I lied to my grad school advisor (and others) about my old MCAT score...help!

[onlyhope271]

I have a 4.0 grad GPA and am retaking my MCAT this spring. I used my GRE scores to get into graduate school, but when I first met with my advisor (and head of the program) he asked about my old MCAT score. I was really embarrassed...it's a 21 (I didn't have any time to study, don't judge), so I told him I got a 25 (he jotted the score down in my file). I thought, it's not a big deal, he can't prove it.

However, now my advisor wants to enroll me in an actual medical school course in the fall, but only if my MCAT score is much better. I'm positive that he'll need to validate whatever score I get this time, and because of AAMC's full disclosure policy, if I send him the scores, he'll see the first one.

It gets worse...he forwarded my information to someone in admissions for that medical school, and when I met with that person for advice for the applications process, she saw the MCAT score I claimed I had.

It gets worse...I had been emailing the head of admissions for the same medical school and he asked for my transcripts and MCAT scores to see where I stand as an applicant, and he knows I'm retaking the MCAT. But now all the most important people know my "score", and I'm worried that my stupidity and dishonesty will hurt me in the long run. This is my top school and where my best chances are.

I was stupid and dishonest and I regret lying in the first place. I wanted to be consistent but I ended up digging myself in a deeper hole. My question is this: Should I come clean? Or should I ignore it and pray that no one notices the difference when scores are sent out?

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[DokterMom]

They'll notice.

Talk to your adviser. Apologize profusely. Grovel. Admit that you were so embarrassed about your terrible score that you lied. It would not be that difficult for him/her to tell the med school folks that s/he made a mistake on the MCAT (unless you also told the med school 25) -- but you should not ask him/her to lie for you. Just cross your fingers and pray.

Then take the new MCAT very seriously and knock it out of the park. You've got damage control to do.

 

[karats]

@Goro @LizzyM would be good people to ask but I think that you probably should not get a LOR from the grad school advisor which will probably raise a red flag by itself or apply to this medical school if they thought you originally had a 25...
You can always get individual letters and no committee letter. Next time don't be so embarrassed and just be honest especially with people who are in administration

 

[IslandStyle808]

By that last sentence "should I ignore it and pray that no one notices the difference...," you regret being caught more than telling the lie.

Go with DokterMom's advice. You have to do damage control and I would not bother with a letter of rec from your advisor in the future (unless you know for certain what he wrote on the letter). The first thought that should have popped up in your mind is "this guy could put my score down in my LOR." So that should have been the first deterrent in lying.

 

[karats]

By that last sentence "should I ignore it and pray that no one notices the difference...," you regret being caught more than telling the lie.

Go with DokterMom's advice. You have to do damage control and I would not bother with a letter of rec from your advisor in the future (unless you know for certain what he wrote on the letter). The first thought that should have popped up in your mind is "this guy could put my score down in my LOR." So that should have been the first deterrent in lying.

That's literally why I hate giving people who write LORs my resume. Whenever I submit my resume to them it may have an indicated completed hours but what happens when I submit my application I have more hours for one activity? Obviously this can be explained but I just don't like any sort of discrepancy at all. Same with GPA. My GPA when applying would likely be higher than the one indicated on my resume. Again probably not a big deal but I'm not a fan of discrepancy of any sort.

 

[IslandStyle808]

That's literally why I hate giving people who write LORs my resume. Whenever I submit my resume to them it may have an indicated completed hours but what happens when I submit my application I have more hours for one activity? Obviously this can be explained but I just don't like any sort of discrepancy at all. Same with GPA. My GPA when applying would likely be higher than the one indicated on my resume. Again probably not a big deal but I'm not a fan of discrepancy of any sort.

Yep this is the harsh part of doing work in a lab, you are praying they don't notice the blemishes in your record. However, in the end you have to be honest. Things change with time (GPA, hours volunteered, awards etc.) and you just have to do your best to kept the resume updated. One just has to realize that one has done the best one can "pre-application" or pre-job interview. There will always be "what ifs," but if what you did is good enough you will get the opportunity. If you don't, then you can just up date the resume and search for the next one. Can't always live in regret.

 

[Goro]

If you want to go to med school, you had better come clean, because lying is a hard habit to break, and we're allergic to dishonest medical students and doctors.

You were stupid and dishonest AND immature.

I have a 4.0 grad GPA and am retaking my MCAT this spring. I used my GRE scores to get into graduate school, but when I first met with my advisor (and head of the program) he asked about my old MCAT score. I was really embarrassed...it's a 21 (I didn't have any time to study, don't judge), so I told him I got a 25 (he jotted the score down in my file). I thought, it's not a big deal, he can't prove it.

However, now my advisor wants to enroll me in an actual medical school course in the fall, but only if my MCAT score is much better. I'm positive that he'll need to validate whatever score I get this time, and because of AAMC's full disclosure policy, if I send him the scores, he'll see the first one.

It gets worse...he forwarded my information to someone in admissions for that medical school, and when I met with that person for advice for the applications process, she saw the MCAT score I claimed I had.

It gets worse...I had been emailing the head of admissions for the same medical school and he asked for my transcripts and MCAT scores to see where I stand as an applicant, and he knows I'm retaking the MCAT. But now all the most important people know my "score", and I'm worried that my stupidity and dishonesty will hurt me in the long run. This is my top school and where my best chances are.

I was stupid and dishonest and I regret lying in the first place. I wanted to be consistent but I ended up digging myself in a deeper hole. My question is this: Should I come clean? Or should I ignore it and pray that no one notices the difference when scores are sent out?

 

[DokterMom]

That's literally why I hate giving people who write LORs my resume. Whenever I submit my resume to them it may have an indicated completed hours but what happens when I submit my application I have more hours for one activity? Obviously this can be explained but I just don't like any sort of discrepancy at all. Same with GPA. My GPA when applying would likely be higher than the one indicated on my resume. Again probably not a big deal but I'm not a fan of discrepancy of any sort.

You just add a parenthetical "(ongoing)" so any intelligent letter writer will know that your "145 hours" needs to be changed to "about 150 hours" or "more than 150 hours" but at their discretion.

 

[onlyhope271]

If you want to go to med school, you had better come clean, because lying is a hard habit to break, and we're allergic to dishonest medical students and doctors.

You were stupid and dishonest AND immature.

Whoops! I forgot "immature". Thanks