My &quot;friend&quot; copied my personal statement!!!

The question is really; do you want to **** his career up properly over one mistake, or not?

If you tell teacher on him, that's what might well happen.

Reply 22

Drongo

2

And for goodness sake don't discuss what to do with your friends. If he gets wind of you reporting him then all he has to do is report you first and you're screwed.

Reply 23

Jennybean

Renal

The question is really; do you want to **** his career up properly over one mistake, or not?

If you tell teacher on him, that's what might well happen.

Surely it will **** his career up more if both these kids submit their forms, the fraud is detected and THEN he is found to be the one at fault? If the OP reports him to the school it can be dealt with now at a much lower level. If the universities were to get wind of it then that would be bad news. Also, if a potential medic can't even be arsed to write their own personal statement it kind of begs the question of whether they even deserve a place at medical school in my opinion. My brother has slogged over his and I would be really annoyed if the med schools decided to let in someone who nicked their opening line over him!

Reply 24

how about telling the guy that he can change it or be reported. then there's no consequences for either of you. but you don't get your ps plagiarised.

Reply 25

malaikah

8

FRIEND?!

Friend, my ass! You spent time on that statement, and he just copies you? I mean, if it was someone else, I wouldn't find it so hard to forgive them, but since it's meanta be your "friend"...

Tell your head of year, cuz UCAS will detect it. The site says that their mechanisms detect words which have been used in other statements. If it's above a certain limit, action is taken against that person- just check it out on the UCAS site!

After you've spoken to him/her, tell your friend what you've done. Atleast then they can't say you were being devious and went behind his back- you don't have to stoop to his level. Once that's done, though, don't hold a grudge. It was NOT right of him to copy it, but that must tell you that your opening paragraph was DARN good! Hopefully he'll realise and perhaps* feel bad about it...? Let's hope so!

Oh, and tonnsa luck with your medicine application, I'm applying for it too! :biggrin:

Reply 26

Jennybean

Surely it will **** his career up more if both these kids submit their forms, the fraud is detected and THEN he is found to be the one at fault?

The chances of the fraud being detected are essentially nil, this is plagiarism.

If the OP reports him to the school it can be dealt with now at a much lower level. If the universities were to get wind of it then that would be bad news.Fair comment, true enough.

My brother has slogged over his and I would be really annoyed if the med schools decided to let in someone who nicked their opening line over him!

You'd be annoyed? I might have to work with the bastard. Medical schools are letting any **** in these days, I blame the parents.

Reply 27

Purple

15

Speak to your teacher otherwise when UCAS does a check they will see you have the same personal statement.

Reply 28

ucas have got their act together over plagiarism this year. if it is detected, your application will be withdrawn....

Reply 29

earthredalert89

9

or go and have a fat go at him and make him change it?..

Reply 30

bright star

ucas have got their act together over plagiarism this year. if it is detected, your application will be withdrawn....

Really? 'bout ****ing time too.

Ignore the above then.

Reply 31

Laevis

Read the thread in this same subforum on Personal Statement plagiarism.

The chances are, if you enter the same opening, you will be caught- highly likely. And it could jeopardise all your applications.

Best thing to do is make your 'friend' aware of this and threaten to tell the teacher if he doesn't amend his at once.

If he continues being a right whatnot then, and no doubt i will get criticised for this, rise above him and just amend your personal statement. He may think he's won but it's either that or you both suffer the consequences, unfair as it may be. Be the bigger person and don't let your resent towards the moron or a stubborn feeling get in the way.

Reply 32

yeah, they've installed electronic scanning stuff akin to turnitin.com but for ps' and added a bit to the agreement that you won't plagiarise so they can take action if it is detected.

Reply 33

bright star

yeah, they've installed electronic scanning stuff akin to turnitin.com but for ps' and added a bit to the agreement that you won't plagiarise so they can take action if it is detected.

Although I've only used this sort of thing a couple of times, I'm not sure it's any good, especially with technical documents where your choice of words and phrasing is very limited. I wonder whether personal statements are similar?

Reply 34

Jennybean

Renal

You'd be annoyed? I might have to work with the bastard. Medical schools are letting any **** in these days, I blame the parents.

Tell me about it, same with this year's vetty freshers, they're all rubbish.

Joke. Sort of.

Reply 35

Renal

Although I've only used this sort of thing a couple of times, I'm not sure it's any good, especially with technical documents where your choice of words and phrasing is very limited. I wonder whether personal statements are similar?

well it detected all that rubbish about pyjamas last year..... it's just that it formed no part of the agreement that you wouldn't plagiarise, so no action was taken.... it seems to work quite well.

Reply 36

Queen Alice

OP

10

okay... so should I...

A) tell him to change it, or I will tell a teacher right away. (and risk that he may tell a teacher that I copied HIM.. which I would like to think is too low even for him..)

or

B) tell a teacher, but explain that I would rather sort this out myself (that way, if he decides to tell I have already told first)

or

c) just get my teacher to go ape at him right away :wink:

Reply 37

Jennybean

stolenstars

okay... so should I...

A) tell him to change it, or I will tell a teacher right away. (and risk that he may tell a teacher that I copied HIM.. which I would like to think is too low even for him..)

or

B) tell a teacher, but explain that I would rather sort this out myself (that way, if he decides to tell I have already told first)

or

c) just get my teacher to go ape at him right away :wink:

I'm sure you realise yourself that B is by far the most sensible option. You don't want to be caught up in a "who can dob whom in quickest" scramble. The teacher should know first in case he decides to act like even more of a prick. Hopefully you shouldn't need the safety net though as any friend worth his salt should see the error of his ways and behave like a grown up.

Reply 38

Laevis