<p>Guys, earlier last year, I tried to apply to NHS and made the mistake of lying on some parts of my app. I got caught, and my application was rescinded and I'm not allowed to apply again this year. I learned from my lesson, and am know being 100% honest on my college applications. I feel like I could have probably gotten into NHS if I just told the truth, so I really screwed myself over. My question is, will the fact that I lied on the application and got caught hurt me for college admissions? Like will the colleges know about this? Can guidance counselor mention this in a recommendation letter? I'm scared guys :(</p>
<p>gthopeful93 -</p>
<p>You need to talk to your guidance counselor and explain the situation. Really talk to him or her about how you grew from the experience and you learned to never lie on an application again. Honestly, he or she might mention it, but if you were to discuss it together you might be okay.</p>
<p>Was your lie really obvious? Like making up activities? Or was it lying about the number of hours completed with an activity? If it was the former rather than the latter, your guidance counselor would probably mention it given the severity.</p>
<p>If you need anything else, just ask.</p>
<p>Best regards,
- Mike</p>
<p>Why would you lie on an NHS application? The only thing we had to provide with ours were teacher endorsements, GPA, and essay. Anyways, NHS is not important for colleges anyway. It’s just another club and you can do so much volunteering outside of it. I don’t know what the situation is for you, but for our NHS, hours had to be sanctioned through them and most of the volunteering I did for the American Cancer Society didn’t “count” so I just got fed up with it and didn’t do any hours senior year. </p>
<p>If you don’t mention it on your college app and you show that you’ve done considerable volunteering outside of it, then I don’t see how that would be a problem. But as Lehigh said, talk to your counselor about it and if she’s nice, then she probably won’t mention it on her letter.</p>
<p>The core issue is the question both applicant and GC answer about any disciplinary actions. Lying is worse than, say, getting in trouble for accidentally damaging something in a hs with a zero tolerance policy. The GC has to explain- and so do you.</p>
<p>Talk to the GC, see if it will be mentioned. Not matching the GC check box can be major trouble. Otoh, many hs don’t report this sort of thing. You MUST find out.</p>
<p>The real question here is how important is NHS to one’s application? Is it imperative that you have NHS on your application in order to get into top colleges?</p>
<p>Thing is, NHS doesn’t really stand out (unless your chapter does some tremendous volunteer project). I listed NHS fourth or fifth in college apps, simply because I had more “stand-out” activities and EC’s.</p>
<p>Yanaj1, NHS doesn’t really matter at all. I was just stuipid in what I did… :(</p>
<p>It’s not that I didn’t get into NHS that’s the issue… it’s just that I got caught lying on the application.</p>
<p>Oooh, no, not that you got caught. That you lied.</p>
<p>That you made a seriously unethical decision.
Now, can you bounce back from that, in your app? Show a set of changes, not just tell them you “learned my lesson?”</p>
<p>I’m going to talk to my counselor about it on the first day of school on Monday.</p>
<p>Good idea, gthopeful93. Make sure to be as genuine as possible. The GC will be much more forgiving if you are remorseful and genuine.</p>
<p>@lookingforward … that is what I meant… I just worded it wrong when I posted</p>
<p>This is National Honor Society we are talking about right?
All you need at my school is a 3.5 gpa and 15 hours of community service.</p>
<p>Oh the irony. National HONOR Society, and then you lie on the application…</p>
<p>It’s not the GC’s forgiveness that matters- it’s that he or she is willing to write that you have since been notably ethical and upstanding, that your changed attitude is clear and the school has utmost faith in your honesty. That this turned you around and there are tangible examples (not righting wrongs around you, but making impact.)</p>
<p>Btw, there are no national standards for NHS. Some schools run you through hoops, require nominations and/or recs. At some schools, it can be B average with lots of service and leadership. At others, it can be only the top x%. That’s why it isn’t always a whoop-de-doo for adcoms. And, the “service” many NHS groups perform is minimal and random.</p>
<p>@Jaunita , at my school you have to fill out an application</p>
<p>I agree it depends how big the lie was and who is writing your letters of recommendation. Some schools are hesitant to say anything negative about a student for fear of a lawsuit…so maybe that will work in your favor? (Seriously, I’ve written rec’s where I was told just state the facts, TRY to say something positive, even if the kid was a big problem.) Unless an actual crime was committed and you were found guilty, I wouldn’t sweat it too much. Also, if you’ve been on a positive track since then, hopefully, the school will see it as a “youthful mistake” not a pattern of behavior. Hopefully, you’ve gained their trust and been doing all the right things since then? And, NHS, from really doesn’t matter on the application, unless you can show a President position…but that can work with any club. I’ve talked to many top colleges and seen local kids accepted that were not in NHS. As I explained to my parents, NHS is not the “end all, be all like it used to be” The standards vary so greatly from school to school and the colleges know this–Show you’ve volunteered and contributed to your community in other ways! Add EXTRA, positive letters of recommendation from others in your community on applications where you can…(some schools say send every rec. you can get…not just a current teacher & guidance!) My kids used teacher from summer school program & manager from community org. where they volunteered. (Accepted at all schools of choice, some very competitive.) Keep moving upward…best wishes!</p>
<p>Give the guy a break, it’s not like he killed someone. He lied and he regrets it. His life goes on, I’m sure no one at the school is holding a grudge, either.</p>
<p>As long as he (or she) grows from the experience and learned to not do it again, then all is well.</p>
<p>@lookforward… This has been my only incident in high school. I haven’t cheated or anything else like that.</p>
<p>If it is your only incident, I am sure the GC will be understanding when you go to talk to him or her.</p>