HELP!! Someone is claiming my activities!!

[Dentista]

A girl at my university claimed that she initiated activities that I completely organized in her dental essay. (dont ask me how i found out) We are applying to the same schools at I am worried that she will adversely affect my acceptance. I confronted her and she said she would change it but never did. Now im torn about what to do about it. People have told me anything from write an annonymous letter to the dental schools to confront her again and tell her that she should retract it or that i would tell. My instict is telling me to let it be since i did not bend the truth at all in my application, but i dont believe she has the qualities to be a dentist due to her dishonesty....I need help!

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[different strokes]

Originally posted by Dentista:
•A girl at my university claimed that she initiated activities that I completely organized in her dental essay. (dont ask me how i found out) We are applying to the same schools at I am worried that she will adversely affect my acceptance. I confronted her and she said she would change it but never did. Now im torn about what to do about it. People have told me anything from write an annonymous letter to the dental schools to confront her again and tell her that she should retract it or that i would tell. My instict is telling me to let it be since i did not bend the truth at all in my application, but i dont believe she has the qualities to be a dentist due to her dishonesty....I need help!•

Talk to your advisor about this. If this doesn't work contact a lawyer and see what can be done.

 

[gower]

Professional schools pay no attention to anonymous letters. Moreover, if you do write, from whatever details you provide it is likely they can recognize that your anonymous letter is either from you or from the other student. In that case, it benefits you not to be anonymous but to be able to offer proof that you are telling the truth. Your Student Activities Office may be able to back your claim, in which event a letter from them attesting that you were the organizer will help. Similarly, a letter from your preprofessional advisor should also straighten things out.

A lawyer is unlikely to take on a relatively trivial case unless it is winnable and based on evidence, the same evidence that you can provide the dental school schools yourself.

If you can provide evidence of your claim a letter supporting that from your preprofessional advisor or Dean of Students office will have the same effect and not involve the expense and trouble of a lawyer.

If your academic record, DAT scores, and letters of support are strong, and especially stronger than your rival's, it is likely (if they even notice the same claim to extracurricular activity) that it will be overlooked entirely. In that case it is not worth bothering to call attention to it.

Find some other--non-lethal--way to get even, if getting even you must. Do they have shootouts in the OK corral in Texas anymore?

 

[RacerDude2249]

Wow,

It is unbelievable the lengths people will go through to get accepted to dental or medical school. I have personally formed and coordinated two organizations which ended up being very successful. If I knew that someone was writing in his/her personal statement that he/she founded these organizations, I DEFINITELY would take action. I would send an e-mail or snail-mail a letter to each of the U.S. dental schools informing them that you believe this person has falsely taken credit for an organization in which he/she did not create. I would advise the admission committees to seek proof that this person actually did what he/she claimed before offering a letter of acceptance.

Just my advice,
Racerdude

 

[Dentista]

Ok , this is the deal, i cant really tell my advisor how i got her essay (i dont want to reveal who gave it to me) so i dont know how to approach my advisor to tell her how i came to find this information.

thanks everyone for the advice. im really stressed out about this because i know i could ruin her life, since essentially she wouldnt get into any schools i inform, but at the same time would you want your dentist to be someone who had to lie her way into dental school?

also, do you really want me to respond to the shootout question?

 

[dragonfly9]

I say you absolutely kill her with kindness, gain her trust and then start subtley giving her "suggestions" to "improve" her chances of impressing dental school. Like answering interview questions in an original manner, through interpretive dance. Seriously, it really upsets me that my peers would lie and jeopardize a fellow students reputation. Good luck with the situation. We're all here for you!

 

[Dr. Pedo]

This is a serious issue. Under no circumstances should you stand-by and watch this women falsify documents. The issue ISN'T who told you the information. The issue IS stopping a potentially dangerous person. The bottom-line is---- if she is willing to lie about extracurriculars, what might she lie about next? The ability/possibility to lie because you think no one will know, becomes even greater when you are a DDS. To me, you are an accessory to this situation if you don't at least seek SOME advice. There are plenty of campus centers that will help you without jeapordizing you or your informant. Don't take this lightly. Besides it involves you--knowing many people on admissions' boards---if someone was to pick-up on the similarities, you both become tainted. That is a fact. Imagine the mess---the time to prove your case---and the re-building of your "first-impressions"!

You've worked too hard to have your dental school acceptance compromised by an unethical person. Grab the wheel, my friend, because right now someone else is driving YOUR life!


R.R.B

 

[RacerDude2249]

Yeah,

I have to agree with Dr.2b on this one...there is NO PLACE in dentistry or any other allied health profession for an unethical, immoral, corrupt person. YOU are being screwed over and it is now up to you to take charge of the situation and bring justice to this dilemna.

Racerdude

 

[waiting]

I completely agree with everyone who has been pointing out how unethical this classmate of yours has been. However, I HIGHLY doubt that the admissions people will actually notice this! Why? Because as frustrating as it is, I've really been getting the sense from my visit to different schools that they haven't even really been looking at my app in any significant detail....I honestly think they just look at your grades and stuff and just skim the rest. I say this b/c even with the interviews I've had where the folks have looked at my file before speaking w/me I end up getting asked all these stupid questions which I wrote about in extensive detail in my application.

So, at this point you should only take action if you feel very wronged and simply want to make an ethical point to this dingus...You shouldn't take action based on the fact you feel admissions folks might look negatively on your file b/c it has the same activities, b/c they WON't really notice this at all. Also, I think you should consider whether you want to publicize this fact to different schools and then ruin this individual's entire future based on the fact that they committed a single, dishonorable act? If you know this person well and they have historically engaged in a pattern of this type of deceit and lying, then that's different, they obviously shouldn't be in the dental profession. I don't know, it's a tough call and it sucks that you've been placed in this situation, but I really wouldn't sweat over it too much and would only b/c concerned if someone actually asks you about the overlap in positions b/w you and this fool. Let your anger drive you but not cloud your judgement into hastily taking actions you may later regret. I really hope it turns out ok! Let us know what happens...

 

[Djanaba]

I sympathize with your issue: what your classmate has done is hateful, unfair, and in poor taste. However, I wonder at YOU as well: what sort of shady quasi-ethical thing you did to find this out? By bringing it up, you admit guilt on your own part as well. I'd let it be, write one hell of an essay, push your strengths, and let this fade into a non-issue. otherwise you'll be spending an awful lot of time and energy over an issue that is a mere drop in the bucket when you look at the big picture.