May have embellished CV and/or resume for MA and Ph.D applications. Could there be consequences for either of my degrees (to the point of posdible revocation)?

[mondoz]

I am a doctoral candidate in a Ph.D program right now.

I reviewed my old resumes recently to see if there was anything relevant I could include from undergrad (as I am about to graduate with my Ph.D sometime in March or May 2024). Long story short, I think I may have embellished and I am not sure whether I did that intentionally or not (I wanted to get into an MA program really bad at the time so maybe). It is getting to the point I am doubting whether I did that on purpose or not.

I initially thought I had listed just my duties and that the time in which I did them was only 3 months rather than 9 months (I thought I had to list how long I was a member, which was 9 months). However, it turns out I had the following:

1. Ran participants using an eye tracker and learned related software
2. Provided feedback for the control and experimental variables used and manipulated
3. Chose images used in experiment
4. Ran data and made charts using SPSS that will be in the study once published

For point 1, the “participants” I ran were just other graduate students for testing the experiment before it was set to be run at the start of next academic year. As implied in my previous post, this never happened since the PI was a well intended, yet very disorganized and forgetful (to the point I could not even get an LOR from her because she was so unreliable).

For point 2, I did this during the summer in the lab. I gave feedback on the stimuli they used.

For point 3, this was one I did.

For point 4, I did help run data at one point and made charts in SPSS. Those were going to be the model for a study that the lab was going to try to publish (but never did).

The running theme here is that all of these points were momentary and they were things I made bullet points out of anyway and seemingly stretched over the course of an academic year. Knowing what I know now, there was zero way I would have wrote it like this. I now see on my resume in the past few years that I cut point 1 and edited the other points so it was more accurate to the time.

I distinctly remember that I had some doubt at the time when wrote it years ago as to whether I was accurate and just went with what “looked better.” Again, I did most of these things but I am not sure if I embellished or not. Even so, it was probably an accident.

I was also only in the lab a few hours a week (as in as low as 1-3 sometimes) so I am so doubtful to the point where I am having a lot of stress all over again. I do not even know if I deserved to get my foot in the door somewhere at the MA, let alone the Ph.D level.

I’ve also realized I cited a poster from my undergrad incorrectly. I accidentally said I presented a poster at an undergraduate research symposium when it was actually a bi-annual psychology poster conference. I also put myself as the first author even though I didn’t remember the order that was agreed upon (although I distinctly remember my poster partner didn’t mind the order so I probably just went “why not?” even though that order mattered and I didn’t know it at the time I made the entry). In case it’s also important, I presented this poster for an extra credit assignment in a Cognitive Neuroscience class. The TA for the class guided us through the whole thing and I honestly didn’t feel like I deserved to be an author even though I agreed to help and did a poor job at doing so (given how I walked away with a C in the class overall. I wasn’t a good undergrad student). When I reviewed the old email exchanges, I definitely don’t feel like I deserve it whatsoever and may take it off my CV even though the conference organizers encouraged all of us to list the posters on our CV.

Problem is… I got admitted to 6/8 Master’s programs and I’m worried that poster may have given them an impression I did more than I actually did and that could’ve got me in the door when I otherwise shouldn’t have done so.

I also had a different instance one time during my Master’s program where I listed myself as an “Investigator” (this was how the campus where I was a research assistant called it) and was corrected by the MA program director to list it as Research Assistant (even though I was called an investigator by my lab, albeit the duties were the same as a research assistant). The reason for the correction was because the program director said it looked like I did more than I actually did even though I wasn’t a Principal Investigator (some context - the PI for this lab was German so he may have just called his research assistants the equivalent term, investigators, and I didn’t know it since that was my first lab).

Anyway, I’m concerned about someone noticing this and potentially obstructing me currently.

Do I need to be concerned about whether these changes will be noticed at all by other parties? If so, what are the consequences?

[tsbna44]

Yes. Look at the Harvard pres and wife of Bill Ackman. It’s just the honest answer.

But there’s a difference between an accidental error which happened and actual intent.

There’s also a difference from being high profile and not.

So is it possible you’d get rescinded or penalized ? Yes if someone shares your concerns. But your statements and what you claim you did seem to match.

Is it likely? I’m not expert to say but based on what you wrote, I’m doubtful. It seems you did what you said.

You have to decide - are the instances so impactful they are worthy of correcting?

I’m not expert to know.

Good luck

[mondoz]

When you say my statements and what I claim match, are you referring to what I did in this case? Im unclear on that part.

[tsbna44]

You put - I wrote this and this is what I did.

1. Provided feedback for the control and experimental variables used and manipulated

Then you said:

I did this during the summer in the lab. I gave feedback on the stimuli they used.

Isn’t this the same ?

I’m not expert to know.

But it all seems like that.

[islandmama1]

“I think I embellished”

Time to own it. You did. Embellishment is an intentional act, not accidental. You knew it then, and even now you are still kind of hedging around it and unwilling to accept what you did, so you are afraid there will be consequences.

And you feel kind of like a fraud and also guilty because you may have taken the seat of other kids who did not embellish on their applications and may have had a stronger resume because you ‘really wanted’ to get into the program.

I get it, you feel bad. This is the reason we teach our kids to be truthful. Not just because it is the right thing to do, but also because it saves us from being tormented by our own deceptions.

And now you are worried that someday, somewhere, sooner or later it may come back to bite you. It might, but it sounds unlikely. As @tsbna44 says, it basically sounds like you did what you wrote (albeit with some ‘creative stretching’ aka embellishment).

Were you part of a team trying to cure cancer? Probably not. It doesn’t sound like high stakes stuff, you weren’t performing surgery without a license. Were you like, 21 years old at the time? Probably. Your pre-frontal cortex wasn’t even fully formed, which affects your decision making abilities. Will it end up being a big deal? No one here can tell you for sure, but odds are, probably not.

It sounds like this is really bothering you, so maybe find a trusted professor or therapist to discuss this with, to help you figure out how to resolve and move beyond it, so you are free to stop worrying.

My advice moving forward? Do better. Don’t lie about who you are to get what you want. You are enough. Lastly, tell the truth, always. Good luck.

[mondoz]

I appreciate this reply. I should note I never did anything like this ever since then. I did better but it took a bit to clean myself up.

[jym626]

If it is on your CV, simply edit/rewrite/reword it. Especially before you apply for jobs.

[mondoz]

I edited it and rewrote it long ago, fortunately. I don’t even think it is on my resume or CV anymore since it was so long ago now.

[thumper1]

Then…forget about this.

[mondoz]

I initially made this a different post but it was (understandably) deleted by the mods as it was too similar to this thread. I’ll use this instead and just post it here since I really don’t know what to cut.

I’m a fourth year Ph.D candidate in Experimental Psychology at an R2 in the state of Michigan that’s a major dumpster fire right now as far as department politics goes and funding for students too. The president of this university recently announced they will resign on December 31st of this calendar year. As you can imagine, they weren’t well received at all as president.

Anyway, I’m posting here because I have some major ethical concerns that I’m concerned about catching up to me. I feel like I’ve misrepresented myself (intentionally or not) for both my Master’s and Ph.D applications.

Here are the concerns:

1.) Listed my undergrad lab experience as 9 months because I communicated with the PI on and off about studies getting off the ground that never actually happened at all. It should’ve only been 3 months since I got 1 credit hour of supervised research credit. See my old post on embellishment concern if you would like more detail.

Here’s what I wrote in my personal statement for those who are curious. Bear in mind these are things I did for a moment in time (and that’s it) since I was only in the lab 1-3 hours a week and waited on direction constantly.

2.) Cited an undergrad poster I did for extra credit incorrectly and stated it was at an undergraduate research symposium when it was not and was actutally at a “Bi-annual research showcase” for the Psychology department specifically. Once again, this was a mistake and I unintentionally misrepresented myself.

Here is a bit that I think was misleading on my end in hindsight: “For extra credit in Cognitive Neuroscience, I presented my lab’s findings using my data analyses.” I tried to make my own data analyses, but I failed big time and they went with the one the graduate student and other undergrad who presented made.

3.) An email I sent to my first Ph.D advisor. Even though I was hired for a Research Assistantship, my MA was in a well known regional university in NC and was more teaching than research focused so I never produced any publications even though we planned on doing so (COVID hit during my last semester so I to defend my pilot study data for my MA thesis even though my thesis study was about to launch). So, saying I have “research experience” felt misleading to me. As some probably know, BGSU is an R2 and they are more teaching than research focused as well.

Dear Dr. [advisor],

I am a current Experimental Psychology terminal MA student at [regional college] interested in continuing to the Experimental Psychology Ph.D program at [awful R2 University]. Your interest in eye movement and reading comprehension with clinical populations is a topic that aligns with my own interest in investigating sustained visual attention with clinical samples. I would like to discuss your research, as well as the Ph.D program at [awful R2 University], further with you. My previous research experiences include running E-Prime during my undergraduate studies, two studies with an adult sample evaluating sustained visual attention in adult ADHD using eye tracking under the advice of [MA advisor] and [project co-advisor], then presenting a poster on my initial pilot study at [state conference] last year.

Are you taking students for the Fall 2020 semester? If so, what is your availability so we can discuss via phone or video conference?

Thank you,
[OP real name]

My therapist at this partial hospitalization program explicitly told me that I have no way of knowing the other outcomes of how it would’ve gone if I represented myself differently. More importantly, I finished my MA and soon to be my Ph.D fair and square. My therapist also told me to value myself since I am one human life.

I feel immense amounts if guilt and shame for feeling like I misrepresented myself and I am worried about getting audited or something similar leading to degree revocation. Since well known folks publicly have had stuff come out about application materials and whatnot years later, I’m worried about a similar thing happening to me since I have a fellowship sponsored by the state of Michigan.

[skieurope]

@mondoz

since I really don’t know what to cut.

I’d cut what you wrote in your personal statement for a start. Is that really something you want out on the Internet?

[thumper1]

I’d suggest starting by deleting your personal statement…here.

Did you embellish your application for the Michigan fellowship.

[blossom]

OP- I’m saying this with love- and a big hug–

Please share with your medical team that you are spiraling/perseverating/having intrusive thoughts on this issue. None of us on CC (as savvy as we are about admissions) can help you the way that your in-person mental health providers can.

Come back when you are stable and healthy and we’d be happy to help you in any way that we can. But asking the same question multiple times with a different twist/focus and an increasingly doomsday projection on the outcome isn’t helping you get well.

[mondoz]

I’m not seeing an edit button for my latest update to this thread at all. Once I figure out how to edit it though, I’ll cut the personal statement exercept.

As for the fellowship, I didn’t embellish at all.

[mondoz]

I’ll share this with them on Monday since partial hospitalization will start up again that day.

[thumper1]

@mondoz

I’m not seeing an edit button for my latest update to this thread at all

Look for the little pencil in the bar at the bottom of your post. Hit that and you should be able to edit the post…unless too much time has passed since you posted it.

[mondoz]

I don’t see the pencil at all so I’m assuming too much time has passed in this case. Are mods able to edit it out then?

[skieurope]

@mondoz

Are mods able to edit it out then?

Yes.

If you want, you can DM me the revised post - as in, don’t tell me what to remove; you remove the part from the revision - and I eill do a cut and paste.

[mondoz]

Alrighty. Just DMed the edited post to you.

[skieurope]

Edited