Barron Trump Begins Studies at NYU’s Stern School as Melania Addresses Ivy League Rumors
Barron Trump quietly made the move from Palm Beach to New York City last fall to start college at NYU’s prestigious Stern School of Business. Although former President Donald Trump previously mentioned that multiple universities were considered for his son, recent online chatter has fueled speculation that Barron may have been turned away by some elite schools.
Melania Trump is now setting the record straight.
After years spent in the White House and later in Florida, 18-year-old Barron has returned to the city of his birth to pursue higher education. He’s now enrolled at Stern, one of the most competitive business schools in the U.S., with an acceptance rate hovering around 5%.
Donald Trump told The Daily Mail that the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School—his own alma mater—was on the table, but the family ultimately favored NYU. “Stern is a top-tier school,” Trump remarked. “He liked it. We liked it. I’ve known NYU for a long time.” He also described Barron as highly intelligent and said he’s adjusting well.
Though Barron keeps a low profile, Melania Trump offered a glimpse into his new college life during a December interview with Fox News. She explained that her son’s experience is far from ordinary due to his public identity and constant Secret Service presence. “It’s hard to imagine him having a typical college life,” she said.
Despite these limitations, Barron is reportedly making friends, partly through online gaming platforms like Discord. As reported by TMZ, he’s invited fellow students to play EA Sports FC 25, a nod to his passion for soccer.
A source cited by People Magazine noted that Barron is well-liked on campus, especially among female classmates, and enjoys a positive reputation—even among students with differing political views.
However, social media recently lit up with claims that Barron had been rejected by Ivy League universities including Harvard, Stanford, and Columbia, with some suggesting that Donald Trump’s politics played a role. A widely shared Facebook post reignited the rumors, which soon spread across celebrity news outlets.
Yet according to Snopes, there is no factual basis for any of those claims. To put the speculation to rest, Melania Trump’s office released an official response.
“Barron did not apply to Harvard, and any claim that he or anyone representing him submitted an application is completely untrue,” said Nick Clemens, spokesperson for the Office of the First Lady.
The issue is further complicated by Donald Trump’s recent criticism of Harvard, accusing the university of antisemitism and a failure to support Jewish students amid ongoing campus protests related to the Israel-Hamas conflict. He’s also publicly challenged Ivy League schools over their admissions policies, especially regarding international students.
For now, Barron seems to be settling into his new chapter at NYU, managing the demands of student life under an unusually bright spotlight.