Is cheating a double standard?

My nursing school took great measures to fix grades when not happy with outcomes. However, this nursing school took great measures to prevent students from cheating. They had a zero tolerance policy towards cheating and any students caught cheating would almost certainly be dismissed from the program. The clever, deceitful, and crooked way in which final grades were fixed at the conclusion of the final semester of the two year associates of science degree in nursing program was a grade fixing scandal of monumental proportions. I was dismissed from the program as a result of not achieving the 75 required to pass the final course of the semester only to have insider information disclose to me that 28 of 79 students initially failed the course with zero "A" students. Ultimately, only 5 unfortunate students including me were not passed and graduated and I strongly believe that I was used as a cover up by the school for their grade fixing scandal just so the school could make the outcome of the semester look realistic. Is cheating a double standard?

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I was dismissed from the program as a result of not achieving the 75 required to pass the final course of the semester only to have insider information disclose to me that 28 of 79 students initially failed the course with zero "A" students.

So your overall grade fell below the minimum 75 percent standard?

I will not comment on the alleged grade-fixing scandal because there are always three sides to the story: the students' side, the nursing program's side, and the truth (which usually falls somewhere in the middle).

Good luck with your future educational endeavors.

[pmabraham, BSN, RN]

Good day, 28studentsfailed:

Where will cheating get you if cheating was tolerated at your school? Maybe to graduation, then what? Hope the NCLEX system allows cheating; if not, fail it because you cheated your way to it. Somehow pass it, then a patient's life is in your hand, then what? They die, a family wants answers... then what?

There's a very old saying, two wrongs don't make a right. Even if your statements are on target, cheating wouldn't make it right and would only hurt you more in the long run.

Thank you.

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

I thought you sued and won a "significant" refund from your school. Even after the school adjusted the grading scale...you still had a failing score of 74.1% if I remember correctly.

I changing a grading scale cheating? I don't think so. Using someone's work, or a test bank to give an unfair advantage to get a passing score that you don't deserve and didn't learn from...very different.

[Emergent, RN]

Ultimately, everyone still has to pass NCLEX though. That's the whole point of nursing school, right?

[VivaLaVespaGirl, BSN, MSN]

OP, I am not sure why you are opening this conversation up again when - based on the information I was able to glean from your previous thread - your dismissal was 3 years ago. Why are revisiting this topic?

Edited Jul 1, 2014 by VivaLaVespaGirl
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[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Ultimately, everyone still has to pass NCLEX though. That's the whole point of nursing school, right?

Yes, and the students who chronically cheated their way through school are unlikely to have built up the knowledge base required to pass NCLEX.

[psu_213, BSN, RN]

Pretty much every school has strict penalties for cheating.

Many schools grade on a curve, and, as a result, adjust the final grades.

These are two totally different issues, I fail to see the problem and the double standard.

[Emergent, RN]

Grading on a curve is not an objective method of gauging student learning, especially in nursing, which has standardized type questions in tests. If a school has to do that, it means that they are failing to teach the students and not preparing them for the real life NCLEX, which is NOT graded on a curve!

When I was in nursing school, the questions on the tests were similar to NCLEX questions. It took me some time to get the hang of how to answer them since they are, er, rather unique in the world of academia. There is always more than one good answer, but you have to learn to choose the BEST one.

A school that is just moving students along is really ripping them off. Unfortunately, with all the hullabaloo over the 'nursing shortage' a few years back, I'm afraid that a lot of second-rate, for profit schools popped up that are doing just that.

I went to a community college, ADN program with a 98% pass rate. They prepared us for the NCLEX very well!

Where do you draw the line between changing a grading scale and grade fixing? Is faculty changing students' test answers after all results are in changing a grading scale?

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

NO they didn't change test answers they changed the scale to allow more to pass. Is ti right? no. Is it "cheating? IN a manner of speaking...yes....they are cheating the public of a properly educated nurse.

I don't see why you are revisiting this...you sued...you say you won and got money. What are you looking for. What the school did was wrong IMHO for if more nurses failed then they should not be taking care of patients. But even after they changed the scale you still had a failing grade.

Take this and move forward. You are wasting valuable energy when you can be focusing on trying again with another program with the money you received in your award.

It has been months why revisit and cause yourself frustration and pain?

It is NOT the obstacles that are placed in our path...it's how we navigate around them that defines who we are.

[psu_213, BSN, RN]

Grading on a curve is not an objective method of gauging student learning, especially in nursing, which has standardized type questions in tests. If a school has to do that, it means that they are failing to teach the students and not preparing them for the real life NCLEX, which is NOT graded on a curve!

I didn't say it was right (especially in nursing)...just saying that it does happen.

How about you work your butt off and make grades that are no where near failing.... Problem solved!

I will never understand people who blame others for their failure, if you don't make the grade you need to work harder or smarter or both! Simple as that. When I failed an exam, i used it as a learning experience.

"WAHHHHHH!!! I didn't get away with failing and others did!!!" YOU failed. Whatever else happened, YOU FAILED. You. Whatever the school did. Whatever yur classmates did. YOU failed. YOU.

Quit worrying about everyone else. If YOU do well enough, it doesn't matter what others do.

[Roman1]

Because I'm bored I read your previous thread. You seem to be having a hard time getting over and moving on from your past situation with that school. Maybe you should consider some counseling since you are having a hard time moving on.

YOU just don't "GET IT". And that's the issue at stake here. The "fixed" passing standard was 75. Who knows what the real passing standard was since no changes to final grades were ever identified or explained. But one thing for sure, the "real" passing standard was well below 75. Without defining the passing standard as 75, YOU nor anyone else can prove I failed the course. (I was actually issued a final grade of 74.)

I already went in for counseling.

Should course instructors have unrestricted freedom to fix grades?