Little white lies

Prep School Admissions Prep School Parents
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<p>On the college financial aid forum, the question has come up (rather frequently of late, unfortunately) as to whether or not it’s okay to tell a little white lie of exaggeration or omission in a scholarship or financial aid application. The exaggeration might be in the list of extracurriculars submitted for a scholarship. The omission is more likely to be under-the-table income or an asset of some kind that "perhaps doesn't need to be mentioned."</p>

<p>Obviously, these lies aren’t so little when they could result in significant financial gain for the student.</p>

<p>But I’m guessing that all kids lie at one time or another. I mean, really, what’s the chance a classic question like “Have you started your homework yet?” is always going to get an honest answer? So, how easy is it to go from that lie of expediency to the potentially much more significant one on a scholarship application or financial aid form?</p>

<p>I’m posting in this forum because I’m wondering if perhaps our kids have an advantage - if for no other reason than the fact that they’ve already had the experience of filing applications for admission . . . and were likely under significant parent scrutiny when they did so. So they already learned at age 13 or 14 that you don’t get to say you were president of the chess club when you weren’t . . . even if you were one of the loyal few who actually showed up every week!</p>

<p>By the time our kids start filing their college applications, they're already old pro's . . . having been through this process before. That gives them some advantages. Is this one of them?</p>

<p>Or perhaps my premise is flawed. Maybe the parents who are willing to go through the prep school application process with their kids are the same parents who also put in the effort to teach their kids right from wrong.</p>

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<p>little white lies - I guess this is in the end a measure of character? What does it teach to tell a lie to get financial aid? I would rather (hope) parents put this above admission to a prep school. Character much more important in life than prep school education.
PS. this from a mom who understands - having scrapped to pay for college, from a home w widowed mother w 5 kids and no $$, who lost academic scholarship in college to a well heeled girl who was a notorious test cheater…and did not need $$.</p>