<p>My classmate and I both applied to Princeton RD. She got accepted and I didn't.
The thing is, she lied on her application that she held a number of leadership positions which she actually didn't. I know she didn't get in just because of the leadership positions, but I feel indignant that dishonesty prevailed. And I don't even like her as a person.
What would be the consequences if I tell on her anonymously? Will it backfire on me? I don't want my acceptances (to other unis) to be rescinded.
Please help.</p>
<p>A more positive approach might be to focus on your own character instead of someone else’s. Vindictiveness is an unattractive trait, no matter what created such extreme feelings. How would “telling” on her make your life better? I would work on being happy about the colleges into which I was accepted and forget about schools you will not be attending. I know this is easier said than done, but doing so just might make you a stronger and more positive person. Interesting that another student told you what leadership positions she included on her applications.</p>
<p>I know what you mean, and I know that I would feel like a terrible person if I do.But I can’t help feeling emotional about it, especially because she has been very condescending after my rejection.</p>
<p>p.s. I found about it through her friends, whom she told.</p>
<p>Ignore her digs. You know the truth - that is all that actually matters.</p>
<p>I’m not sure I agree with the advice given here. I don’t like the idea that someone blatantly lied on their app and got in (regardless of how prevalent this actually is, it shouldn’t happen). I doubt that “telling on her” would impact your admission to other universities. I would say you have every right to email a college and say that you’ve heard rumors that so-and-so lied…etc. These rumors could be wrong, of course, which is something you should keep in mind. But should Princeton call the school just to check, well, that won’t hurt her if she told the truth.</p>
<p>HOWEVER. Telling probably won’t make you feel better. It might lead you to obsess too much about it. The advice to focus on your own positive future is good. So don’t tattle because it will make you feel better. If you do choose to contact Princeton, tell them because it really isn’t good to reward lying.</p>
<p>Hi, thanks a lot for your reply.
I don’t think I’m being vindictive. I just want me and the others to receive credit on an equal basis, and I would be more than happy if it turns out that she hadn’t lied.
Just to add, I am especially indignant because I am in the same club as her which she wrote that she was the president of. And the thing is, we don’t even have a president…</p>
<p>So Princeton will have, if she goes there, a liar in its fold. Unfortunately, every competitive school probably does as well. This kind of stuff is rampant and I can certainly empathize with how you feel this is wrong. It is wrong but reporting her to Princeton will probably make you feel worse ultimately and certainly won’t garner you an admission. Her snooty attitude makes this all even harder to bear, I’m sure. Sometimes, I feel the direct approach can work wonders. Tell her face to face that you are aware she lied on her application and as this behavior is nothing to flaunt, to please cut the haughty cr** regarding her Princeton admission. Smile, wink, and walk away.</p>
<p>Simply don’t… If she’s being a B than just scare her and tell her you might contact Princeton about her lies…
I’m sorry but the fact in itself that you want to be anonymous speaks tons about your intentions. If you are as correct as you believe you are, tell her who you are and why you’re doing what you’re doing. </p>
<p>Backstabbing somebody like that, even if they achieved desired by cheating is simply wrong. Once you do that, rest assured, you’ll be as, if not more, wrong than she is. </p>
<p>At least she’ll have something to justify her behavior with (A dream to get into Princeton maybe).
What will you have? It does no good to you, you’re just trying to harm somebody else.</p>
<p>A person that lies today is the same that will lie tomorrow. Life will take care of her. You take care of yourself. Honesty and dignity are the best characteristics of a person. Do not become like her by anonymously writing e-mails in the hopes they will rescind her application( let’s be honest here). Let’s say you send the email and nothing happens, would you feel ok or even worse? Use your energy to improve your life. Whoever this person is she will mean nothing to you in a couple of years.</p>
<p>Interesting how some of you would label it ‘backstabbing’ and ‘harming’ the person. I’m sure she was aware of the possible consequences when she signed her common app in the end saying that everything she wrote was factual.
…and how is reporting dishonesty a ‘bad thing’? Dishonesty is unfair and immoral, and puts others at a disadvantage.</p>
<p>You said you heard about this through her friends…you have no idea what is actually on the application and to what extent things may or may not have been falsified. Long story short, you honestly just seem extremely jealous and angry. Rejection sucks, but trying to do something like this over second hand information is just insanity.</p>
<p>Yes, rejection does suck, and I am angry, because we, being from the same school, were probably compared, and she was dishonest while I wasn’t. I actually had real leadership positions, and attended meetings every week for four years and spent numerous hours during my spare time to organize everything. Whilst I did get accepted to other great colleges, Princeton has always been my dream school, I cannot bear the fact that it’ll be receiving a liar. Besides, even if I do email Princeton, I’m only going to tell them to contact my school to verify her application. And you guys on CC just sit comfortably on your chairs going on about what a terrible person I am…</p>
<p>I would email Princeton about it if I were you… She cheated on her application, and that’s not fair. </p>
<p>I also know a girl who cheated on the SAT and about some of her extracurriculars. We got the same scores on the SAT… I was terribly nervous that she would be accepted and I would end up at my safety, but I didn’t email them or anything as I didn’t have any proofs… I was accepted by Princeton, while she was waitlisted by her safety 
If I were you I’d probably email them, but don’t worry about it anyway, she’ll probably lie some more and be expelled soon :D</p>
<p>@Mariobro
“Interesting how some of you would label it ‘backstabbing’ and ‘harming’ the person. I’m sure she was aware of the possible consequences when she signed her common app in the end saying that everything she wrote was factual.
…and how is reporting dishonesty a ‘bad thing’? Dishonesty is unfair and immoral, and puts others at a disadvantage”</p>
<p>So if you’re that much correct and righteous and believe in the cause of justice, why hide your name? why not do it publicly? why not tell her that you are the one who’s gonna out her for her lies? 
Scared much, maybe? </p>
<p>And even if you do that, you won’t feel anything but emptiness, you won’t gain absolutely anything… unless you gain joy from stirring a dream from a girl (Once again, even if she attained desired by cheating), in which case, you’re not a good guy and most probably didn’t deserve a spot in Princeton in the first place.</p>
<p>Hmm… Think for a minute about what it would be like if you were the one who lied. (hypothetically of course since you seem to be an honest person) Surely, as a human, you’d feel awful about it. At first you’d be gloating about your acceptance and your new future, but also, you’d have to carry around that guilt with the possibility that it can always come back to get you. No matter where you turned, you’d be looking out for someone to find the truth, and your whole character and integrity would he ruined. </p>
<p>So, I think it’s fair enough to say that this is what your friend will be feeling, and since we all have a human need for vengeance, know that you’ll always be free with the fact that you tried and got in honestly to other schools and that she’ll always be a fraud and a fake. </p>
<p>Personally, I think that you believe you might feel better if they check her records, find out she’s lying and then kick her out. That would be just, but you’d still feel bad about yourself for being bitter, because that’s what would drive it. </p>
<p>If you both got accepted, would you still tell on her? </p>
<p>If so, then perhaps you have more ground to pursue this. If not, then think about it a little more. What is truly right and honest about this situation? It’s a hard line to wander on, but it’s one of many we all have to eventually teeter with. </p>
<p>Good luck with it, and I hope you make the decision that’s best for YOU and YOUR integrity. And look forward to your future that is honest and well-deserved!</p>
<p>Being scared of retaliation is not the same as being ashamed of myself.
If I tell her she’ll kill me on the spot and I value my life.</p>
<p>Thanks opori2 for your thoughtful reply. I honestly doubt she’s feeling guilty about herself but I’ll try to make a reasonable decision.</p>
<p>Unlike most of the replies here, I think you should anonymously contact Princeton and tell them to check it out. She needs to learn that you can’t lie through life. Plus, it’s completely unfair to the tens of thousands of applicants.</p>
<p>I’m 100% sure Princeton would WANT you to inform them.
Sent from my SGH-T959V using CC</p>
<p>I would also like to remind posters here that we have the Honor Code: if a Princeton student is aware that another Princeton student has cheated on a test, exam, paper, etc, it is their duty to report it; otherwise that student is just as guilty.</p>
<p>mariobro is not a Princeton student, but I think that the Honor Code demonstrates how the administration views cases of academic dishonesty. It’s not HIS fault that she lied (IF she did). If he reports her, and she gets her offer rescinded, then it’ll be HER fault, not HIS.</p>
<p>Some basic things:</p>
<ol>
<li>It is a cheater’s fault for cheating, not a tattle-tale’s fault for tattling.</li>
<li>Mariobro should remain anonymous on this forum both for his sake and for this girl’s sake. If the rumor is false then this protects her anonymity as well.</li>
<li>Anonymously contacting Princeton to ask that they check it out does no harm if the girl has been honest.</li>
<li>Mariobro’s feelings actually should have nothing to do with whether or not it’s ethical to report her. Even if he feels the most intense vindictive glee about her getting her offer rescinded, she still deserved to get her offer rescinded. Y’know? (Whether or not this is good for mariobro is another matter.)</li>
</ol>
<p>I’m not sure why people think that contacting Princeton is such a bad idea…? I agree that it won’t necessarily help mariobro at all, even emotionally, but IMO it’s a far better approach than escalating this into an in-person fight with all the gossip out in the open. The latter makes it a public issue which is far more unfair to the girl if she’s innocent.</p>
<p>Why don’t you go and discuss the issue with your high school college counselor? Surely that person worked with both you and the other student during the application process. Also, the counselor can easily look at the girl’s Common App to determine if there even is an issue. Then the counselor can decide what action, if any, to take…</p>