Hi. I am currently a junior in high school and my anxiety about college is only worsening by the day. I have a strong academic profile, meaningful and long lasting extra curriculars, and I am very confident that my essays will stand out. However, it is often difficult for me to resist cheating; I often compromise my morals to get ahead. What I’m about to say will make me sound like a ■■■■ person, but I promise I’m not…well maybe I am in pursuit of certain things. Anyways, my top school is an Ivy…so while I do have the academic and creative background to get me considered, we all know its probably not enough. So let me get to the point, and this is hypothetical, I have not done this, so please don’t attack me…How much of a risk would it be to fake legacy status? As in claiming a parental relationship to a random (but real) alumni from my city? This alumni doesn’t have much info on them online so it wouldn’t raise too many concerns. I probably won’t do this… because I can already feel the guilt and disgust with myself for even considering it. I couldn’t live with that for 4 years. So pls without being aggressive or shaming me, I would like real advice.
Don’t do it.
Why? Not saying I disagree, I just need to be talked out of this.
I’m sorry you’re feeling so much pressure and anxiety over your college admissions. As you already know, dishonesty and cheating is never OK. But I will also tell you that legacy is losing its edge/boost in many if not all of the Ivies and it is definitely NOT worth it to try and fake some sort of legacy relationship.
You obviously have a sense of what is wrong and right. You want to do something (that may not even make a difference) that you will regret years later?
You’ve already cheated. Now you want to cheat on admissions. Who will hire you ? Cheats get found out eventually.
Just stop now.
Honestly, i could understand someone being resentful of legacy preferences in admissions, and doing this. Do not. Why? Because you might have gotten in on the basis of your own credentials, rather than cheating. Because when the supreme court in September bans racial preferences in admissions, legacy is likely to go away too. Because you could get found out, and expelled, possibly as late as your senior year. Because you are better than this.[quote=“shes3v1l, post:1, topic:3637720, full:true”]
Hi. I am currently a junior in high school and my anxiety about college is only worsening by the day. I have a strong academic profile, meaningful and long lasting extra curriculars, and I am very confident that my essays will stand out. However, it is often difficult for me to resist cheating; I often compromise my morals to get ahead. What I’m about to say will make me sound like a ■■■■ person, but I promise I’m not…well maybe I am in pursuit of certain things. Anyways, my top school is an Ivy…so while I do have the academic and creative background to get me considered, we all know its probably not enough. So let me get to the point, and this is hypothetical, I have not done this, so please don’t attack me…How much of a risk would it be to fake legacy status? As in claiming a parental relationship to a random (but real) alumni from my city? This alumni doesn’t have much info on them online so it wouldn’t raise too many concerns. I probably won’t do this… because I can already feel the guilt and disgust with myself for even considering it. I couldn’t live with that for 4 years. So pls without being aggressive or shaming me, I would like real advice.
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You’ve already cheated. Now you want to cheat on admissions. Who will hire you ? Cheats get found out eventually.
No, they don’t.
This is naivety.
People cheat all the time and are rewarded for it.
Life isn’t this idyllic fair place where cheaters are found out.
I wouldn’t risk cheating on a college application though.
Even Adam Wheeler was only found out because he kept on submitting fake applications, if he had kept silent, he would never have been spotted.
Why are you asking the question? Surely you know that NO ONE would ever “OK” someone faking anything to get into college? So there must be another motivation?
And YES people cheat, many people, and all the time… it is human nature to try and get ahead. Greed and envy are the downfall of human beings from the beginning of time. However, knowing that cheating is wrong, and recognizing that you are tempted, why not do the noble thing and honestly apply yourself in school and in college applications? There are not a lot of things we can truly take complete credit for in life; but, our integrity is one of those things. It is ALWAYS better knowing that you earned it with grit and determination… not falsification.
Cheating/lying are never going to be condoned on CC. Closing thread.