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icarusYesterday a student came to me to ask for help with his personal statement. It turned out to be an application to UW Medical school. They wanted a personal anecdote about something that shaped his character. His story was great, all about his grandfather - who was a doctor who did Chinese medicine - dying of cancer, and how that helped shape his own decision to become a doctor.
Great story. I told him so, and he started smirking. Something was just darned funny.
So as I was checking his English, I asked a couple of clarification questions, because there was something in the story about his going to stay with his grandfather, but he'd said that grandpa was in the hospital. "So you were staying at the hospital?"
"Yes. Staying at the hospital."
"Where?"
He looked confused.
I prompted, "My boyfriend's mother had cancer and the staff let him sleep in her room. Otherwise, he stayed at a hotel. Did you stay in your grandfather's room?"
The kid still didn't have an answer. Normally when you ask someone details like this they start overflowing with unnecessary information. Hmm. I suddenly suspected he'd made this entire story up. But I wasn't sure. So a little further on in the story he'd mentioned a note his grandfather gave him that he treasured.
I asked him, "Just out of curiosity, where do you keep this note?"
He looked confused.
"This note you treasure so much. From your grandfather."
"Oh. I keep it in a... notebook."
Yeah. Right.
As he left I called after him, "They'll buy it."
But it occurs to me that his English really isn't good enough for medical school. Which is just as well, because I'd rather a liar didn't edge out someone honest who might make a good doctor.
Shit. This thing's supposed to give them an idea of his character.
Culturally I know that many Asian societies value cleverness and wit and 'politely playing along' (re: bullshit) over honesty. But I don't think I'll ever respect it.
*sigh* This law assignment is so not happening. The glossary is incomplete, and the so-called law dictionary also does not have these terms. Perhaps I can look them up online.
I have to study for my Philosophy exam, and it occurred to me that I still have to hand in my Buddhism paper. I did a presentation instead, which helped the class, but there was no extra credit for it, and timewise it was a choice between the presentation and an incredibly easy assignment which I didn't know I was going to get dinged for until last night. Shit.
Japanese memorization, have to work on that today.
Great story. I told him so, and he started smirking. Something was just darned funny.
So as I was checking his English, I asked a couple of clarification questions, because there was something in the story about his going to stay with his grandfather, but he'd said that grandpa was in the hospital. "So you were staying at the hospital?"
"Yes. Staying at the hospital."
"Where?"
He looked confused.
I prompted, "My boyfriend's mother had cancer and the staff let him sleep in her room. Otherwise, he stayed at a hotel. Did you stay in your grandfather's room?"
The kid still didn't have an answer. Normally when you ask someone details like this they start overflowing with unnecessary information. Hmm. I suddenly suspected he'd made this entire story up. But I wasn't sure. So a little further on in the story he'd mentioned a note his grandfather gave him that he treasured.
I asked him, "Just out of curiosity, where do you keep this note?"
He looked confused.
"This note you treasure so much. From your grandfather."
"Oh. I keep it in a... notebook."
Yeah. Right.
As he left I called after him, "They'll buy it."
But it occurs to me that his English really isn't good enough for medical school. Which is just as well, because I'd rather a liar didn't edge out someone honest who might make a good doctor.
Shit. This thing's supposed to give them an idea of his character.
Culturally I know that many Asian societies value cleverness and wit and 'politely playing along' (re: bullshit) over honesty. But I don't think I'll ever respect it.
*sigh* This law assignment is so not happening. The glossary is incomplete, and the so-called law dictionary also does not have these terms. Perhaps I can look them up online.
I have to study for my Philosophy exam, and it occurred to me that I still have to hand in my Buddhism paper. I did a presentation instead, which helped the class, but there was no extra credit for it, and timewise it was a choice between the presentation and an incredibly easy assignment which I didn't know I was going to get dinged for until last night. Shit.
Japanese memorization, have to work on that today.
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no subject
Date: 2004-12-14 03:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-14 03:37 pm (UTC)Icarus
no subject
Date: 2004-12-14 06:01 pm (UTC)However, I do know that people may lie to get into college, grad, or professional schools. Hopefully, those are not the people I go to for any services.
no subject
Date: 2004-12-14 08:10 pm (UTC)Good. I hate to be cutting them some slack at the expense of honest Asians. The kid didn't deserve my help and I hope he gets caught by the admissions people, because it just sucks.
Icarus
no subject
Date: 2004-12-15 05:27 pm (UTC)Maybe you should ask him if he wants a rec from you...and then check the box "I have reason to suspect this student's integrity."
no subject
Date: 2004-12-14 09:41 pm (UTC)On the kid: When the committee sits down with him, he had better have his shit straight. If it was anything like Grad school ( for teaching) That touching story will come up again. And again. And again.
Yes on the exhaustion. You poor kid.
no subject
Date: 2004-12-14 10:18 pm (UTC)Yep. He thinks he can just BS his way in. This'll bite him in the ass.
I heard of a situation where a kid made up a death in the family as an excuse to miss (and make up) a test. He was quite elaborate in his excuse (which in his culture no one would have believed, no more than work believes me when I call in sick).
Well, later he got a letter of recommendation from a professor, and that professor happened to mention that he did very well despite this death in his family, yadda, yadda. By this time the kid was going into grad school.
Well, I don't know quite how it unraveled, but when the lie finally came out, one of his degrees was taken away from him because he'd violated the school's policies on ethics.
Yes on the exhaustion. You poor kid.
It was so much easier last quarter, I tell you, so much easier.
Icarus
no subject
Date: 2004-12-15 01:56 am (UTC)