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However, for us to deal with this menace that is wreaking havoc in colleges, we must first understand its root cause. What causes students to cheat? Is there a specific factor that enables this behavior in most school students?
Therefore, this post will consider the causes of cheating in college and its implications to school students, professors, and parents.
So sit tight and get your reading glass ready!
What Is Cheating in College?
Well, I am sure most of you are conversant with cheating in relationships. You hear of celebrities being found cheating on their spouses. But I digress. College cheat is the act of using deceptive means or violating accepted standards to complete your assignments. There are so many forms of college student cheating, all of which we will discuss in a few.
College cheating indictment is prominent during examination time. Most students at this time use dubious means to outsmart their supervisors. I have heard of a case where a student wrote answers on the laps and began to copy-paste while the exam was in progress. Luckily or unluckily, she was caught and forced to scrub her laps. You can picture how awkward that was for her in front of her classmates.
Nevertheless, some students are accused of cheating in college but innocent. Such cases can be appealed to the senate and the student acquitted. College students cheating has seen many students expelled and others miss their graduation in full.
But how many college students cheat? The numbers are worrying, especially with the advent of the internet and online college cheating. To make matters worse, some parents are collaborating with their children to cheat in exams.
Let’s explore some of the reasons why college students cheat.
Why Students Cheat in College
Some proponents of college cheating argue that cheating is inevitable for students. They say that cheating does not affect the student but rather helps the student think beyond the box. Well, as much as some of these arguments may be valid, what are the real reasons why college students cheat?
Most of them are naturally lazy.
When students get to college, the workload increases; unlike high school, where students have one assignment, college students are bombarded with a bulk of tasks. Since most of them do not like keeping busy with school work, they would rather cheat than sit for an hour to complete an assignment.
- Availability of online writing sites
This factor, I believe, is promoted by the influence of social media and the internet in general. Students view such sites as an escape way from the long, tedious academic assignments. That is why they would rather spend their few coins on these sites than work out the projects independently.
- Some Students Have A Difficult Time Assimilating Things
We know that all fingers are not equal. Some students can understand what is being taught faster than other students. The educational system does not cater to the needs of these children who have a hard time understanding things. So, some students may often resort to cheating for them not to fail the class and get left behind
- Incompetent teachers
This is not a flimsy attempt to blame the teachers when a student is caught cheating. Some students cheat because their teachers have a lackadaisical attitude towards teaching them in class. Since it is the sole duty of this child to pass the class, they sometimes have no choice but to cheat.
- The complexity of the assignments
Some assignments are generally challenging to complete on your own. Since tutors are not available at that moment, students opt to cheat to crack the tasks.
- The fear of being punished
If students do not complete their tasks, punishment is inevitable. In some cases, this punishment may be severe, forcing the student to cheat to avoid it.
- Tight deadlines
Assignments that have tight deadlines can be a pain in the back for most students. To easily do away with all that pressure, students opt for cheating.
These are but a few reasons students cheat in college, but the bag doesn’t stop there. Now that we have explored the causes of cheating, let us see how students cheat.
How to Cheat in College
With the recent developments in the education system, most classes are taken online. In contrast, exams and tests are taken on proctored sites. If you are making use of these online methods, then your cheating options are not so much. As these sessions can be recorded or monitored in real-time. Student who cheat would have to be extremely careful, so they don’t get caught cheating.
Cheating is a risky affair, and I wouldn’t encourage students to cheat. Before you attempt to cheat in school, try to find out what kind of punishments are given to students who cheat. Most schools rusticate or even expel students who were caught cheating. Sometimes the punishment can vary depending on the gravity of the malpractice. Schools reserve the right to punish students who cheat.
However, if you have the heart of a lion, then here are a few ways students can cheat in college and get away with it. Please note that these methods are not 100% safe as you can get caught. But without further ado, let’s get into it. Here are a few ways students cheat in class.
- Write answers on your clothes or hands
You can scribble short notes on the edges of your school shirt where you can easily access them. When opting for the hands, be careful not to expose them to your supervisor.
- Using sunglasses
It is an effective way of reflecting on answers from your classmate sited next to you. It requires specialized skills to be able to get away with it. As effective as this is, some schools do not allow students to have sunglasses on in the examination or test hall. But if you are lucky, you can get away with it.
- Write answers on the desk.
It is an old trick of cheating in exams where you scribble tinny but legible notes in strategic places on your desk. You can write a place where you would conceal with the exam booklet. This one might require you to get into the exam hall, locate your preferred seat, and scribble the answers on the table. Another hindrance to this is that you might not know the exact answers that you might need to write, except you see the questions so you can know
- Use your phone
Since college students can carry their phones to schools, it is possible to use them for exam cheating. Nevertheless, you should be careful not to get caught, especially if a person calls or sends a message.
- Copy from your classmate next to you
If you get the chance to sit beside the smart kid in class or your friend, you can look at the answers that your classmate has written and write them on your paper. Take caution not to get caught while stretching out your neck to copy.
On top of these tricks, there are some best ways to cheat in college.
Best Ways to Cheat in College
When looking for effective ways to cheat in exams, you have to consider tricks that offer the best results with minimal chances of getting caught. The methods below will work for you if you carefully follow the steps outlined below:
- Be strategic on when to unleash your secret notes
When to release your secret notes is of great importance in many aspects. First, it will determine how you approach the exam and your attitude towards the assignment. It is advisable to take out your secret notes in the middle of the exam rather than at the beginning, but be careful so you don’t get caught cheating.
- Write answers on the turn side of your paper.
It is a strategic area where you can easily access your answers without your supervisor noticing. Do not forget to erase the answers once you are done with them.
- ‘Nail the exam.’
This trick works best for ladies with long nails. You can fit your answers on the sides of the nails and conveniently access them during the exam.
- Slide the answers into your pen
You can make tiny notes and slide them inside your pen. When the supervisor is not watching, you can easily slide them out and use them for your exam.
Remember that the best way of how to cheat in college should be:
- Convenient
- Efficient
- Easy
- Clear
There is a lot of cheating in college consequences that accompany these tricks and tips. You can make use some of these tips above but make sure you are not caught cheating.
Consequences of Cheating in College
Is it easy to cheat in college without getting caught? Yes! But the effects that come with this practice may be severe at times. Here, we scrutinize some of the consequences of cheating in college:
- It makes students lazy
If one is used to cheating, that means they cannot develop the ability to complete assignments on their own accord. The result will be total dependence on others or online writing sites.
- You may be expelled from college.
Some institutions do not take cheating lightly. While others may be lenient and suspend you, some colleges may expel you immediately you are caught.
- It lowers your self-respect and esteem.
Once you are caught cheating, it won’t be easy to walk on the streets of your college campus, head held high. You will always feel that sense of guilt and shame when you see your classmates looking at you.
- Legal consequences
Stealing copyrighted work and posing it as your own is a gross violation of the Copyright Act. You might be fined heftily or have to spend some years behind bars if found guilty.
- Impact on your future career
Cheating will help you score top grades, and you might be considered for a full job too in the future. However, you might not be competent in that work in the end.
College Cheating: What To Do If you are Accused Falsely
We have seen videos on social media of students who were falsely accused of cheating. There might be cases when your supervisor might wrongfully or intentionally accuse you of cheating. In cases where you are falsely accused of cheating in college, some remedies can help clear your name. I can assure you, however, that it is not going to be easy:
- Stay calm: Do not rush into defending yourself with all manner of words. It is best to remain steady at first while analyzing the way forward.
- Ensure that you have evidence: Have you supporting materials and witnesses that you did not commit the offense. If a CCTV is present in your class, you can use this for your defense.
- Write your defense statement accurately: When you are accused of cheating in college, you will have to write a letter to the formal authorities. Ensure that this letter addresses your innocence from a standard, balanced, and objective point of view.
In such cases, ‘ success is not guaranteed, but many have tried it and walked away Scott free. Why don’t you also give it a try today if you are in the same situation?
