Cheating in Pre-Reqs

Published

UPDATE: Changes: New Log In Requirement

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?

OP, I'm so glad to read that you reported the cheater!

I will never side with the advice of "minding your own business" when ethical problems arise. The saying goes "see something, SAY something". Forget for a minute that this girl is "competition" but just on the grounds of ethical behavior, we as members of society, have an obligation to uphold the values that we hold dear, in this case honesty. Honesty is a virtue we should all seek to protect, be it in public, the workplace, or in our personal lives. You are an ambassador of your school by just being a member of its student body and I'm glad to read that you took it upon yourself to call attention to a wrong that is pretty much the biggest no no in academics: cheating!

I'm a little shocked that people would rely on "karma" and random chance to correct the ills we may witness. I really am.

So round of applause to you :yeah:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Thanks everyone ... Geeeeeez didn't realize this would become such a popular post :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU.
Well, I'm pretty sure the majority of y'all would be relieved to know that I DID report her! Turns out, the professor had some kind of hunch, but couldn't exactly pinpoint how she was doing it since she couldn't actually see the phone! She also told me she is glad I came forward because now she will bust her on the next exam... our 175 question cum. final! :up: I guess with me only having so much time to get in the program (husband is military, so we move every few years), I don't have time for karma to come around AFTER she could have gotten a spot I had earned ;)

Awesome! Im glad it worked out!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I couldn't disagree more. It's good that in your one anecdotal case things worked out for the best, but frequently they do not. Often the instructor is oblivious, and occasionally, he's indifferent. A habitual cheater can cause a lot of problems for those around them.Truly, I despise the "keep your head down and go along" attitude. It is evil's greatest ally.
I think you're being a little melodramatic here. Just because I'd prefer not to get myself involved doesn't mean I'm "allying myself with evil" or something. I would just push through and mind my own business cause I hate getting tangled up in some big drama mess.
Up Vote Up Vote ×

The big drama messes are usually because such things were poorly done rather than that they were done.

If the op and the prof have even smidgeons of common sense, the op won't be even remotely associated with whatever drama the cheater generates when she is busted.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Forensic Psych.
I think you're being a little melodramatic here. Just because I'd prefer not to get myself involved doesn't mean I'm "allying myself with evil" or something. I would just push through and mind my own business cause I hate getting tangled up in some big drama mess.

Walk up to teacher. Tell teacher what you saw. Go home.

The drama factor is overwhelming me. :p

Up Vote Up Vote ×

It *could* spiral into drama fast if the cheater figured out who ratted on her. I have a strict "never get involved in other people's crap" policy and it's served me well. I concentrated on my studying and my grades and coasted through nursing school with an EARNED 4.0. I don't have time to worry about if other people are cheating. What do I care? Let the cheaters get caught by the instructors. That's THEIR job. How could he be so clueless not to notice some chick looking at her freaking cell phone during an exam?! She was bound to get caught sooner or later....

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I see your point, i just feel that I would not want to be caught in the middle of this situation. If I were to tell I would write an anonymous letter to the professor, however, like I said there is a high chance that other people in that very class are cheating, people in nursing school will cheat, and people as professional nurses will also cheat in their own unethical ways.

In the end of the day throughout your profession you will be surrounded by people who want the fast and easy way out and sadly we can't stop them all because chances are that we will not find out about the cheaters that surround us because naturally we are more focused on ourselves and our futures.

If this is for a competitive spot in for the program than right a letter to the professor (like i said I would do it anonymously) but that is as far as I would take it because you will end up writing anonymous letters throughout your lifetime. Sadly, I feel that that is the world we live in and we just can't stop every single person that is performing unethical acts. However, unless it affects you and especially a patient in the future, then notify a superior.

And like other people have mentioned chances are the professor has noticed her cheating, with a phone out and everything, its got to be obvious. Unless, the professor just doesn't really monitor students during the exam and minds her own business. I had a professor that would just go on her computer and the whole class would cheat. It would get quite annoying but I knew the professor had to know. In that case, then that professor just doesn't care and for that you should attempt to bring it up to her face to face. Because if she doesn't care she is likely to disregard your letter. Goodluck!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Hospitalist Medicine.
Well, I'm pretty sure the majority of y'all would be relieved to know that I DID report her! Turns out, the professor had some kind of hunch, but couldn't exactly pinpoint how she was doing it since she couldn't actually see the phone! She also told me she is glad I came forward because now she will bust her on the next exam... our 175 question cum. final! :up: I guess with me only having so much time to get in the program (husband is military, so we move every few years), I don't have time for karma to come around AFTER she could have gotten a spot I had earned ;)

Excellent! I'm so glad you reported her. And it's good to know that the professor had a suspicion about it, too. Wouldn't it be great to have her get caught doing it in the final? That would be sweet justice :D

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I never said "I can imagine it would be hard to rat someone else out like that" all I said was "I can see why a part of you would want to rat her out".

With that being said, it was a figure of speech and my opinion on the matter. And although I do agree that one has a moral obligation to "support the integrity and reputation" of their school, it would be unrealistic to think that you can "rat out" every person that doesn't "support the integrity and reputation" of their school. Like I said, she is probably not the only girl cheating in the class and the only reason this girl knows about her is because she sits next to her. As I said later on, because this is a fight for a competitive spot she should write an anonymous letter to the professor.

My intentions were not to insult you by using that figure of speech that surely you have heard of before. In fact, I was only trying to give my own advice and opinion to the person who is going through this because I have been through it myself. In the end of the day I didn't "Rat Out" the cheater but instead she ended up failing on her own as her path through the pre-nursing school continued to unravel. With this being said, her obviously not being able to make it to Nursing School (which is very likely to happen considering she can barely get through an a&p prereq course) "supported the integrity and reputation" of the nursing school and hospital she eventually never even set foot in.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and I did in fact find your reply to be droll. It is good to know that there are people out there who do anything and everything it takes to protect the vaules and name of their institution. You can pat yourself on the back!:D

Up Vote Up Vote ×

i wasn’t insulted by the use of the term.

i picked out the two phrases that used the term even though they came from different people because i intended to address the use of the term and how *framing the question*changes how people feel about the concept it represents rather than the substance of what either of you said in your posts as a whole. yes, i’ve heard the term before – that is why it frames the question.

separately, i’ve never understood why one should not do a little bit to make the world a better place just because one cannot do everything. so what if it is unrealistic to stop all cheating… how does that translate into do nothing to stop any cheating?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Haven't read all posts, but this struck me when I read the OP. You said you are aware she cheated on three tests already and you haven't reported it yet? If you decide to report it, be careful. You could be held responsible for not reporting it sooner, should you make that statement.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion