Thanks for entering this thread, I'm gonna try to make this as brief as possible. To clarify, I am currently a student working on my final prereqs and today I learned some very disturbing news. As my Algebra professor dismissed class today, I somehow found myself having a conversation with two students that sat behind me. One of the girls ask me my major and of course I told her nursing, she said nursing was her major too. I then asked how far along was she. She told me she'll be applying to the program after this semester because she had "cheated" on her transcript. I was stunned that something like that came out of her mouth so casually in the presence of fellow students! Another student asked, how did you manage to do that? She replied that she had managed to somehow forge her transcripts from another community college that she attended in a small town somewhere. I mean, she described in detailed how she did it and mentioned that her sister had taught her how to do it and the conversation ended! Here's my dillema... Should I say something to someone? Or should I mind my own business? I got into a very heated debate with my partner regarding this and I just had to come on here to hear what others think about the situation. Somehow, I feel an obligation to the public as well as to myself and other nursing students who worked hard to complete prereqs. I don't think its fair at all. On the other hand, I feel that I should have enough faith in our educational system that they would never allow her to get too far and catch on to her scheme at some point. I'm confused, what would you do or not do in my position?
I am not quite sure how this is possible. In any school, or so I thought, only an official transcript from the university with an official seal and an unopen envelope, is accepted. It is then reviewed by your current school and they decide what is an acceptable/unacceptable transfer credit.
I would verify all your assumptions first and have hard evidence. Because there is nothing worse than accusing someone of wrong doing in front of a faculty and have that person turn around and deny all of your accusations.
Of course, if the school is not verifying anything they receive then they themselves are a major factor to this problem.
After I thought about it for a while it occured to me that every word this person said to you from the first second she opened her mouth could be a lie. There are people who are just plain delusional in this world and have no idea what is true and what is not true. On the other hand, there are people who are so eager to impress the person they just met that they just start telling crazy stories. I tried to take myself back 30 years to when I was a student and imagine a much younger me hearing a story like that. Knowing even then how hard it would be to do alter a transcript I would have assumed the person was crazy and ignored them. Some people here would not approve of that course of action and I don't know if an older and wiser me would do it now. I am not advising you to do it but I am pretty sure that is what I would have done then.
If I were you i'd mind my own business as well. Reportable issues for me deal with patient safety, but someone cheating is not something id report. I bet there are a lot more people cheating on tests, transcripts, resumes etc. than would ever admit it or be foolish enough to discuss it. Have you ever heard "let him who is without sin cast the first stone" or "whatever is done in the dark will come to light" Trust me, this will happen without your involvement
I'm leaning more on the side of don't make this YOUR deal. But if she does get accepted I would write a letter stating the conversation, and it's then up to the school to believe her or to Investigate this further. and I would keep myself annonymus(sp?)
I would ask her to show you the 'cheated' transcript, I just canNOT believe people would do that and that there's a way to do it.
I'm just too scared to even look to my side when taking a test for being confused with someone that's 'cheating', I just can't see this being true, but I just can't see her saying this without guilt and no shame. It's unbelieveable.
Don't report it because you don't know if its true or not. It could actually backfire on you- i.e. she says something about you that's untrue and while its false, it may delay or prevent your progress. What you need to do is keep your head down, your eyes focused on the prize and ignore others. Unless its obviously provable and unethical, reporting every infraction you think you see or think you hear about will only bring YOU trouble in nursing school. JMHO.
Report anonomously via a free email account like hotmail. Just report the facts that you know. You know that she is claiming to have forged her transcript. You know how she claims that she did it. That's all you have to say. If she is lying, she is too stupid to be allowed to be a nurse. If she isn't lying, she's too immoral to be a nurse. The school can simply verify the transcript and decide at that point if any action is needed.
At my school, we were required to sign before every quiz, test, case study or other graded material that we have committed no academic dishonesty and that we know of no other student who has.
I personally would stay out of it. Karma comes around. Its easy to start making judgment calls and going out on a limb in the name of integrity. From what you have wrote, their is not enough concrete evidence to go with the dean unless she handed you actual details (Which of course is DEFINITELY different and would then be a more appropriate reason to go to the dean). Just make sure to not align yourself with the person, work hard, stay focused, graduate, and get that license!!
I would still do the anonymo letters, email, whatever. We assume the OP got an earful, and it was damning enough that he felt the need to act. If the school investigates it, they will most likely request authentication of her transcripts from the source institutions. If it all jives, then fine. If not they will open a carefully constructed investigation of fraud. Let the chips fall. That's life.
us2uk4u
164 Posts
I am not quite sure how this is possible. In any school, or so I thought, only an official transcript from the university with an official seal and an unopen envelope, is accepted. It is then reviewed by your current school and they decide what is an acceptable/unacceptable transfer credit.
I would verify all your assumptions first and have hard evidence. Because there is nothing worse than accusing someone of wrong doing in front of a faculty and have that person turn around and deny all of your accusations.
Of course, if the school is not verifying anything they receive then they themselves are a major factor to this problem.