<p>I've heard of people who will add a little spice here and there, and it didn't really seem to hurt them. I don't have a problem filling out my EC's as that seems to be the extent of my whole life. However, I am transferring out of a community college, and I am not sure if my professors and my counselor are aware of all my activities. Though, my counselor is on the Academic Senate and Curriculum (I am the student representative.) Still, I always include a cheat sheet for my rec writers, so they have a better idea of who I am and in what activities I am involved.</p>
<p>The bottom line is some spice can be nice, but too much can be disastorous.</p>
<p>
[quote]
oh come on, now that you mentioned it, you have to tell us about it
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Someone said s/he'd been in a school's outstanding magnet program when it didn't exist. (And got accepted to a highly selective U.) I don't know how they pulled it off, but I probably shouldn't go any further into it.</p>
<p>Kebree, doubt if the college's even took that into consideration. If the program does not exist, it is not something that would be something that is given any points on the admissions check list. So many kids are in so many programs that it really doesn't count if it is not one of the few national programs that attract the top college's attention. That the person did not get caught and was lying is one thing, but I can assure you that the lie did not get her in the school.</p>
<p>That's true, but there were a bunch of other "exaggerations," too. (e.g., "founder" of certain clubs, "captain" of sports teams, etc.) I'm sure others have done similar things, but usually not to that extent.</p>
<p>What kind of evidence would there be to send? I am a member of several clubs, and the tangible proof that I did club work does not exist except for the Honor Society, for which I will receive a stamp on my transcript.</p>
<p>On the other hand, I have a lot of eyewitnesses...</p>
<p>Yeah, the application process is bascially an exercise in the Honor Code. I just can't imagine living with a lie like that my whole life, though---I'd much rather be rejected from my top choice than get in by inventing ECs.</p>
<p>I would not want to invent any ECs either, but I suppose that it is all based on ethics. For instance, what if you were part of really prestigous school organization for four years, and you didn't do anything, but you want to take credit for your so-called leadership position. Technically, you were a part of the organization, but on the other hand you are lying about your role within the organization. </p>
<p>Personally, I have done this, but many students from my community college join our student government with the philosophy that they were a part of student government although they didn't accomplish any work. The worst part about it, in terms of my school's student government, is it is so difficult to uproot resume-builders.</p>
<p>I was thinking exactly the same thing about ECs.. interesting to see it actually brought up. Obviously people are going to embellish or tweak, but hopefully its not to the levels mentioned, but why would reccomendation writers necessarily write about it if it takes place outside of school?</p>
<p>i remember on some other tread that someone said Harvard revoked degrees and booted people who they found to have cheated in the applications process. This was of course after they got admitted and "tricked" the system.</p>