serious question, please help

[luckydoc]

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I am a junior who will be applying for D.O. schools coming this summer but I have something on my college transcript that will probably stand out (in a bad way) when applying. Freshman year, I did not cite all my sources for a rough draft in my english class and my teacher (a very strict one) turned me in for plagiarism. I now have "academic dishonesty" on my transcript and I was wondering what would be some things I could write in my essay to prove to schools I am still capable of becoming a great doc (and will never make that same mistake again). The "academic dishonesty" on my transcript falls under the same category as cheating I think. I retook the class and got an A, and was luckily only put on academic probation for a semester because my teacher said I had not flat out plagiarized and was a good student.

I still have not given up on my dream of becoming a doctor, but I know this being on my transcript can be a big hindrance to me being accepted. I was looking for ideas/comments on what I could do or say.

(I know what i did was dumb so please no comments about "you should've never done that". I am looking for help, not for comments on how i'm dumb.)

Thanks everyone.

 

[docmd2010]

I am a junior who will be applying for D.O. schools coming this summer but I have something on my college transcript that will probably stand out (in a bad way) when applying. Freshman year, I did not cite all my sources for a rough draft in my english class and my teacher (a very strict one) turned me in for plagiarism. I now have "academic dishonesty" on my transcript and I was wondering what would be some things I could write in my essay to prove to schools I am still capable of becoming a great doc (and will never make that same mistake again). The "academic dishonesty" on my transcript falls under the same category as cheating I think. I retook the class and got an A, and was luckily only put on academic probation for a semester because my teacher said I had not flat out plagiarized and was a good student.

I still have not given up on my dream of becoming a doctor, but I know this being on my transcript can be a big hindrance to me being accepted. I was looking for ideas/comments on what I could do or say.

(I know what i did was dumb so please no comments about "you should've never done that". I am looking for help, not for comments on how i'm dumb.)

Thanks everyone.

Hey, I think you should be alright. Here's what I would recommend:

1) Get a letter of rec from the teacher that reported you asking her to explain that you were not cheating and that it was a mere lack of work's cited notation. Medical schools will most likely think that you cheated when they see that academic dishonesty.

2) Attach a Letter to your secondaries explaining your circumstance and how you have grown from it.

3) Call up individual schools and see what else they recommend.

4) Apply To Every d.o. in the school in the country to increase your chances (i believe they are opening a couple new med schools next year)

I'm sorry about your luck man, this could be detrimental to your application but if you explain yourself they may look past it... Good Luck to you!

 

[williamChenry]

this topic made me think of something.,...a while back when i withdrew from 2 classes to late , and received F's rather than W's for withdrawals, i was placed on Academic Probation for the semester....... of course, the following semester I did fine and got out of academic probation, but would they frown upon that ?

 

[HunterGatherer]

when you apply to AACOMAS there is a section that asks if you were ever given any academic disciplinary action and some room to write about it. this is for the primary application. There is no need to bring this up further unless asked on your secondary or in interviews.

this topic made me think of something.,...a while back when i withdrew from 2 classes to late , and received F's rather than W's for withdrawals, i was placed on Academic Probation for the semester....... of course, the following semester I did fine and got out of academic probation, but would they frown upon that ?

 

[Duchess]

this topic made me think of something.,...a while back when i withdrew from 2 classes to late , and received F's rather than W's for withdrawals, i was placed on Academic Probation for the semester....... of course, the following semester I did fine and got out of academic probation, but would they frown upon that ?

williamChenry,

Be prepared to have to explain those F's that are on your transcript. Medical schools will want to accept students that they confidently feel will be able to handle the courseload. Just be sure to fully clarify what those F's are from so that they don't think that you aren't a serious student and blew off your classes, or that you couldn't handle the stress of the courseload and ended up failing out.

 

[CoverMe]

I am a junior who will be applying for D.O. schools coming this summer but I have something on my college transcript that will probably stand out (in a bad way) when applying. Freshman year, I did not cite all my sources for a rough draft in my english class and my teacher (a very strict one) turned me in for plagiarism. I now have "academic dishonesty" on my transcript and I was wondering what would be some things I could write in my essay to prove to schools I am still capable of becoming a great doc (and will never make that same mistake again). The "academic dishonesty" on my transcript falls under the same category as cheating I think. I retook the class and got an A, and was luckily only put on academic probation for a semester because my teacher said I had not flat out plagiarized and was a good student.

I still have not given up on my dream of becoming a doctor, but I know this being on my transcript can be a big hindrance to me being accepted. I was looking for ideas/comments on what I could do or say.

(I know what i did was dumb so please no comments about "you should've never done that". I am looking for help, not for comments on how i'm dumb.)

Thanks everyone.

Well... personally, I'd order up an official copy of my transcript, and make sure that that little bit of info is ACTUALLY on there. If you were placed on probation, and you successfully passed that probation with no further infraction, it very well may NOT be on your official transcript. This was a case on TWO separate occasions with former students of mine at UNLV.

You may also want to call/go talk to the academic dishonesty people (club? office? chair? whatever they call it!!) if it *IS* on there, and ask them if there is some sort of "statute of limitations" for the more minor infractions, and their relative permanence on your record.

Who knows... maybe this isn't on there... or maybe you slipped through a crack... or maybe someone forgot to enter it... blah blah blah. All I'm saying, is make sure you actually need to cross this bridge.

Best of luck.

 

[HunterGatherer]

If you plan on taking this route be aware that if you sent your transcripts elsewhere to take classes then if you forward transcripts from that institution to med schools it may pop up.

Well... personally, I'd order up an official copy of my transcript, and make sure that that little bit of info is ACTUALLY on there. If you were placed on probation, and you successfully passed that probation with no further infraction, it very well may NOT be on your official transcript. This was a case on TWO separate occasions with former students of mine at UNLV.

You may also want to call/go talk to the academic dishonesty people (club? office? chair? whatever they call it!!) if it *IS* on there, and ask them if there is some sort of "statute of limitations" for the more minor infractions, and their relative permanence on your record.

Who knows... maybe this isn't on there... or maybe you slipped through a crack... or maybe someone forgot to enter it... blah blah blah. All I'm saying, is make sure you actually need to cross this bridge.

Best of luck.

 

[luckydoc]

coverMe,
This is what I found stated on a document I was given after the incident took place:

" Records of Student Discipline. Only disciplinary cases pending and currently active sanctions of probation, suspension, or expulsion shall be noted as part of a student’s transcript. Records of all disciplinary actions and sanctions imposed pursuant to this Instrument shall be maintained by appropriate offices in the Division of Student Affairs as part of a student disciplinary record separate from the transcript, and shall be retained for a period of 10 years from the date on which all appeal rights have expired or have been exhausted, and thereafter destroyed, unless destruction at the end of a lesser period shall be permitted in accordance with a disciplinary records retention policy adopted by the Chancellor upon recommendation by the Committee on Student Conduct as provided in Section V. E. Files on pending cases will be maintained indefinitely. Disciplinary files and records of cases that resulted in “not guilty” findings shall be destroyed immediately. Recordings or transcripts of judicial hearings in which an accused student is found guilty shall be retained for 12 months following the conclusion of any available appeal and then destroyed."

Does this mean that they have to ask for my disciplinary record to see what happened? Would it be more wise to mention it even though it is not on my transcript or just not talk about it hoping they won't request to see my disciplinary record?

(Thanks for all the help everyone)

 

[williamChenry]

Will they automatically reject it if they see Academic Probation?

 

[HunterGatherer]

Will they automatically reject it if they see Academic Probation?

William,
No


Luckydoc,
If it was me I'd just be honest.

 

[ihopetobeado2]

William,
No


Luckydoc,
If it was me I'd just be honest.

I second HunterGather's advice. Luckydoc, I'd just add that I know of a current osteopathic medical student who was kicked-out of his undergraduate college for twice violating his college's Honor Code. He ended up at another college, did well there, did well on the MCAT, was completely honest about his Honor Code violations on AACOMAS, and explained what he learned from the violations and what he has done to redeem himself. He got into few osteopathic medical schools on his first try.

 

[Raven Feather]

coverMe,
This is what I found stated on a document I was given after the incident took place:

" Records of Student Discipline. Only disciplinary cases pending and currently active sanctions of probation, suspension, or expulsion shall be noted as part of a student’s transcript. Records of all disciplinary actions and sanctions imposed pursuant to this Instrument shall be maintained by appropriate offices in the Division of Student Affairs as part of a student disciplinary record separate from the transcript, and shall be retained for a period of 10 years from the date on which all appeal rights have expired or have been exhausted, and thereafter destroyed, unless destruction at the end of a lesser period shall be permitted in accordance with a disciplinary records retention policy adopted by the Chancellor upon recommendation by the Committee on Student Conduct as provided in Section V. E. Files on pending cases will be maintained indefinitely. Disciplinary files and records of cases that resulted in “not guilty” findings shall be destroyed immediately. Recordings or transcripts of judicial hearings in which an accused student is found guilty shall be retained for 12 months following the conclusion of any available appeal and then destroyed."

Does this mean that they have to ask for my disciplinary record to see what happened? Would it be more wise to mention it even though it is not on my transcript or just not talk about it hoping they won't request to see my disciplinary record?

(Thanks for all the help everyone)

Why don't you just get a copy of your transcript and see if it was on there?

I think many people have been guilty of plagiarism--just many don't know they are doing it (ie, patch work plagiarism).

On a different note, I was placed on academic probation my freshman year for sucky grades but that was about 10 years ago, it didn't show up on my transcript, although I did admit to it on my application.

 

[luckydoc]

ok, sounds like there is a way to redeem myself. I guess honesty would probably be the best way to go. Any other suggestions/stories/comments?

(Again, thanks for the help everyone. Keep the replies coming!

 

[soosung]

bump...curious

 

[JasonUD]

I would try to talk to the prof that said you plagerized and see where it stands today...if he agrees that you just didn't list all your sources maybe he would work with you.......I'd just write a letter explaining exactly what happened and if the prof agress, then add his contact info to the letter and send it off to your med schools.....who knows, he may agree to let you do this and its a sign of maturity

Good Luck!

 

[luckydoc]

I would try to talk to the prof that said you plagerized and see where it stands today...if he agrees that you just didn't list all your sources maybe he would work with you.......I'd just write a letter explaining exactly what happened and if the prof agress, then add his contact info to the letter and send it off to your med schools.....who knows, he may agree to let you do this and its a sign of maturity

Good Luck!

thanks for the idea!

 

[OHMAN0125]

To the OP, I'm just curious...if it was a rough draft, why'd the professor report it??? Did the rough draft count as a grade in this case?

Also, i think if you can get a letter from the prof recommending you and explaining that u've grown from this, it would be best. I wouldn't worry too much about it as long as it's explained. If your other credentials are spectacular, I don't think this one thing will hurt your chances if you apply broadly. Also if your invited for an interview, I think you should bring it up. Don't be afraid to admit your mistake to ur interviewer. He may see ur sincerity and tell the committee how much u've grown from this incident and that ur a great guy. 👍

 

[luckydoc]

To the OP, I'm just curious...if it was a rough draft, why'd the professor report it??? Did the rough draft count as a grade in this case?

Also, i think if you can get a letter from the prof recommending you and explaining that u've grown from this, it would be best. I wouldn't worry too much about it as long as it's explained. If your other credentials are spectacular, I don't think this one thing will hurt your chances if you apply broadly. Also if your invited for an interview, I think you should bring it up. Don't be afraid to admit your mistake to ur interviewer. He may see ur sincerity and tell the committee how much u've grown from this incident and that ur a great guy. 👍

Having the rough draft done counted as part of your final grade for that paper.
And I tried looking up the professor (since I haven't seen him since the incident because I retook the class with a different teacher) and apparently he doesn't work at our school anymore. I guess it would be best to ask around the department and find out where he went or get his contact info. Hopefully I'll be lucky enough to get an interview so I could prove myself. Thanks for your input.