Im still in the process of finishing up some pre-reqs for the nursing program but darn it, it really burns me up when I see my fellow classmates cheating on tests while I'm doing the honorable thing and taking the exam as it was given..which is by myself.
I am in chemistry class this semester and it never fails, during an exam someone will want clarification on a test question or two. While the professor is distracted with this, the 4 girls that sit next to me will compare and change their answers with each other. This is a pattern of behavior with these 4 girls and I haven't said anything because I am of the mind set that its none of my business, but....boy, it makes me mad! I'm studying so hard to get a good grade and I feel like the 4 of them have each other to rely on to help them get a good grade. It just doesnt seem very fair.
Has anyone experienced this and if so what do you do about it. As a side note, I actually like the 4 girls in question very much..but the whole cheating thing.....its so not cool.
Yep. I have seen a girl get kicked out of class during the final exam for cheating. That's right she received an F for the course after having attended all semester. She was lucky the professor didn't throw her out of the school altogether.
Not worth it. I personally wouldn't say anything, but I wouldn't cover for them either. It will catch up to them.
Here's the thing about cheating: they are bound to get a question wrong at some point. And when they all have the same, wrong, off the wall answer, it's obvious that they're cheating.
I, personally, would say something to the professor. But that is because we have an Academic Integrity Policy that says I could be punished if I'm aware of violations but fail to report them.
I have the same problem in my Anatomy class. It's a long story, but my professor is extremely trusting. I ended up saying something to her because I felt bad. I didn't say any names, but I did tell her that people were taking advantage of her and the class during exams. I made sure to say it was on particular person, and not the whole class. It really irritates me when people cheat. This particular person would try to compare answers w/ me, even tho I told her no multiple times AND even made up excuses.
This happened in my class over the summer when I took A&P II. I told the teacher from an email address I made without identifying myself. It was at least 9 people in the back cheating and I like the original poster, was angered by itn even though I told, the instructor allowed them to cheat by having them leave their purses and bags on the table, where they hid their cell phones behind it where they used the internet and looked at the powerpoint photos from lecture...it Saddens and angers me as well.
Usually those that cheat eventually catches up to them. If they can't successfully pass the class on their own, come time to take HESI will bite them in the orifice. LOL I'm half-way through my LVN program. There are a couple of students that are obviously cheating. There WAS one girl that just didn't comprehend calculations. She didn't memorize her conversions. Well guess what? She dropped out last week! I was surprised she made it this far, however she couldn't DO THE MATH!
You can always write an anonymous note letting the professor know that cheating is going on and let him discover the cheaters on his own with a little help from a little birdie.
If they're cheating, you won't have to worry with them for much longer. I can understand it being quite annoying, especially since they do it on a regular basis, but they'll never make it through the first semester of the program, if they're lucky enough to even get accepted into it. I'm willing to bet if they DO get accepted into the program, their spots would be needing to be filled quite soon after, because they'd probably withdraw from their failure in the courses, or get kicked out for cheating!
If you really feel you should tell your instructor about it and how it's bothering you, I'd go to their office one day and talk to him/her in person. By any means I wouldn't send an email or any form of contact other than face-to-face. Maybe they'll be able to put an end to it by giving them all a zero or something. :)
If I were you I wouldn't worry though, they won't make it for much longer.
1. next time they do it, stop writing, and say, "hey excuse me Im trying to take a test, ON MY OWN, if you're going to talk and exchange answers can you not sit next to me, or can you keep it down?" LOL
OR
2. Make sure you don't sit by them since people around them can easily be dragged into it if the teacher catches them. Ive seen it happen. Its stupid and sad.
3. Simply remind yourself that they wont make it very far. The nursing entrance exams are not easy and you have to know your stuff.
My biggest concern would just be making sure you dont get accused if they get caught.
I bet if they are cheating ALREADY, there is a low chance they will make it into a nursing program. Let alone pass the first semester.
I disagree.
What I'm noticing in school now are a pattern of different types of students who do one of the following:
1) Study hard, learn hard, and earn their grade and knowledge on merit (like the OP)
2) Memorize the right answers to plug into the right questions- These are the 'book smart' people who get straight As, but have a really hard time actually applying anything because they don't actually understand concepts, just what answers go with what questions, and the right thing to tell the right people.
3) Those who cheat or otherwise do underhanded things to get by (like the ones the OP was talking about).
4) Those who don't cheat, don't study, and any work that they actually hand in is complete garbage, but they seem to think they are the most awesome student in the class.
I like to think I'm part of #1, and I want to say that most people in this forum are probably also that case. However, for those in 2-3, it seems to stem from a system of habits that they developed early on in school.
2s are the people who will get hired before you do, and get promoted before you do in the workplace, and someday they will be your 'idiot boss' who doesn't know what they're doing.
3s are the ones that you will compete against to get hired, and they're the ones that will f*ck up everything on the job. If you're lucky they'll eventually get transferred or fired, but during school you'll have to put up with them. Hopefully you won't have to pick up their slack throughout your career.
4s will hopefully get shaken out the more that the going gets tough during school. These are my biggest frustration when it comes to group projects, because I dislike it when my own grade depends on someone who is completely incompetent. It is becoming very obvious to me now (in my 3rd year of schooling) that some people belong and some don't. I'm not trying to cop an elitist attitude, but I bet everyone here has at least once been in a group where you and one or more people have had to carry another person who just doesn't give a damn's worth of effort. This stuff takes work, and you have to earn it.
/rant
(sorry)
In the case of the OP, I would definitely say something in private to the instructor- either office hours or via email. Not so much accusatory, but just more of a "when a student asks you a question, take a moment to glance over at A-B-C-D students and see what they're doing". I would hope that most instructors hate it when students cheat, and would be interested in squashing that.
I used to take a passive approach to these things, such as "oh, it's none of my business. I'll just be sure to do my part so I know I'm good". This is a great attitude, but at the same time consider that you will eventually have to compete with these people for a job. Which one of you actually deserves to be there?
Im still in the process of finishing up some pre-reqs for the nursing program but darn it, it really burns me up when I see my fellow classmates cheating on tests while I'm doing the honorable thing and taking the exam as it was given..which is by myself.
I am in chemistry class this semester and it never fails, during an exam someone will want clarification on a test question or two. While the professor is distracted with this, the 4 girls that sit next to me will compare and change their answers with each other. This is a pattern of behavior with these 4 girls and I haven't said anything because I am of the mind set that its none of my business, but....boy, it makes me mad! I'm studying so hard to get a good grade and I feel like the 4 of them have each other to rely on to help them get a good grade. It just doesnt seem very fair.
Has anyone experienced this and if so what do you do about it. As a side note, I actually like the 4 girls in question very much..but the whole cheating thing.....its so not cool.
Why haven't you reported this to the office of academic affairs? This needs to go beyond the instructor.
These students are jeopardizing everyone's academic success in class, as well as the college's reputation.
I realize that a couple of the people are your friends, but seriously are they? They are disrespectful enough to do this you, while you seek your professional calling.
There's 2 cheaters in my class as well, but thankfully the teacher caught on. As a result, she now watches them like a hawk, and they can no longer cheat. As a result of not being able to cheat, one of them is failing her butt off and will be lucky to get a high enough grade to even move on to the next semester (this is our first semester).
It aggrivated me that they cheat, while I spend hours studying the material and doing my best to earn a good grade. However, one thing is for certain, you cannot cheat your way through the NCLEX. So it will catch up with them.
As an instructor, I hope you report it. I normally hate it when students fail, with the exception of cheaters. I enjoy catching them and throwing them out of school. They make a mockery of honor, true learning, and the remainder of their classmates who earn their own grades. I refer them to our Honor Board for expulsion from the university. I am a long-time ICU nurse and don't want a cheater as a colleague. We are a team in my unit and need to be able to trust each other. If they do this with witnesses, what will they do when no one is watching? It's what we do when we think no one's looking that defines us.
kirbycruiser
70 Posts
Yep. I have seen a girl get kicked out of class during the final exam for cheating. That's right she received an F for the course after having attended all semester. She was lucky the professor didn't throw her out of the school altogether.
Not worth it. I personally wouldn't say anything, but I wouldn't cover for them either. It will catch up to them.