Cheating in Pre-Reqs

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I've been a "lurker" for quiteeeeeee some time now, and I have a sort of ethical dilemma on my hands. I'm in a 4.5 week A&P I class for the summer. The girl sitting next to me has used her cell phone to cheat on every exam so far (3 total). Everyone else in the class is busting their asses to pull C's (somehow our tests never have anything to do with our lectures/notes)... Part of me says to just mind my own business and let it be, but the other part of me is enraged that I spend countless hours studying to "earn" my Bs and Cs! I know there are cheaters everywhere and I can't stop them all, but in a way she is my "competition" as we are both going for the same program. I know how upset I would be if her cheated A beat out my earned B and she got into the program. Any suggestions on what to do?

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Hey, so I personally think that you should just focus on yourself and earning your A. Get a tutor, ask your professor for help show him/ her that you want that A and are ready to do anything to succeed in their class. In the end you may recieve a great recommendation letter that your cheating competitor won't have.

I know it sucks because a part of you wants to rat her out, but in the end of the day she can't cheat her way through Nursing School, or even life as a Nurse. Her unethical ways will catch up to her. For now just focus on yourself because the only reason you know about her tactics is because you sit next to her. For all you know someone across from you in class is doing the same thing, which I wouldn't be surprised if they were because that is very common in school and life in general.

Thats sadly the real world and you just need to focus on making yourself the best YOU you can be. Other people are just distractions. I hope this advice helped, goodluck! :up:

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The crazy thing is I HAVE seen a tutor, talked to my professor, all that jazz and my grades do not reflect any of it! We've all come to the conclusion her tests have nothing to do with any of her lectures or what we read in the textbook :thankya:

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Specializes in Forensic Psych.

Just be careful that your hands are clean. If it ever comes out that you've known this girl is cheating. It could bite you in the butt.

Personally, I think I'd say something. If it was an easy class, I don't think I'd bother, but these classes are part of the weed-out. She needs to be weeded. And you're right - she could be sitting in your nursing seat one day. And if not yours, someone else's who got there honestly.

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Report her, for several reasons.

Among the reasons:

- I was required to sign a paper saying I would not cheat AND I would report anyone I knew was cheating (standard part of syllabi at my school).

- I don't like wasting my money - since I'd be paying a good chunk of her schooling through my taxes (unless you at a private school) and through subsidizing the scholarships schools give out (public and private schools) then letting the NCLEX wash her out is a big waste of my money.

How I reported her depends on what the professor is like. I might talk to him/her or I might tell him/her anonymously.

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You definitely make an excellent point! I know for a fact she is getting grants (she was talking about it the other day) so yep, sounds like wasted tax dollars... I guess I'd be doing everyone a favor here then, lol.

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I would have to agree with the above two posters. These are the classes that really, really matter with acceptance and it would be awful if she was accepted over someone who honestly deserved to be in there! I don't know how I would go about doing it...but I think I would say something. Luckily I have never found myself in this position because I can imagine it would be hard to rat someone else out like that. I had a "friend" one time that offered me all of her copies of tests for a class I was taking that she had already taken...I told her no thanks! I don't know how she got them nor do I want to know but I am not a cheater and never will be!

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If I couldn't figure out what the exams are based on after three exams (since they aren't based on the lecture or the book) - I would drop the class and take it later with a different professor. I would make an extensive effort to figure it out first but it sounds like you did that and this really is a no win situation.

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I would definitely tell on her.

I wouldn't feel the least bit bad about telling on her either. And she is doing this while she is also receiving grants? Especially in a medical related field, I would be very concerned having a nurse care for me or my loved one who got through nursing school by cheating and actually not learning anything.

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I personally would inform the instructor. Go to their office or speak with them when she isn't around. This is your competition for your program and it is not right that she is receiving grades she has not earned, and she could very well take a spot in the program that she has not earned. Good luck!

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"part of you wants to rat her out" and " I can imagine it would be hard to rat someone else out like that"

It may help to think of it as "supporting the integrity and reputation" of your school and profession rather than "ratting out".

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The good thing is, I have an 100 in my lab portion - which is combined with lecture - so that is keeping me afloat at the moment. Plus she gives tons of basically "busy work" assignments which I've scored all 100s on. I know the material she's lectured on and read my chapters dozens of times so I feel confident about all of that, however her tests are a completely different animal...

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