How to Proceed w/Admissions Mistake?

Hanna
Wed, 05 Dec 2012 13:26:43 +0000

“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.”

Agreed. You want to resolve this as soon as possible, before investing additional time and money on a degree program that may rescind your credits. The question is how to go about doing that, and that’s where you need professional advice. I would start by reading up thoroughly on the college’s published policies and procedures. If there is any kind of honor board or disciplinary council, look into whether they have any publicly available records. A good attorney will want to see all these materials, too.

It is plausible that someone in a manic state would be compromised enough to mitigate responsibility for a fraudulent (or even criminal) act. Bipolar illness can induce psychosis where the person has a significant break from reality. They can believe that they are God, the President, etc. Short of psychosis, judgment can be seriously impaired, often involving extreme risk-taking behavior. A university might take a well-documented impairment of that kind into account when deciding on a punishment, especially if the person is now in a treatment program and symptoms are controlled with medication.