The Chicago Tribune has a fascinating article about a U. of I. jobs-for-entry scheme. It seems that you could get your favored student into law school if you were willing to hire enough marginal graduates at a good salary from the current class to help the U of I Law School look better on the comparables.
The University's Chancellor may have been forcing the issue, but the Law School dean was no fool:
In one e-mail exchange, University of Illinois Chancellor Richard Herman forced the law school to admit an unqualified applicant backed by then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich while seeking a promise from the governor's go-between that five law school graduates would get jobs. The applicant, a relative of deep-pocketed Blagojevich campaign donor Kerry Peck, appears to have been pushed by Trustee Lawrence Eppley, who often carried the governor's admissions requests.
When Law School Dean Heidi Hurd balked on accepting the applicant in April 2006, Herman replied that the request came "Straight from the G. My apologies. Larry has promised to work on jobs (5). What counts?"
Hurd replied: "Only very high-paying jobs in law firms that are absolutely indifferent to whether the five have passed their law school classes or the Bar."
Yep, if you want us to take in someone who isn't qualified, you need to hire five who were forced on us three years ago. Illinois, I like your style.