Lying about future prospects for research position..

[Sparkles]

Yeah - 5/5 have lied, them's pretty high odds. Hmm, stats majors? The chances of asking 5 random students and getting 100% confirmation by chance alone would be..... something small (my brain hurts!).

Sure, they say that they are 'little white lies' but it is a very slippery slope that they may travel - little white lies to get into med school, larger white lies for CARMS, full-blown lies while in residency... When does it end?

 

That is pretty disappointing though....

 

I agree with you Haikuguy - polygraph is a good idea. My sister-in-law just got into the police and she said this was the most nerve-wracking part of the whole process. One must consider that while students would be nervous for interviews, think of how nervous they'd be for this? Also, they're not 100% accurate, but it may be the only option to 'weed out' the liars who lie through their teeth or use their friends as references as previously mentioned.

I don't know if I would call these 5 random....I had to do some work with them in the summertime and I got to know them fairly well....so maybe they felt comfortable enough to tell me. 4 of them.....the lies were really "white".

 

I wonder if I asked a med student whom I don't know personally.......hmmmm.....what they would say?

[Sparkles]

Wow Sparkles , that news disturbs me.....my EC involvement exists and I was honest but its not outstanding, so maybe I am effed lol

This has actually been bugging me alot as the thread goes on.

 

How many volunteer hours do they want somebody to have?

[Sparkles]

I do NOT think it is impossible to do well in school AND to actually do volunteer work or extracurricular activities. Barring any serious academic difficulties, if you spend a *serious* (goofing off and reading the forums or msn-ing does not count) 1 hour out of class studying for every hour you spend in class, you can do well (I mean A- to A+ well). This is my experience from undergrad. For a standard full course-load you have around 15 hours of class, therefore if you spend 15 hours outside of class, then you should be fine.

 

# waking hours > 100 (wake up: 8am, sleep at 11pm)

School time = 30 (15 in class, 15 out of class)

Eating, shower, etc = 20

Transportation = 5

 

Do the math: 100-30-20-10=40. You have 40 hours a week at your leisure to hang out with friends, go to the gym, AND to do volunteer work or extracurricular activities. That's enough time for a full-time job.

 

It's just about good time-management.

 

Don't you think you'd feel a lot better about yourself if you managed your time well and in the process, accomplished a lot of different things and gained new experiences RATHER THAN spending your time thinking of stories that you could lie about?

Ummmmm......15 hours of class each week with only 15 homework? Did you get a bachelor in arts? I have 3 labs at 3 hours each.....chem is 4 hours lecture per week....bio and stats 3 each....and french 5 hours plus 1 hour language lab. That is over 20 hours and I have more homework than 1 hour per hour of lecture. I forgot English....another 3 hours of lecture each week.

 

Then of course working one day a week for 8 hours because a 6500 dollar student loan for 8 months just doesn't cut it.

 

I have excellent time management and I still struggle.

[daryn]

Ummmmm......15 hours of class each week with only 15 homework? Did you get a bachelor in arts? I have 3 labs at 3 hours each.....chem is 4 hours lecture per week....bio and stats 3 each....and french 5 hours plus 1 hour language lab. That is over 20 hours and I have more homework than 1 hour per hour of lecture. I forgot English....another 3 hours of lecture each week.

 

Then of course working one day a week for 8 hours because a 6500 dollar student loan for 8 months just doesn't cut it.

 

I have excellent time management and I still struggle.

 

I'll be graduating with a science degree. This semester I have ~15 hours per week. I had something similar to what you speak of back in the early years of undergrad.

 

I do agree that one can always find the time to do something if they are willing to work their schedules around it. I work at two jobs for more than twenty hours a week, and yet I am able to get the grades (unlike my crap year) and do other stuff, not solely for application's sake but also for personal growth/enjoyment business.

 

It's very disconcerting to hear that some people lie/exaggerate on their applications though. For a second it felt like my time/effort has gone to waste. But you know what, my conscience would definitely not let it down easy if I do it myself. So, I say, good for them.

[The Law]

Same here... I just can't lie on my application. I would never feel right about it. If I ever get in, I'm going to have earned it.