Cheating at School
In last year, cheating rates in schools rose 27 percent from the year before. The recent report on this may leave some citizens wondering if our country-and our schools-could be headed in the same direction.It is common knowledge that, in general, ‘s academic curricula and standards are far beyond those of the It is possible that the added pressure on British students to compete academically draws them to cheat. When questioned as to whether there was an increased pressure on students to do well academically in , one anonymous source from the said, “There shouldn’t be!”
According to the source, there seems to be a more laid-back attitude among students toward cheating in the “I ‘helped’ someone on their course work because I am in the industry it was on,” said the source without regret. He indicated that helping someone to cheat on a test was not a problem to him, since he did not mind the effort and it was only serving the student positively. According to the recent report, the British students caught cheating this past year used cell phones as the main method of cheating, and are apparently barred from even having them inside an exam room, whether or not they are used for cheating.
At
Georgia
State University
, students tell a different story when it comes to cheating, though perhaps not one professors would find particularly preferable. When questioned about cheating habits, some anonymous
Georgia
State
students said that they have noticed or been a part of cheating via the use of notes between their knees or pre-written essays in Blue books. They have also witnessed group cheating on multiple choice tests through the use of hand signals that correspond with certain letters.
This is not to say, however, that
Georgia
State
students are the only clever entities on campus. A student told one reporter that his professors often switch out Blue books before students start taking the tests. These professors sometimes find cheating devices inside the Blue books and have been known to fail students for attempting to cheat even before the test started.
Recent reports also indicate that academic cheating in is on the rise. An Athens Herald article from earlier this school year said, “
University
of
Georgia
officials processed 258 academic dishonesty cases last year, the most since the university adopted a new academic honesty policy and procedures five years ago.” This does not spell positive news for the rest of ‘s universities.
One problem with cheating is the position in which it puts other students. Even one cheating student could ruin a potential curve, even if every other student does badly. That is why it is so important not only to not participate in cheating but to report any cheating one may see.
Cheating is not simply about the individual or individuals doing the cheating- it affects the whole class. Unfair advantages for some students make it harder to compete in terms of specific test grades and GPAs. The top 15 percent of students at
Georgia
State
have 3.5 GPAs; if lots of people cheat, how much harder will it be to get into that top 15 percent?
Cheating is becoming more prevalent overseas and reports only indicate a rise in cheating in . Where will the trend end? Will students ever realize the enormous effects that cheating on one test can have on others’ futures as well as theirs?
Georgia
State
might need to crack down on cheating penalties if anything will be done about it. Until then, students should keep their Blue books hidden and their cell phones off. Cheating simply is not worth the risk.
