<p>So here is my moral dilemma:
I'm a senior applying to HYPS and other top colleges.
In my junior year, I won a pretty big science fair in my state. However, in the process of presenting my project I omitted some data that could have brought my results into question. At the time, I wasn't aware of how bad this is to do, since the data were too confusing for me to interpret and I didn't understand them. Now I realize this was a form of cheating and I am very regretful. To compensate, I decided not to include that award on my applications. I have talked to my mentor, who agrees I did a bad thing but doesn't think it should invalidate the award, yet I still have reservations. Part of me thinks I should go one step further and actually tell the science fair and colleges about my "cheating," but I have been advised against this. So 3 main questions:
1) Have I upheld my moral responsibilities by simply not listing the award, or should colleges also know that I engaged in what I have self-deemed cheating. Am I being too hard on myself by thinking they should?
2) This award I won is not too big, but is pretty big in my state. It comes up when you Google my name. Is there any chance colleges might find out about it this way, and should I be concerned morally about this?
3) If by some strange coincidence colleges found out about the award and saw it was not on my app, might they wonder about this? Could this be considered the type of "omission" that could get an application rescinded? Keep in mind that it is an award I am omitting, not a punishment. And my reservations about the award are entirely my own, I have not been "caught" cheating or subject to any disciplinary actions, in essence I "caught" myself. Nonetheless if they knew the full story they could argue I left out something that they deserved to know in judging me.</p>
<p>Have I upheld my moral responsibilities by simply not listing the award, or should colleges also know that I engaged in what I have self-deemed cheating. Am I being too hard on myself by thinking they should?</p>
<br>
<blockquote> </blockquote>
<br>
<p>Hmmm...If we're talking "moral responsibility" then it seems like you should be wondering if you should give back the award, not whether you should omit mentioning it on college applications. </p>
<p>If you did give it back, you could write a great essay for your applications explaining what you've learned, both about research/science and "moral responsibility."</p>
<p>But that's just my opinion. Ultimately, you're the one who has to live with your own decisions in life so no one can answer the rest of your questions except YOU.</p>
<p>It's deja vu all over again.</p>
<p>I thought this sounded oddly familiar.</p>