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Academic Misconduct - Help Please!!!
Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 12:57 am
by mshao3
I received an academic misconduct warning in university. I missed one class and then borrowed notes (excel file) from a student. I then passed the notes to another friend of mine. When I started my project two weeks later, I created new spreadsheets in the same file. Although my work was completely different from the other two, my professor decided that I was being dishonest based on the three files' identical creation date. This warning did not show on my transcript and my grade for that class was unaffected. I asked my college and told me that this WILL show on dean's certification.
Any idea how bad is it gonna hurt my application??? It was an accounting class so I guess the professor uses very strict methods to check cheating.
Re: Academic Misconduct - Help Please!!!
Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 12:58 am
by shoeshine
mshao3 wrote:I received an academic misconduct warning in university. I missed one class and then borrowed notes (excel file) from a student. I then passed the notes to another friend of mine. When I started my project two weeks later, I created new spreadsheets in the same file. Although my work was completely different from the other two, my professor decided that I was being dishonest based on the three files' identical creation date. This warning did not show on my transcript and my grade for that class was unaffected. I asked my college and told me that this WILL show on dean's certification.
Any idea how bad is it gonna hurt my application??? It was an accounting class so I guess the professor uses very strict methods to check cheating.
Many schools don't ask for a dean's cert.
Re: Academic Misconduct - Help Please!!!
Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 1:05 am
by mshao3
Yes, but they'd ask questions... my plan is to disclose it and send in an addendum. Just wonder how bad is it gonna hurt.
Re: Academic Misconduct - Help Please!!!
Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 1:14 am
by canes
The only school I remember asking for a Dean's cert was Stanford. I wouldn't worry about it.
Re: Academic Misconduct - Help Please!!!
Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 9:12 pm
by bp shinners
Yea, I'd write a short addendum, but it won't hurt much, if at all. If it was serious, you wouldn't have completed the class and received a decent(?) grade.
Re: Academic Misconduct - Help Please!!!
Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 9:16 pm
by Bildungsroman
shoeshine wrote:mshao3 wrote:I received an academic misconduct warning in university. I missed one class and then borrowed notes (excel file) from a student. I then passed the notes to another friend of mine. When I started my project two weeks later, I created new spreadsheets in the same file. Although my work was completely different from the other two, my professor decided that I was being dishonest based on the three files' identical creation date. This warning did not show on my transcript and my grade for that class was unaffected. I asked my college and told me that this WILL show on dean's certification.
Any idea how bad is it gonna hurt my application??? It was an accounting class so I guess the professor uses very strict methods to check cheating.
Many schools don't ask for a dean's cert.
I'd still disclose it. Many (most? all?) schools ask for a dean's cert as part of your enrollment paperwork, so the law school's going to find out eventually and I'd rather worry about it affecting my apps than worry about it getting my admission rescinded.
Re: Academic Misconduct - Help Please!!!
Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 9:21 pm
by kapachino
You should appeal it if you can. Otherwise, if they don't ask for it, don't offer it. Save yourself a headache.
Re: Academic Misconduct - Help Please!!!
Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 10:05 pm
by johnnyutah
If they don't ask on the application, don't mention it. Tell them about it immediately after you matriculate, though. This will come up again during your bar application, and your school will be able to advocate for you if they know about it.
Re: Academic Misconduct - Help Please!!!
Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2011 12:09 am
by Cory045
I would definitely appeal this. First,if you haven't tried, go the professor and try to explain your situation. Offer to bring your friends in and they can support the truth. If this does not work, go the department chair and do the same. If your prof is the chair or the chair won't listen go to the dean and try to work it out. Lastly, try the academic provost or someone in admin that can help you like the director of student life (or someone in a similar position). The thing is just keep going up the ladder. Remember though, always present yourself in a respectful non-confrontational way, ie dont say the prof is lying. If you have a prof that knows you and you have friendship with they may be able to help with getting you into seeing admin as well or putting in a good word.
Re: Academic Misconduct - Help Please!!!
Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2011 12:16 am
by MrAnon
It wont matter. Law schools would accept almost anyone with a decent LSAT score who can qualify for loans. the c&f committee wont care as long as you say you are sorry and learned your lesson.
Re: Academic Misconduct - Help Please!!!
Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2011 6:10 am
by mshao3
Cory045 wrote:I would definitely appeal this. First,if you haven't tried, go the professor and try to explain your situation. Offer to bring your friends in and they can support the truth. If this does not work, go the department chair and do the same. If your prof is the chair or the chair won't listen go to the dean and try to work it out. Lastly, try the academic provost or someone in admin that can help you like the director of student life (or someone in a similar position). The thing is just keep going up the ladder. Remember though, always present yourself in a respectful non-confrontational way, ie dont say the prof is lying. If you have a prof that knows you and you have friendship with they may be able to help with getting you into seeing admin as well or putting in a good word.
It was in 2009 and I did argue. My prof asked, did you cheat, I said no (of course I didn't). Then she showed me the identical timestamp and concluded that I lied. She was going to give me a zero on the project, which would lead me to a C/D, but after I argued, she didn't do that and I end up with a B+. I cannot appeal at this point, it already passed the deadline to do it. Gosh I should have appealed! This is totally unfair! I didn't think about going to law school at that time.
Re: Academic Misconduct - Help Please!!!
Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2011 6:14 am
by mshao3
bp shinners wrote:Yea, I'd write a short addendum, but it won't hurt much, if at all. If it was serious, you wouldn't have completed the class and received a decent(?) grade.
Yea that's what I thought too... I end up with a B+ for that class and I have a A- overall gpa. The only thing I am worried about is how is it gonna affect my application. My goal is a T20 school.
Re: Academic Misconduct - Help Please!!!
Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2011 6:16 am
by mshao3
Thank you all for replies!
Re: Academic Misconduct - Help Please!!!
Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2011 6:33 am
by HYSnNothingLess
You've been a very naughty boy.
Re: Academic Misconduct - Help Please!!!
Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2011 9:25 am
by inchoate_con
Wow.... after a quick scan of my "ethics" book, I'm worried.
** Edit - that is, for myself..... too much self-talk...
On second thought... prepositions and grammar.... ur f'ed
Re: Academic Misconduct - Help Please!!!
Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2011 11:57 am
by CanadianWolf
Appeal if you can. If the appeal is unsuccessful, try to get your version included in the record (similiar to contested matters in credit reports). Otherwise, you will need to include an addendum if your appeal is unsuccessful. As presented in your original post in this thread, it doesn't appear to be a serious matter.
P.S. Yale, in addition to Stanford & some other law schools, requires a dean's certification.
Re: Academic Misconduct - Help Please!!!
Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2011 12:01 pm
by Blessedassurance
CanadianWolf wrote:Appeal if you can. If the appeal is unsuccessful, try to get your version included in the record (similiar to contested matters in credit reports). Otherwise, you will need to include an addendum if your appeal is unsuccessful. As presented in your original post in this thread, it doesn't appear to be a serious matter.
P.S. Yale, in addition to Stanford & some other law schools, requires a dean's certification.
Yale is different from Stanford in that, the latter requires the dean's cert as part of the application while the latter does not.
Re: Academic Misconduct - Help Please!!!
Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2011 12:10 pm
by CanadianWolf
My understanding is that Yale will not review an application prior to receipt of the dean's certification. One's application is not complete until receipt of the dean's certification at Yale. Yale has required a dean's certification as part of the application for two or three years.
Re: Academic Misconduct - Help Please!!!
Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2011 1:47 pm
by Blessedassurance
CanadianWolf wrote:My understanding is that Yale will not review an application prior to receipt of the dean's certification. One's application is not complete until receipt of the dean's certification at Yale. Yale has required a dean's certification as part of the application for two or three years.
Not this year....
http://www.law.yale.edu/admissions/12319.htm
Re: Academic Misconduct - Help Please!!!
Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2011 2:16 pm
by CanadianWolf
Both were admitted. In calling to check on their apps prior to notification of a decision both were told that they needed to furnish a dean's certification.