Cheating your way into college

Applying to College
1

Hey Guys,
I feel really sorry to say that a few people whom I’ve known for a very long time are trying to get an added advantage in the application process. I certainly feel devastated that a few of my friends have cheated while submitting their Common App and one of them has even received a request for an additional letter of recommendation from Harvard.
This has mainly been done in association with the faculty of a reputed school which prides itself on being honest and building integrity in students. Their applications have been tweaked in several ways which include:

  1. Making a separate transcript with grades increased from 65% to 90%( a 25% increase)for students who plan on applying to universities abroad. This is the transcript uploaded on the Common App by the counselor.
  2. Giving students the right to write and edit their teacher and counselor letters of recommendation.

I am in no way involved in this act but I’ve seen my close friends using it to get into the ivies. This disgusted me and I’m now worried about how efficient and trustworthy the application process really is or whether I would actually get into college.

Thanking you,
Ccada3300.

2

You’re not involved; everything you write is hearsay.

That means it has no value. You’re writing about gossip. It has no effect on you or your application.

There are something like 3000 colleges in the US. They receive, and accept, applications from thousands and thousands of kids every year.

Make sure YOUR application showcases the best about you. And don’t worry about anyone else’s application.

3

It isn’t gossip coz I’ve seen both the actual transcript and the new one which has been generated just to apply to universities in the USA and in the UK.
I’m worried that admission officers might select the best applicants based on country/region to ensure diversity and hence might end up denying admission to a genuinely talented student.
It certainly wouldn’t affect the quality of my application but acceptance/rejection seems to be dependent on relative achievements(in comparison with students in your school/country) especially for international students

4

The counselor is doctoring transcripts?

5

It’s not the counselor per se… It’s the principal giving an official transcript with increased grades just to improve chances of admissions… And to improve the school’s reputation…
The counselor and teacher recommender accounts are in control of the student him/herself and he/she writes and uploads the recommendations…

6

I imagine admissions people are pretty good at recognizing a recommendation written by a student!

7

Sorry guys, I will not provide further information on this topic!
Because I feel I am violating the trust somebody’s placed in me

8

Whose trust do you feel you’re violating? The cheaters? You mentioned that transcripts are doctored for US and UK schools? What country are you from? There’s been several reports in the past about serious cheating by international applicants from certain countries, this is nothing new.
Don’t worry about the cheaters, admission officers know what to look out for. And cheaters eventually get caught. Always.

9

If the principal. is doing this to “improve the school’sreputation“, the principal is a fool. Getting caught falsifying transcripts can blacklist the school.

10

MODERATOR’S NOTE:

In which case there is no point in keeping this thread open. Additionally the following valid responses have been made:

and

Closing thread.