It is just as important to have diversity in institutional research funding as it is in having diversity in individual applicants.

The case was not just about tax bands and extent of allowances, and the matters for consideration far transcended the individual applicants.

Laurie Fenlason, Smith's vice president for public affairs, said the school does not comment on the status or admissibility of individual applicants.

A representative for Harvard declined to comment on the matter, citing a policy to not comment publicly on the admission status of individual applicants.