<p>In high school, I got suspended my sophomore year for 2 days for stealing. The situation was that I had went to my 1st period class one day to find a PSP under my desk. I pocketed it and took it to my next class, but I was called down to security and got a referral and suspension for taking it. The administrator said that since I was a nice kid, my suspension would be shortened from 5 to 2 days, and I asked my English teacher then (who was the admistrator's sister) about it. She said it would be fine as it was a minor problem and they don't show up on my transcript.
I am a senior now applying to 4 schools through CommonApp : Stanford, USC, Syracuse, and Lehigh University. I am not asking for opinions on my chances ; I would like to know whether or not if I should answer the disciplinary action question on the CommonApp. It does not show up on my transcript, and I have already applied to UC-Santa Barbara because it did not ask about it. I figured that the best option was to be honest, but sometimes, honesty is not the best policy.</p>
<p>You need to check and make sure it is not on your disciplinary record from High School. Check with guidance or administrator at your school. If it is not there, I would not disclose this on college applications. It is only going to hurt you, IMO, I don’t think you would get points for being honest when you are fessing up to stealing( if you just found it, how could they accuse you of stealing?)</p>
<p>My school does not put it in on the transcript. My counselor is required to put “No” on disciplinary action. NO ONE in their right mind at MY SCHOOL puts yes. Lots of people will tell you to be honest. But it’s up to you to decide whether you want to hurt your chances a bit or not. Personally, I wouldn’t. The dean of students/discipline head laughed at my friend when she cried about not getting in anymore and asked if she should put her suspension on her app.</p>
<p>It’s up to you.</p>
<p>^ Agree with snubba. Ask your counselor to make sure that he puts “no” or “cannot report” FIRST.</p>
<p>We were both accepted to NU early decision so she was not punished in any way.</p>
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<p>From the CA:</p>
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<p>So, what is unclear, ambiguous, fuzzy, etc. about your situation and the CA statement?</p>
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<p>This must be the 21st Century version of this saying, at least that’s not the way I learned it.</p>
<p>That’s why I’m debating answering this question. Because there are two things that can happen: I be honest and it gets taken into serious consideration that leads to a rejection or I put no and it somehow gets to the college that I lied and that leads to a rejection with a probability it would be spread to the other colleges I apply to. But for now, I will go with snubba’s advice and check in with my counselor first.</p>
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<p>Let’s be very clear here, you already know what you SHOULD do. What your debating is what to do that will result in the least negative consequences for you.</p>
<p>There is absolutely no gray area as far as what you should do: YOU stated that you were suspended and the CA states that you need to mark Yes if you have been suspended. </p>
<p>Honesty is based on doing what is right, not on what the outcome might be.</p>
<p>You’re right. I shouldn’t try to avoid it even though it is barely mentioned in my transcripts. It has also given me another point to write in my explanation of what I learned: the value of integrity. After this mistake, I learned that I should demonstrate integrity everywhere I go, no matter what the situation is or who is watching. Answering the CommonApp question may have some effect on my application, but being honest on it demonstrates that I have certainly learned about the value of integrity.</p>
<p>Don’t put it down.</p>
<p>Integrity? are you kidding? Do you want to be a high school graduate with integrity or a college graduate that was able to get past a stupid mistake (does not sound like you are some hardened criminal) There are always self-righteous individuals on this board that will encourage you to throw your future away for the sake of principle (and less competition for their application or the child’s) but have no doubt that you will be seriously hurting your chances of a college admit if you do confess to this suspension. Really, talk to your guidance counselor. Don’t you think the fact that your High School did not put this episode on your transcript mean that they did not want it to follow you and wreck your future chances?</p>
<p>Well…the people here did a god job of laying out your options, but…
Were you going to turn it in later?</p>
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<p>Wow, that was a pretty funny, statement: oh those terrible people who think principles are important, they’re just saying that to get what THEY want. A very lame attempt at an ethical flip I’m afraid. </p>
<p>Sorry to disappoint you, but neither I nor my children have any skin in this game. And sorry, but even if they did, they wouldn’t lie or withhold the truth to be admitted to a school.</p>
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<p>Actually, there is a lot of ambiguity. Many schools will remove minor suspensions from your record if you don’t have any further violations, and most don’t report in-school suspensions. One of my friends that I graduated with was suspended in his junior year for something rather minor (that probably shouldn’t have warranted a suspension), but it was wiped from his record when he applied to college.</p>
<p>To the OP: Ask your counselor whether you should answer “yes” or “no.” Your answer needs to match your counselor’s answer.</p>
<p>Entmom,
Sorry if I implied that you had an ulterior motive in advising OP to confess to school suspension, I see that isn’t fair. I do not understand why you would advise OP to reveal school suspension on Common App when it sounds that the counselor/school has removed it from his record. Do you really think OP should fall on the sword for this? You know it will hurt him and what is to be gained by anyone?</p>
<p>I agree with entomom. If the OP puts “No” on the application, it’s a bald-faced lie. “What is to be gained by anyone?” Wow, if that’s the basis for making an ethical decision, we’re all in trouble.</p>
<p>Wow, just wow. Having no integrity like some in this thread is I’ll leave alone here. I’ll just go straight to the point.mshould you get caught at any time having lied, the college you attend can and most probably will revoke your attendance or diploma. It can be 30 years from now when you run for office or are made CEO of a major corporation and a high school classmate outs this.</p>
<p>On a less dramatic note I’d be very surprised if this is not reported by your school. Schools are honor bound to report suspensions. Counselors discuss these situations with admissions. As a former counselor, I’ve seen many, many kids get into top schools after minor infractions. Don’t lie.</p>
<p>I think you should discuss it with your guidance counselor. It is unfortunate that they ask this question on the common app because it can severely punish kids who make one mistake in high school(and many kids do). I think they should leave it up to the counselor
to list serious or multiple offenses that a college should know about.</p>
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<p>Please note that answering Yes is not the end of the story, the CA gives the applicant an opportunity to explain the incident fully:</p>
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<p>So colleges take into consideration what happened, when it happened, and most importantly the applicant’s response to the situation. And if you think that this is just college admissions, think again. The second disciplinary question will be asked on every job application you fill out. And getting a misdemeanor is not that different from what gets you disciplinary action in HS, except that you’re 18 or older and not in the classroom.</p>
<p>Do I believe that everyone, including me, is expected lead a perfectly ethical life? No, but I do believe that we should be truthful about our actions and take responsibility for them, even when there are consequences that are difficult.</p>
<p>I have the similar question. One guy at my school, he is very smart and have taken so many AP classes. One of my friends told me that he got caught on cheating last year for 3 times. I mean 3 times is a lot, not 1. I bet it’s on a cheating referral. I don’t think the school should be so nice by not doing anything with this. At least, I am pretty sure the Uc’s don’t know since they do not require an official transcript until June.</p>