<p>Long story short: my friends were over and they seized my laptop and wrote some far-fetched racial combination on my Common Application. Most likely as a terrible joke. I deleted it after I found out, but apparently forgot to hit the "save and check for errors" button, so my deletion was never logged. This version was then sent to about thirteen schools without my knowledge of the mistake. I know, I know, I really should've caught the mistake after the umpteenth time of looking over the common app, but when I did revise my attention was mainly on the sections with extensive writing, therefore more potential sources of error. </p>
<p>Race is such a sensitive factor in college admissions, and I know that this qualifies as a lie on college adcoms, regardless of my innocence or ignorance. I have been juggling two options now --
1. to personally email every single college with my story and an apology/clarification.
2. to leave things alone and deal with the phone call verifications when they come, and own up to what will then be an even more inexcusable lie (because of the time that would've passed). </p>
<p>I am really distraught right now. These schools were already targets/reaches for me, and I don't know what'd be worse - doing damage control now and potentially leaving a bad taste in the adcom's mouth before they even read my file, or praying and walking on eggshells every day, hoping no one chooses to verify. </p>
<p>PLEASE. I need opinions as to what I should do. Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>If you decide to contact the admissions office, I would just state there was an error on the racial profile box(es) checked for your application and that you are writing to address the error. I would not get into the part your so-called friends played in causing the error, because mistakes can occur on any application. It would be better to straighten it out, sooner than later. If you are awarded any financial aid or consideration for being a URM(s), it could be even worse if you had to do this after you are accepted. I would certainly look for some more trustworthy friends in college.</p>
<p>The thing is, they typed in obscure country names, and did not merely check off boxes. Should I still say that there was merely an “error”, because this error required a relatively elaborate typo…</p>
<p>You cannot call it a “typo”. Honesty is the best approach. Explain that you have learned an important lesson about computer security.</p>
<p>I would also suggest finding a couple more schools to apply to, just in case the adcoms don’t appreciate your friends’ humor. Maybe find a couple new friends as well…</p>
<p>Forget the backstory. Just state that there was an error and provide the correct information.</p>
<p>The people reading your application are NOT the same people who process your file. The clerical staff don’t give a damn about your story. Just give them the information they need to make the necessary corrections and thank them for their help.</p>
<p>dodgersmom, wait the regional admissions counselors do not see the common app before it has passed through this clerical work? I thought that they download the common app and are able to see it right away. If this is not the case, are you sure this doesn’t seem sketchy? I want to make clear that I did not mean for this to happen, was not trying to “game” the system, and I do not want to seem like a liar chickening out.</p>
<p>They wrote in obscure nationalities??? I would call an admissions office and explain what happened with the most sincere and mature explanation you can muster and see what happens. Then based on that interaction, I would contact the remainder (clerical support or admissions counselor) and get your apps corrected. It could be different at different schools. There was an error on one application for D and when we called, an admissions counselor did fix it correctly, so it could be handled differently depending on the size of the school you applied to. And maybe apply to a few more schools, just in case. This certainly is a life long lesson.</p>
<p>I honestly don’t know if the regional counselor sees it or not.</p>
<p>My guess is that the admissions staff are too busy this time of year to do anything other than receive the correction, process it, and move on. You apologize, explain the correction that’s needed, and thank them for their help.</p>
<p>And, to be honest, your explanation makes you sound like an idiot . . . so the fewer people you have to tell that story to, the better. Just say that there was a mistake. There’s no reason to go into detail.</p>
<p>So… are we sure this is not a ■■■■■? I mean, you can’t submit on the common app without that step that encourages you to “print preview”. And for 15 schools (which probably have varying application dates, and all need essays uploaded for the supplements), are you telling me the OP never once did a print preview or printed out the application to see how it looked before sending it?</p>
<p>@intparent - Do you read the licensing agreements when you install software, or just click “I Accept”? My kids entered their Common App information in September and never really looked at it again. Especially since we are down to the deadlines, it would be easy to just assume that everything looked exactly as it had when first entered.</p>
<p>dodgersmom makes some fine points. Discretion is preferred when communicating with adcoms. You don’t want your application to be the running joke this season in the admissions offices (“remember that guy with the great essay, you know the anglo-franco-afro-asian?”)</p>
<p>Don’t tell the story. It makes you sound like an idiot. Just say “I’m sorry, but there is a mistake in the racial identity (whatever its called) section. I am actually [white/black/etc]. Thank you.” They won’t care, and it is a minor thing.</p>
<p>I would tell them the story about your friends. If you just say you want to correct a mistake you made, they may think you lied on purpose to look like a URM, then later started worrying you would be caught. Believe it or not, people in admissions have a sense of humor and it sounds like something a bunch of douchy friends might do. They know you’re a kid and stuff like this just happens sometimes.</p>
<p>I would not tell them the story about your friends. It makes you sound like an idiot - possibly a racist idiot. Just tell them there is an error on that line of the application and send in the correction. Period. No explanation. No excuses. The less you say about this, the less attention it will get.</p>
<p>It would only look like you lied on purpose to look like a URM if only Hispanic and Black were checked. DO NOT TELL THE STORY. Seriously you’ll be fine though, the clerical people taking the calls and sorting the apps aren’t the ones who end up reading them.</p>
<p>I agree that you should definitely NOT tell them the entire story - it absolutely makes you look like an idiot with racist friends (which by association makes you look just as bad). Just make them aware of the error so that it is corrected and you can’t be accused of trying to take advantage of something. No further info in necessary.</p>
<p>I feel your pain. I think that your fears are well warranted. This is a pretty big screw-up. I understand how it happened, and your so called friends did you a huge disservice, but the ultimate responsibility is with you because you gave them access to your account. </p>
<p>I think that you need to send corrections to all of the schools, in writing, saving a copy. This is important because if they ever try to say that you didn’t fix it and try to take away your diploma when you run for public office or even by opposing counsel who want you disbarred, you want to have those copies. </p>
<p>Don’t send extra explanations. There are none that would help that I can think of. But I think it will be worse if you leave the lie. If you’re lucky, it gets fixed administratively and the decision makers are none the wiser. I don’t really know if that’s what happens. I think in some cases, you’re going to be denied and you’ll never know if it was because of this. Do your best to fix it and move on. </p>
<p>I think you need to make a variant of the common application and apply to additional schools with later deadlines so that you have a place to go. </p>
<p>I’m sorry, but I think this is going to hurt you. There is no easy way to say it. Good luck.</p>