Transfer programs and don't mention old one

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the implications of transferring between graduate programs, specifically whether a student can omit previous attendance from their application. Participants explore the potential risks and ethical considerations involved in such a decision.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions if they can leave off previous program attendance when applying to a new program, noting concerns about losing credits.
  • Another participant asserts that applications typically require listing all attended universities.
  • A third participant reflects on their past experience with applications, indicating that while some schools asked for all attended institutions, it may not be universal.
  • One participant challenges the idea of misrepresenting oneself on applications, labeling it as fraudulent and risky, suggesting that honesty about academic performance is crucial.
  • This participant also mentions that admission committees may consider extenuating circumstances affecting a student's performance.
  • Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

    Participants express differing views on the ethics of omitting previous program attendance, with some emphasizing the importance of honesty and others focusing on the potential consequences of transferring. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the best approach to take when considering a transfer.

    Contextual Notes

    There are uncertainties regarding the application requirements of different programs and how they handle previous attendance. The discussion also highlights the subjective nature of what constitutes an "acceptable" reason for transferring.

trivialsolution
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If I were to start a masters/Phd program and only take a class or two then decided I want to try to apply for a different program could I simply leave off the fact that I attended the first program? The only downside I currently see is losing credits for those initial classes. I ask because every time I hear/read about transferring it seems like a bad idea unless the student has what is deemed an "acceptable" reason.
 
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You will be asked on the application to list everywhere you attended.
 
It has been some time since I applied for graduate study. I applied to around a dozen schools at one time or another. I remember being asked to provide all universities I attended at least a few times. I do not remember it being universal, but it could be that every school asked and I did not notice, because I never intended to leave anything off.
 
Are you asking for advice or for permission?

trivialsolution said:
I ask because every time I hear/read about transferring it seems like a bad idea unless the student has what is deemed an "acceptable" reason.
Well sure. Most ideas are bad if done for unacceptable reasons.

Transferring is one issue though. It sounds like you're asking whether you should purposefully misrepresent yourself when applying to new programs. Not only would that be fraudulent, it would put you at risk of being kicked out of any program you did get into.

If you're worried that you haven't done well in your current program and are looking for some kind of a "reset," while not ideal, that can still happen. Be upfront about it. Anyone can have a bad semester. If that bad semester is the result of circumstances beyond your control, admission committees are likely to take that into consideration. And if it was the result of circumstances within your control, well, you likely already know that the problems are likely to follow you to the next school anyway.
 

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