Anonymous Tip About Suspected Cheating Matriculant?

[deleted1194844]

I have some (unsubstantiated, no solid evidence) reason to believe a matriculant to Feinberg Medicine has hidden or gotten rid of an IA event on their application. I am wondering if I can submit an anonymous tip anywhere about this matriculant.

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[Rachapkis]

If you don't have any real evidence to show that another person violated the rules, why would you want to anonymously impugn them? You would be better off focussing on making sure that you are successful, rather than trying to tear someone else down by trafficking in rumors.

 

[LunaOri]

Don’t live up to your username.

 

[LunaOri]

We pay 0 attention to anonymous “tips”. Most IA, especially the serious ones, will be revealed during the application/matriculation process. It’s possible that the school knew about the IA and accepted this applicant anyway.

 

[pedneuro6894]

"Teacher teacher!! You forgot to assign us our homework!!"

 

[deleted1194844]

We pay 0 attention to anonymous “tips”. Most IA, especially the serious ones, will be revealed during the application/matriculation process. It’s possible that the school knew about the IA and accepted this applicant anyway.

I figured all of this. For context, I've known about this for a few months, and I have been trying to forget about it because I understand the likelihood of this person being caught and held accountable is low. I don't have a personal vendetta against this person, but their acceptance is making me question the integrity of this process. I thought I would try something, even if it's an ineffectual "tip," since it has been eating at me for so long.

For more context, this person did not have to take the MCAT; they were accepted through a BA/MD guaranteed admission program. My frustration boiled over the other day while I was helping my friend study for the MCAT and they broke down because their practice scores are not good enough for any medical school.

"Teacher teacher!! You forgot to assign us our homework!!"

Don’t live up to your username.

Good ones. I do not understand why I am made fun of when I have a genuine concern about the integrity of the admissions process. I suppose I should just grow up and live with a process that privileges dishonest individuals who pay their way through it? I understand that there is not much I can do, but why am I a foolish nark for trying? I understand this effort is not effective, but why demean me?

 

[LizzyM]

Why be anonymous? If you have hard proof that an IA is on the student's record but suspect that the record was not reported by the applicant, why not ask the applicant point blank and depending on the answer, send a report to the dean of admissions and **sign your name**? Go on the record so that the school can follow-up with you. An anonymous tip will be ignored; one that is signed might be harder to ignore. That said, it is possible that the IA was reported and found to be forgivable and not a hinderance to admission.

 

[eigen]

I think things would be different if you had actual knowledge rather than rumors.

Rumors are something you need to be careful about spreading, because many are intended to hurt people and have no truth to them.

Actual first hand evidence of someone doing something? Report away, please.

I deal with this a lot in my classes. I appreciate when someone has actual evidence of a classmate cheating, and will take appropriate action. But “X may be cheating, I thought you should know” really isn’t helpful, and I’ve seen it used in a weapon used fashion by jealous students before.

 

[pedneuro6894]

Good ones. I do not understand why I am made fun of when I have a genuine concern about the integrity of the admissions process. I suppose I should just grow up and live with a process that privileges dishonest individuals who pay their way through it? I understand that there is not much I can do, but why am I a foolish nark for trying? I understand this effort is not effective, but why demean me?

If you want my honest opinion, just mind your own business and stay in your lane, and I mean that in the most respectful way possible. If it is something that is going to put someone's safety/well-being at risk, absolutely tell someone. But to me, there is absolutely no point in putting this much effort into a situation that has nothing to do with you or your success. And anyway, karma never misses its opportunity

P.S. I'm sure you are a very fine, respectful individual, but to be this "gunner" kind of person is the best way for you to make enemies. Nobody likes a tattle tale

 

[deleted1194844]

Why be anonymous? If you have hard proof that an IA is on the student's record but suspect that the record was not reported by the applicant, why not ask the applicant point blank and depending on the answer, send a report to the dean of admissions and **sign your name**? Go on the record so that the school can follow-up with you. An anonymous tip will be ignored; one that is signed might be harder to ignore. That said, it is possible that the IA was reported and found to be forgivable and not a hinderance to admission.

Thank you for the genuine advice. I will try and gather some more evidence; I suppose it's foolish of me to expect the school to investigate this person without any.

If you want my honest opinion, just mind your own business and stay in your lane, and I mean that in the most respectful way possible. If it is something that is going to put someone's safety/well-being at risk, absolutely tell someone. But to me, there is absolutely no point in putting this much effort into a situation that has nothing to do with you or your success. And anyway, karma never misses its opportunity

P.S. I'm sure you are a very fine, respectful individual, but to be this "gunner" kind of person is the best way for you to make enemies. Nobody likes a tattle tale

If I was a "gunner," I would mind my own business and continue writing secondaries. I'm very aware that instigating this investigation could jeopardize my chances at this and any medical school. Frankly, I am more concerned with justice being served than I am me getting into medical school this cycle. I am not a wayward child nor a jealous classmate; I am someone who is very concerned about the integrity and fairness of the medical school admissions process.

 

[eigen]

If you want my honest opinion, just mind your own business and stay in your lane, and I mean that in the most respectful way possible. If it is something that is going to put someone's safety/well-being at risk, absolutely tell someone. But to me, there is absolutely no point in putting this much effort into a situation that has nothing to do with you or your success. And anyway, karma never misses its opportunity

I'll take exception to the idea that reporting academic integrity / dishonesty is a "gunner" approach.

The number of interview questions that involve the theme of "you know a colleague did something dishonest / a classmate cheated on a test, what do you do" suggests that medical schools also take it seriously.

Personally, I'm far more concerned about future physicians taking the (imo, ethically questionable) approach of "I'm going to stay in my own lane even if I know something unethical is happening over there".

 

[Mr.Smile12]

For more context, this person did not have to take the MCAT; they were accepted through a BA/MD guaranteed admission program. My frustration boiled over the other day while I was helping my friend study for the MCAT and they broke down because their practice scores are not good enough for any medical school.

I don't know what your university's honor code says about your obligation to report. I would talk with a university ombudsperson about the situation. I don't know who oversees the guaranteed admissions track, but usually university administrators must provide the medical school their students' disciplinary records, and it is NOT a FERPA violation for the medical school to request this information regularly because of the nature of such articulation agreements. (Presuming the students on the track sign a contract understanding this is allowable to join the BA/MD.)

Ask the ombudsperson or prehealth advisor/admissions officer about whether disciplinary records are regularly examined by BA/MD track enrollees or before starting medical school. Just as these students cannot avoid consenting to a background check before starting medical school, they should also allow student conduct records to be released to the medical school.

 

[Goro]

Good ones. I do not understand why I am made fun of when I have a genuine concern about the integrity of the admissions process. I suppose I should just grow up and live with a process that privileges dishonest individuals who pay their way through it? I understand that there is not much I can do, but why am I a foolish nark for trying? I understand this effort is not effective, but why demean me?

well, you don't have any proof that this student cheated.

 

[deleted1194844]

well, you don't have any proof that this student cheated.

Thank you for the genuine advice. I will try and gather some more evidence; I suppose it's foolish of me to expect the school to investigate this person without any.

 

[deleted1194844]

well, you don't have any proof that this student cheated.

As an adcom member, shouldn't you be taking allegations of violations of academic integrity seriously? Not laugh reacting at another applicant intimating that I'm a nark?

This student, to my knowledge, cheated. They have actively demonstrated that they lack the "competencies" that you holier-than-thou adcoms like to tout your matriculants having.

They bragged about cheating, got caught cheating, and paid people to cheat for them. I know that those are three separate allegations and I will need to find evidence for all three. Right now I am working on the second -- got caught cheating -- by trying to contact the professor whose class this person cheated in. I have also contacted the ombudsman; thank you Mr.Smile12.

 

[MiddleEMed]

I swear this is a CASPer question in disguise, and we're all being secretly evaluated in our responses...

 

[LizzyM]

If the professor did not report this or an "institutional action" did not result from the report, then the cheater got away with cheating and has nothing to report on the AMCAS application. (Every matriculant, even those in BS/MD programs who don't take the MCAT must complete an AMCAS application in order for their data to get into AAMC's database that is used for the MSAR, etc.)

It may irk you that someone who is dishonest has been allowed to prosper; well, let me introduce you to US politics.

 

[deleted1194844]

It may irk you that someone who is dishonest has been allowed to prosper; wel, let me introduce you to US politics.

I was told by the person who informed me of the cheating that the cheater's lawyers became involved, and the entire conflict magically disappeared. I'm skeptical of what actually happened here. For the record, I am not looking for cheating where there is no evidence. The entire class who was taking the exam was informed about the offense.

This is an elite medical school who claims to champion equity and honesty. If they are unaware that they let a fraud in, then someone should find evidence that the person is indeed a fraud.

 

[RangerBob]

Sadly, we all know people that have gotten away with things. We all wish there was a cosmic authority who would hold everyone accountable in this life, but sadly it's all on us. Perhaps after this life the Big Guy in the sky may have something to say...

If you have hard evidence then go on the record and report away. But you have adcoms telling you how they would approach a disclosure like this with skepticism/just flatly ignore it without hard evidence.

It's not your job to police people to the extent you're suggesting re gathering more evidence. If this is something you're really that passionate about, perhaps consider switching careers to law/becoming a judge. Seriously--if this matters that much to you that things "be righted," and be as fair/just as possible, you may find your drive better applied elsewhere.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

It may irk you that someone who is dishonest has been allowed to prosper; well, let me introduce you to US politics.

We don't even have to go into US politics... welcome to working in the real world!

There's also the disappointment of the US legal system sometimes, but it's the best we have.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I swear this is a CASPer question in disguise, and we're all being secretly evaluated in our responses...

 

[LizzyM]

If there was no IA, regardless of why, then the medical school does not need you to turn into a detective in order to "out" an admitted student who you believe is dishonest. Get back to your own business.

 

[deleted1194844]

but it's the best we have.

This process can be better. Having adcoms shrug their shoulders when applicants bring up unjust aspects of the admissions process is rather discouraging. I understand that you all do not have as much power as applicants would be led to believe, but you cannot object the fact that you have some power in determining what is asked and who is chosen through the admissions process.

I have almost none. I am an undergrad, and yet I will use what power I do have to make the system more fair -- even if it's just one less wealthy cheater who gets their pipeline to an elite medical school cut off.

 

[deleted1194844]

the medical school does not need

Frankly, I do not care what the medical school "needs." The medical school only "needs" money, and they will get it regardless of whether or not the cheater attends. It's very clear that I don't care about the medical school. I want justice served.

 

[gyngyn]

OP has been heard and relevant viewpoints have been offered.
It seems clear that there is little more to be gained.
Closing.