't agree with Hillary on much of anything, how about some intellectual consistency. What goes on a resume'? Education, this woman went to 5 school and took 6 years to finish, that requires an explanation. "

Lucky7 wrote on Sep 4, 2008 7:54 PM:

" VP is very important! As an educated, independent and open minded voter I find it extremely important to know as much as possible about all the candidates. McCain is Well known. Palin is NOT well known. Known by the american people. I believe over the next 2 months we're going to learn a lot more about Sarah Palin and her past. Some will be good, some will be bad. One thing will not change... The devout republicans will still love and embrace her as they have since one second after she was announced. "

Diesel wrote on Sep 4, 2008 8:38 PM:

" cheney119 please explain why her college life is so important and why you haven't said anything about Biden's college period. I am guessing that you are a dem and I am asking you as one dem to another. Joey boy lied when he said that he had 2 degrees when in fact he had did not. Please tell me why it's not as important as Sarah's. "

greenbean wrote on Sep 4, 2008 9:22 PM:

" Let me say this once again, transferring schools does not mean that the education she got was compromised. Making that leap is faulty logic. Many people attend community college first then a 4 year school. I myself attended LCC, then 2 different 4 year universities to complete my degree. All of that is on my resume and it has never been even a hint of a question from emloyers. This is just another attempt at the liberal media to make something negative out of nothing. "

columbian wrote on Sep 4, 2008 10:15 PM:

" CARTOON TIME:JUST ANOTHER JOKE.THIS WOMAN TO RUN THIS COUNTRY.WAKE UP AMERICA. "

Westsider wrote on Sep 4, 2008 10:26 PM:

" So she has A.D.D. So do I. Gotta run, bye. "

bulldog42 wrote on Sep 5, 2008 8:07 AM:

" cheney119 I am supporting McCain because I dont like the fact Obama won't salute the America Flag and say the Pledge of Allegiance. As a disabled veteran I have would a hard time following the orders of my commander chief based on those two reasons alone. I am very aware there are differences in opinion. But that is why we live in a democratic society, we are all allowed to vote for who ever we choose.

Westsider I agree who cares if she has A.D.D, I have it and have been able to have a successful career. "

My Kids' Mom wrote on Sep 5, 2008 8:39 AM:

" David Murdock, Owner of Dole foods and has interests in Hawaiian wind farms estimated wealth is $4 billion. He was a ninth-grade dropout. That was just a little fun info. This election I'm voting for "Energy relief", not values or college degrees. My values are the same no matter who gets elected to whatever office...Yes I understand how values can be stepped on or protected but I've decided to vote "oil-drillers, and alternitive energy proponents" and who's more likely to be a proponent of drilling our own oil? barak-tire-pumper-obama? "

TDN Bad Boy wrote on Sep 5, 2008 9:14 AM:

" Cheney, What goes on a resume in addition to education is work experience, job skills, and for a candidate dedication to country and background supporters. In each cach, each category, McCain-Palin are superior to Obama-Biden. They have tackled their own party and worked with the other. The have shown leadership under pressure, they do not have a murdering terrorist bomber, a slumlord and a racist reverend in their camp. Obama's major obstacle is his inexperience. He is the least qualified candidate ever to be nominated for president. We can't afford to change his diapers in the White House. We need strength, dedication, loyalty, honor, and leadership. Obama has displayed none of the above. Heck 18 million in your party voted for Hillary and he couldn't even talk her onto the ticket. And why would she. She said during the primary he wasn't qualified to be president. If I were here I wouldn't serve under somebody I felt I was more qualified than. So what's your next argument Cheney. The very Liberal NY Times/CBS poll released today shows a tie. Obama has peaked. Watch what happens from here to Novemeber. McCain-Palin, the choice for the America we need. "

An observer wrote on Sep 5, 2008 9:16 AM:

" Stupid story, didn't Bill Gates Dropout, Lincoln was self educated,what a waste of ink. Muckracking! "

Kem Cho wrote on Sep 5, 2008 10:53 AM:

" Liberal media is out to dig dirt, as usual. Anytime minorities and women do not fit their liberal or female image, they just get mean and nasty. If education was that important, all of our presidents and vice president should have graduated in top of the class. There are several successful people, who never finished their college. So, election of her as governor was a joke? "

Rosey Glasses wrote on Sep 5, 2008 12:10 PM:

" Good job bulldog! LOL yeah that is important, more important that a person that wants to change colleges during his/her education. Some schools don't offer what the person is looking for. So changing to a school that offers the type of class or course material is important to the person that is learning what THEY want to learn and not just what is taught in the school being attended at the time. I had the same problem with my mother moving... attended 11 schools in just elementary... I won't bore you with the rest... but I was bumped around between mom, dad and grams all my school life. Started college while kids were young, one year here another year there and finished the last four years in another. But the fact is I got the education I wanted.... THIS IS NOT REAL NEWS... "

TheGenius wrote on Sep 5, 2008 5:46 PM:

" So she was indecisive when she was in her twenties. La-dee-frickin'-dah. At least she graduated from college, which is more than I can say for most of this lot. "

CHENEY119 wrote on Sep 5, 2008 5:48 PM:

" So Palin is perfect to republicans (IQ test pending) and everybody else can have their own opinion. I guess that's how everything works. I love this country. "

Gondolapete wrote on Sep 5, 2008 6:51 PM:

" I heard she once went to three different Wal-marts in the same day. THIS NEEDS INVESTIGATED!!!!!! "

TheGenius wrote on Sep 6, 2008 11:06 AM:

" Yeah, we like Palin. She actually has experience leading something. Obama has been a community organizer and Biden has led.... well, I don't know anything that he has led, but I'm sure he led a cheer in the Senate or something. "

Top Jobs
More Top Jobs
Top Garage Sales
More Top Garage Sales
Top Rentals
More Top Rentals