Ethical/Moral Dilemma questions

[Starvin Marvin]

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There are several schools that ask to describe ethical/moral dilemmas (Duke, Pitt, and Chicago are ones I've gotten) and I've been trying to think of something. I have an experience that I feel could be the basis of a really good essay, but I'm not sure I should write about it. I was a resident assistant for a while, and it was a fairly significant experience for me, but I was immature at the time and was caught doing something against the position's policies. I could have just denied the occurence and would never have faced any consequences since there was no proof, but I ended up telling the truth and was forced to resign. Since the situation involved other colleagues as well, my actions also affected them. I'm wondering if I should use this topic because I feel it will discredit the whole experience and diminish my overall character somewhat. I thought about being vague about the experience but the prompts all say they want specifics, so I don't know what to do. Thanks for any help.

 

[Bluntman]

There are several schools that ask to describe ethical/moral dilemmas (Duke, Pitt, and Chicago are ones I've gotten) and I've been trying to think of something. I have an experience that I feel could be the basis of a really good essay, but I'm not sure I should write about it. I was a resident assistant for a while, and it was a fairly significant experience for me, but I was immature at the time and was caught doing something against the position's policies. I could have just denied the occurence and would never have faced any consequences since there was no proof, but I ended up telling the truth and was forced to resign. Since the situation involved other colleagues as well, my actions also affected them. I'm wondering if I should use this topic because I feel it will discredit the whole experience and diminish my overall character somewhat. I thought about being vague about the experience but the prompts all say they want specifics, so I don't know what to do. Thanks for any help.

yea, I would definitely not use that experience as you described it...or at least tweek it so you aren't gonna be shown in such a bad light. The point of these essays is that the adcoms want to see your analytical/reasoning abilities as you demonstrate how you weed through a moral dilemma. Whether or not it is real is inconsequential (as long as you keep your story straight). I'm planning on inventing something for Duke, for instance, if I still can't think of any actual examples in a few more days.

Seems like your example has the basis for a good response, but I would absolutely change how you present it...maybe say you saw a close friend do the "thing" that was not allowed, and you had to wrestle with what to do...a) confront your friend b) ignore it c) talk to supervisor, etc...

Good luck!

 

[AxlxA]

Yes you must tell the truth but it doesnt have to be the whole truth.

If you got other moral/ethical situations, use those instead. I myself am stuck on the very same essays. I guess I'll just have ot write about pirating every software and movie known to man as my ethical situation and i am not willing to change myself so the capitalist can win.

 

[roboyce]

I find it somewhat funny that people are considering fabricating a situation for an ethical/moral dilemma essay. Why don't you just write about how you were going to lie on the essay?

 

[themadchemist]

I find it somewhat funny that people are considering fabricating a situation for an ethical/moral dilemma essay. Why don't you just write about how you were going to lie on the essay?

You beat me to it. As Al Franken said about Ann Coulter: "It's a fascinating exercise in dishonesty, hypocrisy, and irony of the unintentional sort."

 

[Hoberto]

How about drinking or drug dilemmas? I'm sure that's a common one and could easily be fabricated if necessary.

I'm sure everyone has known a cheater and could write about deciding whether to report it or not.

If you are religious there are probably loads of things. For example, the Catholic school near me doesn't want Protestants to take communion at the school's graduation ceremonies. Now, if you were Protestant would you take communion? That could be a dilemma. Also there a lot of mixed religion couple and families....how to handle this could be something of a dilemma.

I wrote about a group project that was going down the tubes due to one member and how I rectified the situation without tattling. Maybe not particularly exciting but answered the question.

 

[themadchemist]

How about drinking or drug dilemmas? I'm sure that's a common one and could easily be fabricated if necessary.

I'm sure everyone has known a cheater and could write about deciding whether to report it or not.

If you are religious there are probably loads of things. For example, the Catholic school near me doesn't want Protestants to take communion at the school's graduation ceremonies. Now, if you were Protestant would you take communion? That could be a dilemma. Also there a lot of mixed religion couple and families....how to handle this could be something of a dilemma.

I wrote about a group project that was going down the tubes due to one member and how I rectified the situation without tattling. Maybe not particularly exciting but answered the question.

I don't know about the other ones, but Duke wants a non-academic situation.

 

[C.P. Jones]

does this have to be about yourself? i think it's a very bad idea to describe any bad situation including yourself on your application to a medical school! You can't talk about your opinon on X ethical topic in the world today?

 

[themadchemist]

does this have to be about yourself? i think it's a very bad idea to describe any bad situation including yourself on your application to a medical school! You can't talk about your opinon on X ethical topic in the world today?

No! Because just going off on some random moral topic says little about yourself...I think you should make it a softy though where there's little chance you'll look bad. Stuff like overcoming peer pressure can work well, I think.

 

[hanjoko]

You can't talk about your opinon on X ethical topic in the world today?

I was wondering the same thing but I don't think so...For Duke, I think they ask you how you deal with it....

 

[tigress]

For Pitt is has to be a moral or ethical dilemma that you yourself encountered, how you dealt with it, and how it turned out. It cannot be about cheating or academics.

I am using a situation that occurred while I was in college and which has a number of moral issues involved. It's not a black-and-white situation and is quite complex, but I think if I can adequately tell the story in the space available it will be a very good essay.

I would not write about a situation in which you made a majorly bad ethical choice, especially if it is at all recently and if it affected other people. The only exception is maybe if it was a long time ago and you can prove that you learned from it.