Can I get away with not submitting an old transcript?

[jkv]

I am a returning older student. Many years ago I was enrolled at a Community College as a Premed and did very well at first, but was involved in an auto accident and received a head injury (this was in '96). Caused severe memory problems and my GPA headed down hill from above 3.5 to just 2.9 (I failed class after class for three semesters after the accident before I gave up). To compound the problem, it is a heavily weighted GPA, as I had taken (or attempted) a total of about 90 credit hours at that school.

The diagnosis from the accident was Post-Concussion Syndrome and eventually, my cognitive functions improved. I enrolled in another college in 2004 in a different State, and my GPA from that point on is around 3.45. Not great, but with another year of straight A's, I can bring it up into the 3.55 range.

When I apply to Med Schools (next year), can I get away with omitting the transcript from that first school? It was well over 10 years ago now, it doesn't reflect my current abilities and those F's and the very low 2.9 GPA from there would pretty much negate any chance of getting into a Med School.

If I conveniently "forget" to include that transcript, will they catch it?

Thanks,

JK

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[Mobius1985]

I'm sorry to tell you that they will indeed catch your omission. There is a national college clearinghouse in the US that has records of all post-high school institutions attended. If you fail to report it, transcript certification will be markedly delayed.

 

[boggvir]

I am a returning older student. Many years ago I was enrolled at a Community College as a Premed and did very well at first, but was involved in an auto accident and received a head injury (this was in '96). Caused severe memory problems and my GPA headed down hill from above 3.5 to just 2.9 (I failed class after class for three semesters after the accident before I gave up). To compound the problem, it is a heavily weighted GPA, as I had taken (or attempted) a total of about 90 credit hours at that school.

The diagnosis from the accident was Post-Concussion Syndrome and eventually, my cognitive functions improved. I enrolled in another college in 2004 in a different State, and my GPA from that point on is around 3.45. Not great, but with another year of straight A's, I can bring it up into the 3.55 range.

When I apply to Med Schools (next year), can I get away with omitting the transcript from that first school? It was well over 10 years ago now, it doesn't reflect my current abilities and those F's and the very low 2.9 GPA from there would pretty much negate any chance of getting into a Med School.

If I conveniently "forget" to include that transcript, will they catch it?

Thanks,

JK

Yes, it will be caught. This site will have a listing of where you went and when. They'll expect transcripts.

It's better to be clean and work on fixing those grades. If you retake those Fs and get As, you can improve your GPA very quickly for DO schools.

 

[J ROD]

More than likely they will catch it and then you definitely have a mark against you then.

Would you rather be know as having a poor GPA because of an accident that can be excused and possibly overlooked OR

a possible liar that just for convenience "forgot" to include that transcript.


I know which one I rather try to explain.....

 

[bleeker10]

I was in a similar situation this summer. I had low grades at school in my past and I was thinking about "forgetting" the transcript. Even if you were able to get into med school without anyone finding out, you run the risk of having the med school find out while you are attending. They will expel you for this because you lied to them about your grades. Also, you have plenty of opportunities to get caught, from residency to board application to job offers. I am not sure if you would lose your license, but I imagine you would because you gained it under false pretenses. Another thing is if anyone knows of this (including a spouse or children) and they turn against you, then could tell the state medical board to get revenge and you could have discplinary action brought against you.
But the biggest reason for why I decided to be honest and admit my grades was this: How can you say you are an honest and ethical physician/person if you are willing to lie about it to get into med school? I pride myself on being ethical and honest and I knew at the end of the day I could not live with myself for doing something unethical to get into school. I turned in all my grades, received a sub 3.0 gpa from AMCAS and AACOMAS, and have been accepted into a DO school and am waiting to hear back from two allo schools I interviewed at (state schools). Good luck and do the honest thing.

 

[SDN2013]

no they can find out

 

[Californian]

i thought they usually don't check..

 

[BlueElmo]

Wait, do they automatically screen everyone through this national clearinghouse or something? Or is it something they do on random applicants?

 

[halekulani]

wow i didn't even know that they could find out.

 

[BlueElmo]

i thought they usually don't check..

Ahh, I'm freaking dead if they do though. I had a F, C, and Bs in a class that I took in community college back in middle and high school. I'm panicking right now.

 

[Mobius1985]

Wait, do they automatically screen everyone through this national clearinghouse or something?

It is not random. Everyone is checked through this or a similiar clearinghouse.

 

[146233]

The instructions say submit transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended, whether or not a degree was awarded. Anything less is just trying to manipulate the process.

Ten years is sufficient time for schools to give you a second chance. What happened in the past is in the past and your recent performance will count infinitely more than the older stuff. Submit it, be prepared to discuss what happened, and you'll do just fine.

 

[matlabsux]

The national clearing house is used to VERIFY the transcripts and degrees earned at any schools you reported on your AMCAS/AACOMAS, nothing more.

 

[146233]

The national clearing house is used to VERIFY the transcripts and degrees earned at any schools you reported on your AMCAS/AACOMAS, nothing more.

Okay, you bank on it. If the OP's school were to find out they omitted a transcript after they admitted them, they'd revoke the offer. If the OP had started school already, it's grounds to throw them out.

I don't mean to sound all preachy and idealistic here, but this is still [supposed to be] a profession of integrity. Have some respect for that. [/rant]

That said, good luck to the OP, whatever you choose to do.

 

[Mike7704]

I in no way condone not submitting the transcript but I think some of this information is misleading.

If you go on student clearinghouse the only way to check if an applicant is not submitting an application you would have to know what school they are not submitting the application from. I don't think you can just blindly check every school on the US for a particular candidate to see if they didn't submit the transcript.

 

[BlueElmo]

I in no way condone not submitting the transcript but I think some of this information is misleading.

If you go on student clearinghouse the only way to check if an applicant is not submitting an application you would have to know what school they are not submitting the application from. I don't think you can just blindly check every school on the US for a particular candidate to see if they didn't submit the transcript.

But according to the website, can't AMCAS just simply type in your name or whatever and the history of all the schools you ever attended show up in this clearinghouse thing? Curse this damn website.

 

[tennisball80]

I bet this rule does not apply for Canadian colleges.

 

[Mobius1985]

can't AMCAS just simply type in your name or whatever and the history of all the schools you ever attended show up in this clearinghouse thing?

My guess would be that it's organized by social security number.

 

[Californian]

Question: so if you didn't list Social securtiy number at the college you attend; your record is not ganna show up on the cleaninghouse website?

 

[Mobius1985]

I don't think anyone here knows that for sure. But I've always been asked for my social security number, even if the schools assign you a different ID number for their files.

 

[boggvir]

Are your schools on this list?

 

[boaz]

I in no way condone not submitting the transcript but I think some of this information is misleading.

If you go on student clearinghouse the only way to check if an applicant is not submitting an application you would have to know what school they are not submitting the application from. I don't think you can just blindly check every school on the US for a particular candidate to see if they didn't submit the transcript.

http://www.studentclearinghouse.org/secure_area/es_prior_enrollments.asp?demo=1


"A requesting institution can use this screen to verify an applicant’s assertions regarding previous attendance at other educational institutions, including failure to disclose information regarding previous attendance."

 

[cooldreams]

But according to the website, can't AMCAS just simply type in your name or whatever and the history of all the schools you ever attended show up in this clearinghouse thing? Curse this damn website.

call the clearinghouse and tell them your SSN. They will tell you what schools they have on file for you. THEY DO NOT HAVE ALL SCHOOLS. probably about 70% of all schools....

 

[indianjatt]

Ahh, I'm freaking dead if they do though. I had a F, C, and Bs in a class that I took in community college back in middle and high school. I'm panicking right now.

I think they'll find out. I am a high school senior and asked this question and they said I have to report it otherwise I will get caught.

I regret TAKING a dumb class in high school without knowing this! haha I guess life goes on.

 

[clarkbar]

It is not random. Everyone is checked through this or a similiar clearinghouse.

Can you please be more specific. From my understanding, they only check submitted degrees. They do have a student tracker application, but I believe you can FERPA block your info to them. THey are a shady company and use many legal manipulations to overcome intent of the privacy law, but I am fairly sure if you block you are ok.

Please correct me if I am wrong.

 

[eric51]

From what I've heard, they can find quite easily what schools you have attended, even if you haven't disclosed it yourself.

 

[HeismanTy]

The question is not whether you CAN get away with it...the question is whether you SHOULD try to.

I guess for me it is frustrating reading this kind of stuff. If people are getting away with not including grades on their applications, then what else are they being dishonest about? How is that fair to everybody who submitted all of their stuff whether or not it reflected their best self?

 

[indianjatt]

The question is not whether you CAN get away with it...the question is whether you SHOULD try to.

I guess for me it is frustrating reading this kind of stuff. If people are getting away with not including grades on their applications, then what else are they being dishonest about? How is that fair to everybody who submitted all of their stuff whether or not it reflected their best self?

I cannot agree more!