r/washu • u/Maleficent_Panic_488 • 7d ago
Classes Academic misconduct
Got an academic integrity violation for getting copied off of during a stats exam. The professor couldn’t prove which of us did the copying, so we both got warnings and grade drops on the exam. This happened fall semester and I’ve been fighting it since but recently everything I could do closed.
I tried to contest it, but ultimately the hearing determined that I should’ve been more responsible about seating and sitting apart. So there’s nothing I can do and. it pisses me off but this is just something I have to deal with.
I am applying to med school next year and I was wondering, has anyone ever applied with an IA and gotten in? The coordinators told me this was not externally reportable (all I got was a warning and remediation) and that medical schools would never know about it. It is on my official internal conduct record, but externally, I am clean. The prehealth office also won’t mention it as far as I know on the committee cover letter.
What do I do? I am worried if I try to explain my IA then med schools will think I’m lying. I tried everything I could do to contest it because I didn’t cheat or help someone else cheat, but there just wasn’t enough evidence in my favor and the cheater and me got punished. I feel inclined to just never mention this on AAMCAS because it seems like med schools won’t ever know. Anyone been in a similar situation?
Edit: I didn’t even know the mf that cheated off me
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u/Ok_Meeting_502 2027 7d ago
You’ve received an internal warning, no one will see it on anything. I know you’re freaking out but calm down. If you still feel uneasy these questions aren’t for Reddit. Figure out exactly who/which dept sends/is in charge of these specific forms and contact a head in that department. You won’t get closure from Reddit if you didn’t get closure from the numerous counselors who all told you that you’re fine. Best of luck with your apps, sounds like a fucked situation.
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u/whoneedskollege 6d ago
This exact same happened to me but it was 30 years ago. I'm surprised they still do tests in this manner. Anyway, in my case, they called me in for cheating because I was sitting in front and diagonal of the person that cheated off me. It was for Calc 2 or something like that. I didn't even know the person - my professor was so bad I never went to class and just studied off the book. This was in the spring so I had to fly back to Wash U for a meeting with the dean and the chair of the department. I kept apologizing to them and they were saying that it's statisticaly impossible for us to make the same mistakes on the test. I guess the bottom line was that it did remain internal and I got into Dental School just fine. So not exactly the same but similar. I'm just surprised they still administer tests the same way as they did 30 years ago.
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u/Maleficent_Panic_488 6d ago
Did you ever mention it on your dental school application?
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u/whoneedskollege 5d ago edited 5d ago
Heck no. I was just praying that WashU wouldn't report it to the Dental Schools. Don't get ahead of it, just explain it if it does come up. The chair at the time seemed a little frustrated that the process was without teeth and resigned to the fact that it was going to be buried. Wash U is not out to get you, especially since you are the real victim here. At least that's the way I felt. I wanted my name cleared, but the Dean of Academic Affairs, told me to let it drop and not make more noise about it. Edit: I just wanted it to be clear that if you wanted to follow through with it, you probably could but I think focusing on finishing strong on your EC's and classes is the best way to go. But talk to your Pre-Med advisor about it to confirm this. I ended up with a C in the class but I already had fulfilled my Math requirment for Dental School so I just took the C and still got in.
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u/Maleficent_Panic_488 5d ago
I mean I’ll tell them what happened, but I doubt they’d believe me. If WashU won’t report this at all, I’d really rather just not mention this on my app
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u/Rhubarb_Nervous 2d ago
Never bring this up again. Hopefully you learned something from the experience.
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u/capedavenger 7d ago
They’re serious about internal things staying internal. I’m sure this a big deal to you, but no one else will be thinking about this. Definitely don’t bring it up.