How to Proceed w/Admissions Mistake?

jonri
Thu, 29 Nov 2012 16:46:48 +0000

If the student does decide to see the dean or someone else at the college (s)he currently attends, again, I would urge him/her to avoid saying anything like “I didn’t know it was wrong to lie on the forms because I was bi-polar”–that’s what’s implied in the first post --UNLESS at least one shrink will say in writing that the OP was too mentally ill to know what (s)he was doing.

In other words, I think anyone will be sympathetic to the idea that the OP’s academic performance slid due to undiagnosed mental illness and that is why the grades at School B weren’t so great–IF that is in fact the reason. IMO, and granted my opinion isn’t important, nobody is going to just take the OP’s word for the fact that (s)he couldn’t tell right from wrong because she was bi-polar. Do NOT make the claim unless you can prove it. I think bluebayou is right on the $–talking this through with someone and get advice on how best to present the story before you present it.

I don’t think anyone is going to be sympathetic to the kid who just plain lied when (s)he applied, knew that (s)he was lying, and now wants to claim that (s)he couldn’t tell right from wrong because (s)he is bi-polar. If that is REALLY the case, i.e., the mental illness was so severe you forgot you went to College B, then have some strong proof of that in hand before you meet with anyone from your college and make that claim. If you can not get at least that much proof that you were unable to tell right from wrong, do NOT make the argument that you were.