Hi there, I’m a newbie to the website so I’m not completely sure how this will go. I’m a fairly exceptional student, I skipped the tenth grade, I will graduate with my associates in general science at the same time I graduate high school and I am certified in java and C. I received a 1490 on the SAT and have a 4.3 GPA (weighted of course).
My best friend couldn’t afford health insurance and was extremely sick. She could hardly get out of bed, but she worked part-time and could have been fired if she missed any more and she would have failed all of her classes if she missed another day of school. I had just been sick and had a doctor’s note with me, so she and I just typed up a replica and changed her name on the note. I figured since they didn’t have a signature of any kind, they weren’t authorized and therefore it wasn’t “forging.” Eventually other friends wanted in and mass production ensued. Students were skipping school consistently (myself included) and were turning in these manufactured doctor’s notes.
A week ago, the school found out about them and I was suspended for 5 days. I was the only one who received a punishment even though everyone was turning them in. I realize what I did was extremely wrong and foolish, but I would honestly just skip school to read or do homework. How much will this hurt my chances of getting into college? (both Ivy League and in-state Virginia)? Also, what would be the best way to explain it? (short and sweet, or in-depth and detailed?)
“Mass production”? Wow. And it doesn’t matter if you were doing homework - you were still skipping. It sounds like the reason you were suspended is that you were the one who started the whole scheme.
I think your chances WILL be hurt - I don’t know how you can explain it. You’ve really shot yourself in the foot. All you can do is apply and write great essays and hope an admissions officer is impressed by your stats. If I were an AO, I would be leery, to be honest.
Yeah I’m really kicking myself in the head because of this :-S I definitely don’t mean to play the “blame game” I get what I did was extremely wrong. It went against my principles and I betrayed my parents’ and teachers’ trust. I know I need to write great essays, I’m just not completely sure what “great” entails.
I agree with @MaineLonghorn. Your chances will be hurt but I think that you should emphasize that you regret it and that you have learned from your mistakes.
Definitely, but should I emphasize that at first it was for pure reasons and I unfortunately fell down a “slippery slope” so to speak? Or should I just make it simple and explain that we were skipping and turning in fake notes?
You should not make excuses about it at first being for “good intentions”. AOs will think you are making excuses and not realize that you screwed up. Your chances will be hurt a lot, since your Counselor rec will be focused on that incident. You need to own the error in your essays, and not make any excuses at all.
Don’t include the poor uninsured sick friend story in your applications to colleges. I do have to laugh at the “mass production ensued” phrase. Not funny to be suspended for 5 days but at least your poor sick friend isn’t failing all her classes!
It will hurt your chances at any top tier school and top VA state universities. You knew it was wrong and you did it anyway. Trying to say it wasn’t forging because it didn’t have a signature will not help you. I would be short and sweet. Say what you did and that you are sorry and knew that it was wrong. You are trying to convey that you are a smart kid so to over explain and try to justify will just show that you lack judgement and common sense.
As a back up you might want to consider a VA Community College with guaranteed transfer admissions to one of the state universities. After a few years of CC, your HS discipline record will not matter. That would be to get into one of the top VA schools. A lower tier school might accept you as a freshmen.
Unfortunately, a top tier school may not be a viable option also. Your top tier schools usually don’t find humor in major lapses in character and judgement.
I don’t think this is as serious as being caught cheating academically. HS classes are often a waste of time and you and your friends violated the rules to make “better” use of your time. I think it will hurt you, but I think you’ll get into a decent 4 year in-state Virginia school. The ivy league is another story. Your chances weren’t that good to being with, and the competition is brutal. This will probably kill your ivy league chances. But the ivy league is not the be all end all. You can still have a dream life going to a Virginia public school.
This suspension will - and should - hurt your chances at top colleges. Justifying it on an application (sick friend, passive language) won’t help.
My suggestion would be not only to Own It totally and completely, but see how you can turn what you learned into something positive. Use your evil powers for good in other words. Develop a protocol for spotting phony notes that you can share with schools, set up an online system where local docs submit notes in a secure system (you’re a programmer, this should be up your alley.) Something where you turn your knowledge into something that atones and benefits others.
Speak to your guidance counselor, and request a copy of your “unofficial” transcript, to ascertain just how the suspension will appear on the transcript. 2) Do not attempt to rationalize the offense; say as little as possible, but be truthful. This probably will affect your prospects at your top choices, but it is not necessarily fatal. Plenty of kids get into good colleges with some blots on their disciplinary records. Just realize that the most selective colleges are in a position to pick and choose among tens of thousands of highly-qualified applicants, and your infraction will probably eliminate you from consideration. Colleges might contact your school for additional information, if they are considering your application seriously, but are concerned about the disciplinary action. Communicate with an adviser. Be sure that you are remorseful, rather than defensive, in tone.
What an interesting dilemma, makes for a great life lesson and a hell of a story. Getting suspended sucks, and it probably will affect your chances, though do your best to communicate that you realize you’ve made a mistake. Personally, I would briefly touch on the fact you had good intentions without explicitly saying so, and go out of your way to do something for your school or community that can help correct the mistake. If you truly get something on a personal level out of correcting your wrongdoing, who cares how schools will interpret it? If you get something out of it that you can hold with you the rest of your life, that’s way more important. Turn the experience into a lesson of young adulthood, and be thankful that you made out relatively alright in terms of legal stuff. I’m sure you’ll end up alright, one way or another. Best of luck with everything.
Late, sorry. But I would definitely talk to counselors/admin at your school. I was suspended junior year and I freaked out, then I learned that it’s my schools policy that they can’t report behavior/attendance, even if the College calls. For any questions about it, they’re forced to say “School does not allow me to respond.” Id check with your schools policy in terms of next steps.
All you can do is apply and write great essays and hope an admissions officer is impressed by your stats. If I were an AO, I would be leery, to be honest.