<p>I have a quick question regarding the college transcript. I went to a high school my freshman year which I HATED, so I didn’t do any clubs I just transferred for my sophomore year. My sophomore year I transferred and it gave me a LOT of problems. High anxiety + panic attacks + frequent doctor visits + one operation = LOTS of missed school, so I didn’t join any clubs the first half of soph year. I did do the tennis team (varsity), but all the clubs were past joining time. Then, this year I joined a lot of clubs and next year I have leadership positions in a lot of them. So my question is, would it be wrong for me to put that I have been in these clubs since 10th grade, even though I only started in 11th?</p>
<p>Do you really need an answer to that?</p>
<p>LIE
–noun
- a false statement made with deliberate intent to deceive; an intentional untruth; a falsehood
- something intended or serving to convey a false impression
- an inaccurate or false statement</p>
<p>Next question, please.</p>
<p>You know the difference between a lie and the truth.</p>
<p>Just in case you still need an answer:</p>
<p>YES, that would absolutely be wrong.</p>
<p>Dreamsofivy, your name just insinuates irony.</p>
<p>If you get started on this path, you’ll never break the habit, and you’ll be considered untrustworthy. Not a good way to spend your life.</p>
<p>The vast majority of schools don’t give a flip about your ECs (real or imaginary).</p>
<p>Even though obviously lying is wrong, I think the OP makes a legitimate point and I personally hate when people on these forums attack people for just asking a question. It’s not like he/she asked if selling cocaine to the adcom would get him/her into Harvard. He/she wanted to know whether or not he/she should put 10-12 as opposed to 11+12, and that isn’t such a bad question.</p>
<p>My advice to you dreamsofivy is to possibly have your counselor mentioned your anxiety problems and how that affected you. You said you had excessive absences, so that may be seen as legitimate. When in doubt, tell the truth, because even though the above statements were quite dysphemistic, they were true. You don’t want to start off the college process on the wrong foot, because if they find out about your lie they could rescind you.</p>
<p>There is no question that the REASONS the OP couldn’t join in on anything his 10th grade year are legitimate. But that is still no reason to LIE and say that he was involved in something in 10th grade when he wasn’t.</p>
<p>Apart from the knee-jerk “lying is bad” reaction you’ve gotten (and probably knew you would get when you posted this question), you could get caught. You don’t know that your teachers won’t say something like “X wasn’t very involved in their sophomore year, but really turned it around afterwards” in their recommendations.</p>
<p>But more importantly, nothing on your college application is important enough to lie about it. This isn’t about whether you had extracurriculars, but whether you began them in 10th or 11th grade. That’s not going to make a difference, not with college admissions as random as they already are.</p>
<p>People, I’m sure this kid agrees with all of you that lying is bad. This is just an example of how twisted this country’s idea of college admissions ispeople compromise the morals they usually adhere to because they’re so scared of not getting into a good enough school.</p>
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<p>Let’s not.</p>
<p>DON’T lie. Instead, write in the additional info your reasons for not joining clubs early on. Just be concise. Don’t write a huge excuse, it’s really not a big deal. You want to dispel the notion that you are just joining clubs for college apps, which you’ll do if you explain your situation.</p>
<p>Be honest. </p>
<p>Show your dedication the last two years and hope for the best.</p>
<p>But do NOT lie.</p>
<p>Hmm, well, I helped organize a donation to send to those in Africa who have AIDS, so, can I say I CURED AIDS?</p>
<p>Anyways, I would not recommend it. Sure, many people will embellish a little, but the at a full-blown lie. If you were to get caught, you would ruin all your chances. </p>
<p>Just my 2 cents.</p>
<p>Medical reasons which prevented you from participating fully in school life are best raised in a letter from the GC. This gives those issues additional credibility and enables you to focus in your essays on what you have since accomplished. Arrange a meeting with your GC to discuss these issues and to demonstrate the progress you have made since your rocky start at this school. Be specific that you would like him/her to address this issue if he/she feels it is appropriate. </p>
<p>While you can’t put words in the GC’s mouth, there is nothing wrong with helping to frame the discussion. At both my kids’ schools, the GC questionnaire specifically asks if there are any reasons why one’s transcript may not reflect one’s abilities, and if there have been any unusual events (divorce, illness, etc.) over one’s HS career. Let the GC handle this --a student trying to explain away poor grades, lack of ECs, etc. just comes off as whining and blaming.</p>
<p>There is no need to lie or stretch the truth here. Not that it’s acceptable in the first place.</p>
<p>Please, do not injure the integrity of your college applications through an act of simple anxiety. Regardless of your “dreams” of the highest schools in the nation, if an Ivy denies you, it will not be because you were one year short of extracurriculars.</p>
<p>I agree with the other posters, have your guidance counselor mention the issues in his letter if need be.</p>
<p>It was refreshing to hear an admissions officer tell us that they have so many candidates that rise above their issues and succeed to worry about the ones that struggled very much. </p>
<p>My suggestion is to be completely honest with your list of ECs. Further, in the small section for discussion around ECs, I would state ‘I joined groups and sports when I wanted to participate in them, not to pad my admissions application. Hopefully, the college that wants me will appreciate that along with my candor.’ </p>
<p>I don’t know whether you are still doing tennis or other Spring activities but hopefully they have already announced (or shortly will) captains/leadership roles for next year. The point being is that announcements next Spring will be too late to successfully help your application for EA, ED and Priority admissions. That leaves only sending that info into admissions separately for possible Spring acceptance.</p>
<p>Please read the thread for the featured discussion above.</p>
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<p>You would be part of that 27%</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/717800-high-school-isnt-over-yet-nacac-report-rescinded-acceptances.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/717800-high-school-isnt-over-yet-nacac-report-rescinded-acceptances.html</a></p>
<p>What did Thomas Jefferson do that killed your hamster? </p>
<p>No, we don’t, not right.</p>