Here is something that has been eating at me for a while.

As a few of you know I was in Texas for a bit working on my graduate degree and after 3 semesters, I decided not to pursue that avenue further.

Recently I got the itch to pursue graduate work again just in a different emphasis. On the application, they specifically tell you to list all institution previously attended. If I choose not to, how will they ever know that was in Texas?

To my understanding back ground check only include criminal related offences. Federal positions goes a bit deeper than that, but for graduate school work...? The only other possibility will be through Social security if I decided to take out a school loan( which I will be financing out of pocket), but I doubt they give out educational information.

The reason I ask is the instituion that I am applying for has an interview portion, and the two fields conflict a bit. I woudl much rather not have to explain why I drop one and decide to pursue the other if avoidable. I am also afraid that some where down the line for some strange reason they find out I attended an institution in Texas that was not listed in the application, and result in grounds for dismissal.

Any experience/feedback is greatly appreciated.

Hmmm not really sure what to say. But know that if they want to find out THEY will. I would not risk, like you said, them finding out later on and firing you for being dishonest. I don't think they'll care what decisions you made on your life, and quit the last school, but they'll surely care if you lied to them.

it not really being dishonest, but more being selective in the type of information that you wish to throw out there. I've done it with employments interviews, and never had problems with it. just not sure if it works the same way with education.

Did you have failing grades on your previous attempt? Will any of your previous work transfer? Even if not, honesty is probably the best policy here. Simply explain that your previous endeavor just turned out to not be what you wanted.

Your better off being straight forward about it. There are ways to find out your education history. Our HR dept does it all the time to verify degrees. They cannot legally release your grades but a simple yes or no to a degree is usually all they look for. Nothing wrong with changing your mind and honesty goes a long way. Being selective on what you tell them is considered dishonest in HR eyes because they ask you to list the education you have, not the education you would like to share. With our company, if we were to find out later on you attended a college that you didnt own up to is grounds for immediate dismissal. It shappened with other types of information mostly. I would give them all the info you can because its not what degree you earned or why you left that they are looking for, its your effort to continue education that makes you a more well rounded employee. If you decide to take any human resource classes you will learn more about why companies like you to have a degree or more education whether it applies to the job your interviewing for or not.

Terry

Terry

I've never heard of someone being rejected because they left out information, but I do know of a few people who changed fields and then applied to graduate training, and had no problems getting in. For example, one person I know earned a PhD from an Ivy League school in English, and then applied to med school, and another who quit law school to go to med school. They just made it very clear to the reviewers why they were changing direction. I don't think it would hurt to be straight forward about your past as long as your reasoning is sound and your interest in that *new* field is obvious. OTOH, if they find out you are leaving out information that they specifically asked for, that would hurt. I have no idea how they would get that information though.

good luck K! let me know what your plans are sometime