How to Proceed w/Admissions Mistake?

bluebayou
Sat, 01 Dec 2012 13:51:27 +0000

^^Indeed. Once someone “graduates”, the ONLY penalty that a college can impose is a rescission of that degree. If you fess up now OP, the college can penalize you while you are still on campus. Perhaps a slap on the wrist; perhaps a one semester suspension (time-out); perhaps worse. But at least the college can decide if you are worth something other than total dismissal. It gives the college options for leniency should they so desire.

Once you graduate, however, that puts the college into a bind because that leaves them with ONLY two options: ignore your transgression – which indirectly encourages others to do the same in the future – or completely rescind the degree (with zero chance of earning it back). Personally, I would not go with that binary choice.

Look at it another, and more practical way: if the college is gonna dismiss you today, they they will likely rescind your degree later. If so, then why pay for the last semesters’ of tuition and coursework?