Oh Crap I Just Lied On My Application

[RNPleaseHelp]

No I didn't do it on purpose, well...perhaps subconsciously.

I'm applying for a RN-BSN program from a two year community college. When my school tansfer adviser looked over my GPA she told me I should have on trouble being accepted to most places. When I applied to my choice school online just now, I submitted my high school info, my RN program info, and the last page were questions like, have u ever been convicted of a crime, have u ever been suspended or kicked out of school, and things like that. I just clicked no no no, and then submit.

After I hit the submit button it dawned on me that I did get kicked out of a four year year college 12 years ago due to low grades. What should I do now? If I contact the BSN school on Monday, would they still consider me if I disclose that info? The college I went to, I had no plans of transferring any credits over. It was not a nursing major but in something that was way over my head.

Please help!

[BabyLady, BSN, RN]

I'm just paranoid because although I doubt they actually do go and make an effort to search through all the schools in the country for my name (I didn't take out financial aid and my parents paid for my tuition), I don't know if I can keep having this hovering over my head.

This is going to be an unpopular answer, but I am going to tell you anyway.

If you did not take out financial aid, they are not going to find out about the school.

Period.

It if it were me, leave it alone. Seriously...there is no national database where they have someone checking every school in the country, on every applicant to every college program.

I have known TONS of people that did not transfer credits due to a bad GPA, even when colleges were located in the same town....they graduated, got their degree and moved on with their life.

They MIGHT make an exception and they may not...unless you see some sort of policy in their handbook that has some kind of "start again" program, then they do not have to look over any past GPA.

People can speculate "but what if they found out".

Benjamin Franklin once quoted, "Two people can keep a secret, and one of them is dead."

If you follow that, you will be fine. Happens more often than you think because of these policies that allow criminals to have crimes expunged from their record, but not a bad GPA from a decade ago?

Pure BS...beat them at their own game.

Like I said...my answer is not going to be popular..but if you really want into the program...it is the way to go and I would do it in a NY minute.

[lilaclover]

This is going to be an unpopular answer, but I am going to tell you anyway.

If you did not take out financial aid, they are not going to find out about the school.

Period.

It if it were me, leave it alone. Seriously...there is no national database where they have someone checking every school in the country, on every applicant to every college program.

I have known TONS of people that did not transfer credits due to a bad GPA, even when colleges were located in the same town....they graduated, got their degree and moved on with their life.

They MIGHT make an exception and they may not...unless you see some sort of policy in their handbook that has some kind of "start again" program, then they do not have to look over any past GPA.

People can speculate "but what if they found out".

Benjamin Franklin once quoted, "Two people can keep a secret, and one of them is dead."

If you follow that, you will be fine. Happens more often than you think because of these policies that allow criminals to have crimes expunged from their record, but not a bad GPA from a decade ago?

Pure BS...beat them at their own game.

Like I said...my answer is not going to be popular..but if you really want into the program...it is the way to go and I would do it in a NY minute.

I agree. The program was 12 years ago and not nursing related. In my opinion its irrelevant. You would be throwing yourself under the bus for no reason if you revealed this too them.

[StarofLifeRN]

Even if you don't intend on transferring credits, you still have to send them those transcripts. Unfortunately, your GPA follows you for the rest of your life. Technically, if you don't tell them and they find out later, even after you graduate, they could kick you out or even revoke your degree. Tell them now and save yourself some pain later. Maybe write a letter explaining it to them and provide evidence of how you have changed since then. Good luck!

I'd be curious to know the exact wording of the question you responded no to. While it's true that your GPA follows you for the rest of your life, a GPA is associated with the college in which the credits were earned. They don't get lumped together if you went to multiple institutions. Typically you are under no obligation to disclose prior academic history if you don't need the credits from a particular institution in your new application. College's only work with the information they are given. That being said, if the question doesn't clarify the nature of the dismissal as being for conduct issues, and you were suspended for academic reasons, then you should amend your application. Given that it was many years ago, and not in an area that is relevant to being a nurse, then provide that explanation and they will probably be fine with it.

For what it's worth, I work in college admissions and am applying for nursing school to make a career change. I sincerely doubt any institution would revoke your degree for not disclosing irrelevant information. Altering a transcript would be a different story.

[txgrl1502]

I do not know if this is everywhere, but in Texas we have academic fresh start. It is for classes taken over 10 years ago. The classes are still on the transcript but they do not count for current GPA. I had to do it, I was young and in an abusive relationship. I was so worried my past would hinder my good GPA, fresh start fixed that for me. Look it up, it maybe a route you can take.:)

[StarofLifeRN]

Academic fresh starts (we call it academic forgiveness) is usually used when someone reapplies to an institution they previously attended. It's great for people returning to college after some time who know they are capable of doing better than the first go around. The courses still count toward graduation, and the original poor grades still stay on the transcript (like someone said, they follow you the rest of your life), but they are not calculated into the GPA moving forward.

[BabyLady, BSN, RN]

I'd be curious to know the exact wording of the question you responded no to. While it's true that your GPA follows you for the rest of your life, a GPA is associated with the college in which the credits were earned. .

Just a quick FYI....they do get lumped.

This is very common when you apply to graduate schools and have GPA's from multiple instituations.

For example (and this example is NOT mathematically correct...I am just pulling numbers at random).

University A...GPA 2.1

University B...GPA 3.8

University C...GPA 3.0

Let's say you are applying to Acme University and their program requires an overall GPA of 3.0 to apply to their graduate program, etc.

If your CUMMULATIVE GPA, based on credits earned...earns you a 2.8 out of the examples I cited above?

Guess what...you are NOT going to meet admission requirements.

When you apply to medical school or law school, this is taken to a different level...an A in Chemistry at Easy University might be a C at Princeton...so they "adjust" your grade based on the difficulty of your curriculum and come up with a NEW GPA.

[BabyLady, BSN, RN]

I do not know if this is everywhere, but in Texas we have academic fresh start. It is for classes taken over 10 years ago. The classes are still on the transcript but they do not count for current GPA. I had to do it, I was young and in an abusive relationship. I was so worried my past would hinder my good GPA, fresh start fixed that for me. Look it up, it maybe a route you can take.:)

I would wager that this varies by college...and is not state regulated.

It will also not carry over when you apply to graduate school..they MIGHT take it into consideration..but nothing like having the chips down before you even apply, especially if you have worked very hard.

[txgrl1502]

I would wager that this varies by college...and is not state regulated.

It will also not carry over when you apply to graduate school..they MIGHT take it into consideration..but nothing like having the chips down before you even apply, especially if you have worked very hard.

Nope, in TX, it's Texas Senate Bill 1321. Believe me, I am so happy it is around or I would have no chance - lol

[BabyLady, BSN, RN]

Nope, in TX, it's Texas Senate Bill 1321. Believe me, I am so happy it is around or I would have no chance - lol

WOW!!!!!

That is an AWESOME law!

Heck, criminals get a second change (getting things removed from their record, expungements, etc)....so why shouldn't students who screwed up a few semesters!!!!

[AgentBeast, MSN, RN]

You likely weren't "kicked out of school" for bad grades you were probably placed on academic suspension which can last anywhere from 1 quarter/semester to an entire year, after which you are eligible to return to school. The normal process is that once your GPA drops below a certain threshold (normally a 2.0, but it varies) you are placed on academic probation. If your GPA doesn't improve after your next semester you are then placed on academic suspension. As was said in a previous post, most universities have some form of "Fresh Start" policy that allows you to reset your GPA. All the courses you have taken at that university will still remain on your transcript however, only courses in which you earned a C- or higher will count towards degree requirements.

[StarofLifeRN]

Just a quick FYI....they do get lumped.

This is very common when you apply to graduate schools and have GPA's from multiple instituations.

That is true, but there are circumstances where you don't have to disclose prior academic history. For example:

University A - student attends for X amount of time, earns a poor GPA, and never completes a degree whether by choice or due to academic dismissal.

University B - student doesn't need to transfer any of the credits earned from University A so therefore doesn't list that s/he ever attended University A. Student earns bachelor's degree from University B.

Student applies for grad school. Student needs to prove completion of a bachelor's degree. Student submits transcript from University B. Since the student didn't transfer any credits from University A to University B, the grad school will never know those original credits exist. This is perfectly legal and ethical. It's like applying for a professional level job after building a relevant resume and leaving off your high school and college employment history. It happened, it just no longer matters.

The only reason to disclose prior academic history is to facilitate transfer credit, or to show evidence of academic capability. However, if even just one credit was transferred from A to B, then the whole transcript - and any information on it including conduct or academic dismissals - is fair game.

If the question the OP was referring to could mean "for any reason" then I would say there's an ethical obligation to answer truthfully. The competitiveness of the program will determine how forgiving they would be to that information. When you have the ability to choose among the best of the best, then unfortunately for the candidates, any blemish makes it easy to move the application to the no pile.

[StarofLifeRN]

Just a quick update... I looked at the nursing common app and they do say list ALL prior academic history regardless of relevance. If that is the case for the RN-BSN program the OP is applying to, then there is an obligation to amend the application.

This is definitely an "it depends" situation.

Good luck to the OP! The fact that you are wondering about it tells me you are an ethical person and you'll do the right thing. Good luck!!!