<p>Like you tiger14, I also go to Princeton. Trying to get the Admissions Office/University involved over complete hearsay is insanity. There is a big difference between knowing 100% that she lied on her application by either seeing it or the person told you directly instead of hearing it second hand. Given that the information OP has is far from definitive, this is clearly just a knee-jerk reaction on their part.</p>
<p>The guidance counselor is the only person who could definitively answer the burning question: Is the heresay fact versus fiction. I don’t understand why posters do not see the effectiveness of the student sharing her moral and ethical concern with her counselor. If the student learns the rumor is true, she is obviously welcome to contact the University herself.</p>
<p>I’m completely with tiger14 on this. With respect, no one is assuming anything here, touchstone1. If the OP has compelling info, he should offer it up to Princeton directly (but now or never). If P’ton wants to follow up, it will then be the HS guidance counselor’s job to investigate and report back. I agree that GCs at many schools might be nursing conflicting interests (I’ve seen threats of lawsuits over things like this, after all) so I’m inclined to think the GC is not your best first audience. And guess what? He/she might well agree!</p>
<p>I cannot fathom how folks on this board could be so laissez faire about this kind of easily verifiable thing. If it turns out to be untrue or Princeton decides it doesn’t care, no harm no foul, right? But something like “club president?” It’s a pretty yes or no thing and it sounds like the OP has reasonable suspicion that something’s fishy. Why are people being so hard on the OP, even if he IS feeling a bit sour? Taking him at his word (and he sounds sincere to me), wouldn’t YOU feel sour standing in his shoes? Lying on one’s college app is appalling if true and should be taken seriously. Someone who cheats the system in the competitive bloodsport that is elite college admissions should not prevail.</p>
<p>I agree with Valdog. Schools will not turn in their own students. The parents would be angry and it would make the school look bad. I know for a fact that my school covers up things like drug possession and cheating and deals with them internally. They won’t report it to the police because then it goes on your record. If there are 3 repeat offenses, then it is escalated. Selling drugs is another matter. That gets you thrown out right away. So, telling your GC will do nothing. Tell Princeton directly and soon, or forever hold your peace.</p>
<p>To the people out there who think intent matters, in this case, no, it doesn’t. The only time it matters is when you’ve done something wrong (like murder) and you have a good reason (you were being attacked and your life was in danger). When you’re doing the right thing, no one cares what your motives are. Do we care if someone turns in the location of a child abductor because they want the reward money, or do we only want them to do it when they really care about the child and doing the right thing? Does a parent care if their child is nice to other children and includes anyone that wants to play, or do they hope that requiring them to do the “right” thing over and over will result in appropriate learned responses? Does a teacher care if a student does their homework for the grade or because they truly have a love of learning? NO. NO ONE CARES. IT’S ONE’S ACTIONS THAT COUNT. Lying and getting away with it only encourages bad behavior. It is unlikely this is the first time she’s done it. It probably isn’t even the first time she’s done it and been “caught” (assuming it’s true). It will take something significant to correct her behavior.</p>
<p>I can’t believe this thread is still running. </p>
<p>I just read a story about a 10 year-old literally starving to death on a street in North Korea while army apparatchiks load crates of rice onto a military truck several feet away. My point? To the OP, if you have a burning desire to right the wrongs of this world, direct your energy and passion to things that really cry for correcting.</p>
<p>Believe it or not, kiddies, there are more pressing concerns in this world than who did or did not get into Princeton.</p>
<p>Aw, shucks, tortoise, you’ve certainly shown us (he said, head bowed in shame, tail stilled). Here we thought that discussing a weighty ethical matter in the realm of college admissions in a college forum on a college-related website was proper form. Doh! Maybe you’re right. Lying and cheating are hardly issues we need be concerned about with this generation of kids and future leaders.</p>
<p>But wait. I see you willingly come to these boards pontificating about such mission-critical matters as college rankings and prestige, grade deflation, finances, Ivy wait lists, incandescent Bryn Mawr geniuses, the merits of Ithaca, other instances of application gamesmanship, and tony prep school admissions. You have repeatedly shown a bias against Princeton, whined about Northwestern’s lack of a presence on CC, and have ripped apart seemingly every school discussed except Northwestern and Bryn Mawr. It’s plain from just a cursory viewing of your postings that you also like to gratuitously pick fights. </p>
<p>You’re the adult, tortoise. Perhaps instead of injecting yourself into a valid discussion that you personally find non-urgent, it is you who should be hopping off the CC soap box and onto a plane to North Korea to straighten matters out. Why aren’t you out there helping eradicate all cruelty and evil in the world instead of blathering on here?</p>
<p>I think we can all agree that there are more important issues in the world than college admissions. But this is College Confidential, a place to exchange thoughts on college-related issues and potential dishonesty in elite admissions is a big deal. Your sudden scolding rings painfully hollow.</p>
<p>Well put, Valdog. And to the OP’s original post, I’d suggest he contact Princeton. As others have pointed out, one person [who likely did not lie on their application] will potentially be rejected from the wait-list as a result of this person’s faulty application. I think you should be ethically inclined to report this and I would bet nearly ever current student at Princeton would agree. </p>
<p>If they conduct their own investigation and determine her application to be genuine, then there is no harm done. And I guarantee you that there will be NO repercussions of your reporting this. If you are worried, call them anonymously or have a parent call. You could also e-mail them anonymously from an e-mail that is not linked to your application.</p>
<p>Lol. You’ve actually done a survey of my past “contributions” to this forum? I guess I’d overlooked how much time you have to kill. My bad! Post on!</p>
<p>Also, Valdog, just to set the record straight, I believe I’ve ripped apart Northwestern, too.</p>
<p>Tortoise out</p>
<p>Go away tortoise. </p>
<p>@OP please find out if she really did lie. I wouldn’t want a cheater here. These guys contribute to the bad image that elite colleges have in the eyes of many Americans.</p>
<p>So what happened, OP? Did you tell on her?</p>
<p>…well i know, what u mean… a guy did that in my class too…he never showed up to a single meeting and made himself the pres! the rest of us were ****ed… but he didn’t end up in that great of a college so w.e. I think it depends on how much stuff this girl made up…3 leadership positions is quite different from like 7-10 leadership positions… ratting her out won’t make u get in if that’s what you’re hoping for… 
…</p>
<p>You should definitely tell on her. She needs to learn that lying has bad consequences. I was just told today that another top college rescinded a student’s admission because they found out that they had completely lied about their ECs on their application and about their life.</p>
<p>You should just provide them the facts about the things that you think she lied about and they can then decide whether she truly lied and needs to face the consequences, or if she can remain. You would have done your moral bit. Colleges view these types of instances very seriously, as they should.</p>