<p>I studied in a foreign high school and I'm a non-US citizen. My high school is very poor technologically - the teachers do not know how to use computers properly, the Guidance Counselor doesn't give recommendations properly, etc. The administration is very week.</p>
<p>I'm the only student from my school to apply to the U.S. from its advent, 1990. Most students study in national public universities or other countries (which require hard copies of transcripts).</p>
<p>In October, when I applied for my Early Decision application to my college, guidance counselors were not familiar with the online common app system of sending recommendations and transcripts. The don't know anything about the educational system in the U.S. They even don't own e-mail accounts! So they refused to submit the materials online.</p>
<p>Worried about what to do, I made e-mail accounts through Gmail using their names and registered to the common app myself! I made all the recommendations myself from internet samples (as they would have made if they knew how to use the internet) and made a transcript (giving all TRUE grades I have...My school is a very easy school...no I never had a 'B' in high school with all A's). My school is a British patterned education system (A-Level) and I even scanned by GCSE and Advanced Level certificates. Next, I scanned the Principal's stamp and signature ands pasted on it. My school has no definite system of giving transcripts. The design varies continuously. I even made the school profile!!! :@</p>
<p>Luckily, I got accepted ED to this college and decided to attend. I even sent my Mid Year Grades myself in January upon request through e-mail.</p>
<p>Now, my question is, will I get caught in doing this. I had to this because I had no alternative. The Principal and Guidance counselors and all teachers are computer illiterates and don't even own a computer :@ Now, I can't even be guilty of what I've done. Will my acceptance be affected? Or will I get expelled from the school when I reach there?</p>
<p>Please suggest me as this is a serious condition.</p>
<p>I hope you understand that is quite a serious lie. I don’t think you will get into trouble for that - it is hard to check international qualifications anyway, but if you do get caught, you could face rescission, I reckon. </p>
<p>Two things I don’t understand: </p>
<p>Universities in your country require hard copies of trancripts - Why didn’t you send one of those in to your US college? Maybe translated? </p>
<p>You could have ask your teachers to write you a handwritten recommendation, which you could have typed (and translated?) on your own computer. Officially you aren’t even supposed to read your own recommendations, but that would be justifiable in your case. It is, however, not okay to write your own recommendations, as you hopefully understand. </p>
<p>Your transcript situation is okay - you could come clean about that one with your ED college, but writing your own recommendations is fraud. And there is always the chance you will get caught -however small. Furthermore, it is rather unfair for other applicants. </p>
<p>I am sorry I am not really of any help in making you feel better about this, but it is the truth.</p>
<p>EDIT: And Putturani is right; from your post history it is even clear which college you will be attending. I wouldn’t find it unlikely if they would recheck your credentials either.</p>
<p>Most colleges, including Dartmouth (I suppose that is the college you will be going to- congratulations!), allow you to send in paper submissions of all your forms. I send in all my teacher recommendations, transcripts etc. either via fax or mail. </p>
<p>Honestly, I was the first (I think) applicant from my school too- my teachers are also inexperienced and my counselor left half of the required fields on my school report empty. Most internationals share this predicament. That doesn’t make it justifiable to write YOUR OWN recommendations without telling your teachers. Including the fake gmail addresses. It would also have been better if you’d at least shown your teachers the letters. I also find it hard to believe you wrote ‘honest’ letters. How did you fill in the common app forms that ask you to rank the student? Glaring I reckon? </p>
<p>Sorry if it sounds like I am attacking you - but the truth is: it is fraud. And I don’t want to sound all PC by throwing moral arguments in the mix, so I’ll just say that you should be aware of the fact that you could get caught.</p>
<p>You can still send them by mail. It’s not impossible. The only difference is that it won’t show up on Common app (I think.) There’s ways around that.</p>
Showing your teachers your recommendations and asking them to confirm they have written them/agreed on them, should that situation ever come up. </p>
<p>I know it is a really hard process for international students, but I am sure it will all work out. Correct this though - you wouldn’t want to get caught.</p>