Lying

[Jit]

So... my situation is a little weird.

I am currently in a phd program in economics at a third tier college. I have a BS in Physics from Imperial College London, which is a top 10 school in Physics internationally. I guess I severely underrated myself when I applied for some colleges in the US. BUT.. i was out of academia for 2 years and became really rusty. I had a terrible first semester and got a 2.25. My second semester went well, and I got a 3.0, which was well above the average. The program I am in is at UCF. And I am telling you... this program is effing mental! One professor who taught for both semesters takes pride in marking incredibly harshly. I could go on and on about the nightmares... But, this is me just trying to explain my terrible grades. Anyway, my GPA is too low for me to take the qualifying exams and I am being shafted down to the Masters program.

BUT... after a year of experience in the US education system, I think I have a decent chance at getting into a good Masters program (unfunded) and positioning myself to enter a funded PhD program in the same institution after a year. I am thinking along the lines of Texas A&M or maybe some of the UT's (not necessarily Austin). This all assumes that I do really well and get A's in the Masters program I apply for. I think that is entirely doable! It is really hard to explain why I am so confident after such a terrible start at UCF. But I am. I am completely acclimated and now have some background in Economics, which I didn't have when I began.

Deadlines have pretty much gone for the PhD programs, which is why I am inclined towards the masters. But, I really don't want to declare my UCF background. It ruins my shining background and is completely unnecessary to get me into a program. I really do not think I need to show any economics background to get into some programs if I enroll myself in some local intermediate micro and macro courses and get A's in those again, which is what I did to get into UCF.

Does anyone know whether the places I am applying will somehow know that I have attended another college? I plan on leaving before being dismissed. Also, does anyone have any suggestions as to where I should/could apply given my background. I'm all ears!!

[glasses]

I don't really advise leaving your UCF background out. Bear in mind that obviously I'm just an applicant like you, and have no idea what they can or can't know: whenever I hear the phrase "admissions committee," I think of a super dark, smoke-filled room tucked somewhere in the bowels of universities with tons of little desk lamps. But, personally, I'd be really uncomfortable doing anything that defies application rules, and when they say "transcripts from all previously attended colleges and universities," I take that as "transcripts from all previously attended colleges and universities."

A better strategy might be to talk to your letter writers and see if they could somehow explain your experience at UCF. Perhaps you could even mention it in your statement of purpose, and instead of writing that your professor is brutal and the program is nuts, figure out a way to discuss it as a learning experience that makes you a better-prepared PhD candidate now.

[noojens]

Lying (or omitting required information) on an application is grounds for later actions such as:

- Dismissing you from the program, if you get admitted

- Revoking your TA/RA funding

- Revoking your degree

Do so at your own risk.

Also, check out physicsgre.com; some admissions professors read and post to those forums, so you might get an inside opinion there.

[jasper.milvain]

The application will usually require you to state ALL previous schools attended. It would be academic suicide to leave one out. It's a small world, you won't be able to hide it. I second the opinion above to try and explain what's going on, and to make sure that any potential supervisors understand your situation.

[Jit]

Thanks guys. I decided against it. I am actually using an entry I was granted a year ago and just getting my fall 09 entry deferred. So... no need to even try this out... which is most convenient.