Please help. Got an academic dishonesty record on my transcript.

[yvette1222]

Hi guys. I am now finishing up with my nursing pre-requisites at a community college and I will be done by the end of this Spring. When I took A&P 1, I cheated on my test and got caught. I feel really really bad and I swear I'm a good student with a 3.7 GPA. This cheating was my first time because I lost my grandpa at that week and I had a really hard time concentrating on reviewing for the test. I wanted to get a good grade. I just want to ask what should I do? I am applying for 4 year universities and colleges now but I heard having an academic dishonesty record on your transcript is kind of a deal-breaker. Anyway, hope someone can give me some advice. Thanks.

[opto-nurse]

a reputation takes a lifetime to build and only seconds to destroy.

i hope that you read everyones comment here and soak it all up. even the comments that have you scared to death because they mention the possibility of having your passion for nursing all come to an end. in doing so, you will probably think twice the next time you have a lapse in judgement.

honestly, i dont know where your fate lies with your nursing journey but i would consider other career fields in case it all goes south. this is the way of life, you adapt to your circumstances and you make something of it.

my advice would be to email every school youre considering to apply to and tell them your situation. this will save you time by eliminating those schools who will not accept your application. and if youve read all the comments and took it to heart, then youd understand that there is no point in mentioning the death of your family member. its a sad event i wish no one had to go through, but youre not the only one who has. be accountable for your actions.

goodluck to you

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

zasaeki said:

I think you misunderstood me or maybe I should've been more clear. I went to a UC as an undergrad then attended (several) community college for my nursing prereqs. Trust me on this, there is a difference when it comes to policies on cheating. And in no way was I comparing an ADN program to a BSN program. I'm in an ADN program myself. My point of saying that was not to downplay community colleges but to tell the OP that the situation could've been worse.

Ah, yes, it most certainly could have been. Actually I missed the part about getting a B in the course when cheating was discovered; policy at my school (approximately a hundred years ago) would have negated anything done in that class, not just the one test. Sure weeded out those who felt the inclination!