Institutional Action -- "Theft"

[MyNameWasUsed]

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I really feel that some of these IAs are ridiculous. I'm sure we've all done far worse things during our UG career (i definitely have) but was just never caught or got really lucky with it. Your situation is definitely unfortunate OP.

 

[Ismet]

My only point is that they take things seriously no matter how small it may seem.

The IA would be taken seriously, they are always read and considered. And it will affect his chances, but not to the extent that some people are predicting.

I'm sure there will be people who say "once a thief, always a thief" or "what's stopping him from stealing again?" but there will be others who see this as a stupid immature mistake, the applicant is remorseful and learned from it, and it won't happen again. Is it a gamble to take him? Possibly, but a small one.

 

[El-Rami]

I always try to put lost items in the lost-and-found, but I have always had a sneaking suspicion that other students and staff were just pocketing the items if no one showed up to claim them. Even at church, I found a Rolex submariner watch that someone lost and the item was taken by someone else because no one showed up to claim it. Whether or not it was counterfeit is unknown, but still...

 

[futuremdforme]

I always try to put lost items in the lost-and-found, but I have always had a sneaking suspicion that other students and staff were just pocketing the items if no one showed up to claim them. Even at church, I found a Rolex submariner watch that someone lost and the item was taken by someone else because no one showed up to claim it. Whether or not it was counterfeit is unknown, but still...

I never do because I know other people will take them. I always search down the person myself. It's happened quite a few times and I'm quite sure that at least some of the times, the item would be "misplaced" along the way if I'd turned it in to the L&F.

 

[Dr Tony T. Chopper]

New school policy should allow students to expunge IAs with corporal punishment instead of it going on record. I dare wager some students going great lengths to exonerate themselves...

I'd backflip onto a Lego.

 

[Psai]

Man imagine how many ipads virginia nguyen is missing out on now

 

[PikminOC]

Man imagine how many ipads virginia nguyen is missing out on now

I hear she works at an Apple store as a Mac genius, not sure if this is true.

 

[Ismet]

New school policy should allow students to expunge IAs with corporal punishment instead of it going on record. I dare wager some students going great lengths to exonerate themselves...

I'd backflip onto a Lego.

Poop hotdog?

 

[Disposable_Acct]

OP, I'd like to invite you to read my story. I was also in trouble for theft, though it was from the police and not the university. I have 4 acceptances and a ton of interview invites, and even some from top-tier schools.

I created a thread about it and the incredibly judgmental space that SDN is with regard to this kind of thing. There are a lot of armchair AdComs here, among only a few real AdComs. Listen to the likes of Goro and LizzyM, who are the only ones whose opinions actually matter.

Anyway, here's my thread:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...medical-school-encouraging-anecdotes.1173018/

 

[DokterMom]

I really feel that some of these IAs are ridiculous. I'm sure we've all done far worse things during our UG career (i definitely have) but was just never caught or got really lucky with it. Your situation is definitely unfortunate OP.

Oh really? -- Uh, No.

For some reason, this particular situation seems to have a split vote, with many perceiving this as a "no big deal" situation and others seeing a clear cut case of theft, plain and simple. I have to admit I'm in the latter camp on this one -- (Perhaps it's because I one left a very expensive earring in a hotel room after answering the phone. I called the hotel a few hours later, talked to the Housekeeping Manager, and was thrilled to hear my earring had been found and turned in. Yet when I returned at close of business that day -- no earring and no record of it. Follow up phone calls to the General Manager produced only excuses. I was NOT a happy camper and consider that a case of outright theft.)

ANYWAY -- Since the court of public opinion here is so split, there's a reasonable chance your application's reviewers will be similarly split. So cast a very wide net and cross your fingers.

 

[philosonista]

OP, I feel very sorry for you. The opinion here is split, but I am definitely on the side that argues what you did is a trivial -- so trivial I'd be hard pressed to call it wrong. In my view, it is absolutely ridiculous to believe someone who would take something as little as you have from the lost and found has it in them to commit thefts or moral wrongs beyond that. We often do not conceptualize little things in the lost and found as things you can steal. If you were impersonating someone else to get something or stealing something of high value, then, yes, quite bad in my view. I take hair ties and pencils off the sidewalk all the time -- arguably as trivial as headphones. That someone considers taking these trivial things stealing because they are placed in a box is beyond me.

In all seriousness, the system is not set up to be friendly to IA's that, as I believe, speak nothing of a person, and the university system's kangaroo court is not set up to be friendly to students. You have to figure out how best to make amends for the faults of these systems. Have you already been given your penalty? If not, fight like Hell. If so, ask to see your record, and ask how long it will be until it is expunged from the school's records. For such a minor infraction, I imagine it would not be long, though some schools are ridiculous about this. If you really want a clear shot at med school, perhaps consider a gap year or two to ride out the time until it is expired. AMCAS requires that you report all IA's, though they will have no way to tell you have one after it has expired: It would be illegal for your school to report it in a Dean's Letter after it has expired and your committee letter would not include it insofar as Student Conduct could not report it. If you don't want to wait, then report it, apply very broadly and give it your own narrative. It's also worth noting you have the legal right to add a note to your student conduct file explaining why you believe the representation in the file is unfair or wrong.

And take this as a lesson that, yes, we live in a world where you really do have to walk on egg shells that much. Good luck, OP.

 

[PugsAndHugs]

OP, I'd like to invite you to read my story. I was also in trouble for theft, though it was from the police and not the university. I have 4 acceptances and a ton of interview invites, and even some from top-tier schools.

I created a thread about it and the incredibly judgmental space that SDN is with regard to this kind of thing. There are a lot of armchair AdComs here, among only a few real AdComs. Listen to the likes of Goro and LizzyM, who are the only ones whose opinions actually matter.

Anyway, here's my thread:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...medical-school-encouraging-anecdotes.1173018/

Although I see you are trying to help the OP, I don't think your situations are comparable. OP has an IA. You neither had an IA nor checked off for a misdemenor on your primary application. Also, there are probably some secondaries that didn't have a chance for you to explain a past mistake, so in your situation not every school knew about your past (this is the way I understood your post, correct me if I'm wrong). There will be an automatic red flag to every school OP applies to because of his IA, so I think its a little different.

OP: You should apply either way and make sure you own your mistake and show how you've learned from it, just be realistic going into this cycle since you are at a disadvantage.

 

[philosonista]

Although I see you are trying to help the OP, I don't think your situations are comparable. OP has an IA. You neither had an IA nor checked off for a misdemenor on your primary application. Also, there are probably some secondaries that didn't have a chance for you to explain a past mistake, so in your situation not every school knew about your past (this is the way I understood your post, correct me if I'm wrong). There will be an automatic red flag to every school OP applies to because of his IA, so I think its a little different.

OP: You should apply either way and make sure you own your mistake and show how you've learned from it, just be realistic going into this cycle since you are at a disadvantage.

Pugs and Hugs is absolutely correct here. This is key. A huge amount of filtering goes on if you check that box and he got to swerve past that. One med student on here said -- though I cannot find it now -- that at his school an application with that checked box is literally put into another pile, and that pile is pulled from with great suspicion and not very often.

OP does not have the same luxury.

 

[Disposable_Acct]

Although I see you are trying to help the OP, I don't think your situations are comparable. OP has an IA. You neither had an IA nor checked off for a misdemenor on your primary application. Also, there are probably some secondaries that didn't have a chance for you to explain a past mistake, so in your situation not every school knew about your past (this is the way I understood your post, correct me if I'm wrong). There will be an automatic red flag to every school OP applies to because of his IA, so I think its a little different.

OP: You should apply either way and make sure you own your mistake and show how you've learned from it, just be realistic going into this cycle since you are at a disadvantage.

Granted about the primary application. But on about 50-75% of the secondaries (I kept a tally up to a point), I did have to check a box or otherwise explain what happened. Also, I got into 1 school who didn't know about it because they didn't have that box, so I had to send a pretty awkward email there. (They didn't take away my acceptance) Furthermore, my case was objectively much more significant. It was funny, but I still had some real 'splainin to do.

 

[CLAZO121]

Why don't you just not list your IA? I mean you having nothing to lose you'll get rejected anyways...

 

[meeninit]

I have an IA that is much worse, for falsifying a parking permit. And I plan to disclose it when I apply. I am almost certain that I will not even get a second look by 90% of schools, but whatever. I screwed up and this is how I pay for it.

OP, if you don't get accepted the first year then apply every single year until you die. If you TRULY want to be a doctor, you will get accepted eventually.

I've scoured SDN in search of someone with a non-academic IA worse than mine and I couldn't find one. So whenever you fall into a pit of depression about how this is holding you back, think of me and think about all of the others with the bigger IAs applying.

The key here is to believe in yourself. SDN is filled with teenagers that are barely coming to grips with morality, don't listen to every bloke on here. IAs aren't clear-cut characterizations of your personality and a few adcoms out there are nuanced enough to see through a petty act and give you a second shot.

Best of luck to the both of us.

 

[Oh_Gee]

This is a hard one to process. First, I want to know why the instructor would accuse you of theft. How would he know that the headphones weren't yours? Was there a procedure you're supposed to follow?

To tell the truth, I've salvaged a number of things from the lost and found can at my daughter's school. You'd be surprised what kids lose or throw away, including a $300 flute, a violin and some really nice jackets.

So I personally ding you too hard for something I would have done, but I can't advise well on how others might react.

Your best bet is to A) fight it tooth and nail and B), if you lose that fight, explain it fully in the appropriate box in apps, and hope screeners see this as, well , kind of a ludicrous charge.

I also have the nagging doubt that there's more to the story than OP is letting on.

"salvaged"??

 

[Oh_Gee]

"Hey, I lost some headphones about a month ago, and I'm just asking all my profs if they might have seen them around. Did you see any here, perchance?"
"Why yes, my good man, we have a pair right here in the lost and found."
"Oh joyous, happy days! I have recovered my lost property. I am so happy."
"Mmmm yes. Quite. Run along now. To learn, and to grow."

I read this in a british accent