If I withdraw from a University can it be like I never went?

[exohuman]

I took at class at a University over the summer and ended up going there for this semester. About a month ago I realized I wasn't going to be happy there because the major I was taking there isn't for me and what they focus on at that school isn't my interest.

None of the classes I am taking would count for anything toward my physics degree which I am going to commence on next semester. They were all courses in the engineering major I was taking there.

I was thinking that maybe I would just entirely withdraw from the university. It would also save me on commuting and gas money since the school is almost an hour away. I also want to spend the next few months getting a head start of my physics courses for next semester. I don't really think there is any reason to carry around my record from the school I am at now since I will have only complete one entirely unrelated summer class there. And I'd rather not have to constantly explain why I withdrew.

So can I just omit the record from that school from any future application for graduate school or an REU?

 

[lisab]

I took at class at a University over the summer and ended up going there for this semester. About a month ago I realized I wasn't going to be happy there because the major I was taking there isn't for me and what they focus on at that school isn't my interest.

None of the classes I am taking would count for anything toward my physics degree which I am going to commence on next semester. They were all courses in the engineering major I was taking there.

I was thinking that maybe I would just entirely withdraw from the university. It would also save me on commuting and gas money since the school is almost an hour away. I also want to spend the next few months getting a head start of my physics courses for next semester. I don't really think there is any reason to carry around my record from the school I am at now since I will have only complete one entirely unrelated summer class there. And I'd rather not have to constantly explain why I withdrew.

So can I just omit the record from that school from any future application for graduate school or an REU?

Can you? Yes I guess so.

Should you? Absolutely not. Every application I've ever seen instructs you to list all the schools you've ever attended. You then have to sign the application stating everything is correct to the best of your knowledge; if you knowingly omit a school and then sign it, you've just committed fraud. Who knows what trouble that can cause you down the road.

 

[HallsofIvy]

No, it will not be "like you never went". Your grades will be on record there and any university you apply for or employer where you apply for a job will want to see them. Yes, you could simply not mention the college on your application, but you would be, basically, lying on the application not to include that if it asks for previous college experience.

 

[exohuman]

Why? I almost essentially didn't attend this school if I have no record to show for it besides the a summer class in an unrelated field. It could be for instance I just took a summer class in something for fun in philosophy or something. Would I really have to report that when applying to grad school.

Secondly, who would ever pursue it and penalize me for it? It's not like I plagiarized something or pretended to get grades I didn't or fake a degree. I would just be hoping to make my application a little more straightforward by leaving out irrelevant information. I made a poor decision in going to that school and I don't really feel the need to explain it to ever single grad school. I feel like they should be worried about what I've done in physics and research, outside of that it isn't really their business. If I'm supposed to feel guilty and feel like I am lying if I leave it out, I don't. Let that say about me what it does.

Finally, how big of a difference will it make anyway? I'm going to withdraw because I don't want to spend time in these classes when I could save myself some money and spend some time getting ahead in physics. I am worried that some stiff university bureaucrat would see my semester of withdrawals and think "withdrawing is bad mmmk" and that would negatively effect my admission prospects.

 

[exohuman]

No, it will not be "like you never went". Your grades will be on record there and any university you apply for or employer where you apply for a job will want to see them. Yes, you could simply not mention the college on your application, but you would be, basically, lying on the application not to include that if it asks for previous college experience.

What sort of job asks for your transcripts? Further, when would they ever care about transcripts besides where you got your degree and took all your relevant coursework from?

Sure every employer and grad school probably feel like they have the right to know everything about you. Credit report, background check,etc,etc. Like when employers ask for every job you have had in the past 5 years or something. I am supposed to feel ashamed when I omit my 2 days working at the grocery store in 2005?

 

[lisab]

You asked advice, you were given two similar points of view; now want to debate.

Did you start this thread simply for reassurance for something that you had already decided you were going to do?

 

[fasterthanjoao]

Why? I almost essentially didn't attend this school if I have no record to show for it besides the a summer class in an unrelated field. It could be for instance I just took a summer class in something for fun in philosophy or something. Would I really have to report that when applying to grad school.

Yes. There's no point in asking for advice then ignoring it because it isn't what you want to hear.

Secondly, who would ever pursue it and penalize me for it? It's not like I plagiarized something or pretended to get grades I didn't or fake a degree.

So you're saying it should be OK because you don't think anyone would catch you...?

I would just be hoping to make my application a little more straightforward by leaving out irrelevant information. I made a poor decision in going to that school and I don't really feel the need to explain it to ever single grad school. I feel like they should be worried about what I've done in physics and research, outside of that it isn't really their business.

The university have the luxury of being able to decide what *is* their business when you're applying. When you apply to a university, you have to conform to it's own application procedure. You can't just decide to only tell them things you feel are relevant.

If I'm supposed to feel guilty and feel like I am lying if I leave it out, I don't. Let that say about me what it does.

Then why did you even bother asking the question?

Finally, how big of a difference will it make anyway? I'm going to withdraw because I don't want to spend time in these classes when I could save myself some money and spend some time getting ahead in physics. I am worried that some stiff university bureaucrat would see my semester of withdrawals and think "withdrawing is bad mmmk" and that would negatively effect my admission prospects.

Then perhaps you shouldn't be so arrogant. It isn't up to you to come along and bin the university process because you've decided you know better before you've even spent any significant time there. The people that handle applications generally aren't stupid, and take it seriously. One semester doing something you've changed your mind about isn't a deal breaker, and frankly I don't know why you're so worried. It's probably actually even a good thing, you can use that semester as a reference and claim it as a benchmark for knowing where your interest in physics started. You tried something else, and had the conviction to change it to something you realize you want to do instead.

 

[Chunkysalsa]

I don't see why it would even matter. People change schools all the time to a lot of different reasons.

 

[confusedinMA]

You asked advice, you were given two similar points of view; now want to debate.

Did you start this thread simply for reassurance for something that you had already decided you were going to do?

The time to make the decision is something like two years away from me so no I haven't made it yet. However, I was kind of hoping to hear "yeah, no big deal that's fine." I'm glad to hear your truthful opinion but I am going to question it because so I came into asking the question hoping to hear something else. You made and other have made a good argument in favor of not omitting it. But labeling omitting it as "fraud" or "Just like lying" blows it a bit out of proportion.

 

[confusedinMA]

Then perhaps you shouldn't be so arrogant. It isn't up to you to come along and bin the university process because you've decided you know better before you've even spent any significant time there. The people that handle applications generally aren't stupid, and take it seriously. One semester doing something you've changed your mind about isn't a deal breaker, and frankly I don't know why you're so worried. It's probably actually even a good thing, you can use that semester as a reference and claim it as a benchmark for knowing where your interest in physics started. You tried something else, and had the conviction to change it to something you realize you want to do instead.

This is actually the best advice I got yet. I appreciate it. I do stick to my characterization of university bureaucrats though. I realize the department plays a large part in grad admission and I don't disagree that Physics professors would more than likely not care. However, from dealing with people in the university admissions office at least at my public school a lot of those people are pretty inflexible in thinking.

 

[Ryker]

So confusedinMA = exohuman?

Anyway, I was in kind of a similar situation when applying to schools this year. Canadian schools namely wanted to have transcripts from all institutions I attended, and since I spent a semester abroad as an exchange student during my first degree, I had to send that, as well. And, to be honest, I really didn't want to list it, not because I'd done badly or anything, but because getting the transcripts was a real hassle, that university being hundreds of kilometers away from where I lived and all. In the end, I did list it, and it delayed the admissions process for about two months or so, and I had almost foregone going to Canada because the deadline for me to make a decision

UK schools (yes, even the "best" ones), on the other hand, don't seem to care much for transcripts about exchanges and stuff like that, both at undergraduate and graduate level. I reckon it's like that in most parts of the world.

Summa summarum, while it is a hassle doing this stuff, if the university's policy is to do it, then it's best you do it. I don't think it will hurt you at all, and your example differs from mine, as well. Since that semester abroad was covered by my "primary" university, no one would notice I had been gone, because there would be no gap in my education. In your case, on the other hand, you'd need to explain what you've been doing, and not only that, you have basically made that university your home university by doing a semester there.

But basically, I don't really think this is a bad policy for universities to adopt, I just think they should be more flexible in regards to transcripts and all the other stuff you need to do in order to show what you did at the university you listed.

 

[creepypasta13]

I'm actually in kind of a similar situation. I completed my lower-div and GE requirements at a community college before transferring to my university. I wasn't sure what to do, so I emailed all the admissions officers at the grad schools I'll apply to, and they all mentioned that they need all my transcripts. I also took classes through my school's extension program after I graduated. I really hope I don't have to list my grades in those classes as I already have enough money to spend on transcripts