<p>Hey guys, I'm asking advice here for my friend...</p>
<p>Basically he was really stressed out, broke down, and stole a copy of a quiz he would have the next day from his english class. Obviously this is cheating - but some petty kid told on him and he got caught and was given a 3 day suspension (which, admittedly, is completely fair). I'm not justifying his actions. I'm just asking for advice to help him come bouncing back (he's trying to get into high leveled colleges) from a huge scar on his permanent record.</p>
<p>So far I told him he should try to get the teacher he stole from to like him again (I'm not sure how...) and write him a recommendation passing this off as a brief lapse of good judgment (after all, if the teacher he stole from forgives him it makes his resume look a lot better). I also told him to explain this incident in his essay, describing how the stress got to him and caused him to do something idiotic.</p>
<p>Is there anything else he can do to repair his record?</p>
<p>I'm not asking you for comments like "LOL" or "Wow you're friend is stupid"... Seriously - I'm sincerely asking you guys for helpful advice for him, that's all.</p>
<p>I used to be a college prof, so my opinion is probably very similar to the teacher's.</p>
<p>Being stressed out is no excuse for stealing an exam. Most students get stressed. Most people become stressed. Only unethical people use stress as an excuse to do things like steal.</p>
<p>I think that it's great that someone turned your friend in, and I would not clal the student who did that "petty." Under most honor codes, anyone who has knowledge of others' cheating is supposed to turn them in. That makes sense to me.</p>
<p>Your friend's best bet for getting into colleges now is applying to colleges a tier below what his stats qualify him for. It's doubtful that after such a blatant unethical action, he will ever be able to get a good recomendation from the teacher.</p>
<p>He will probably need to write an explanation of his actions to the colleges that he applies to. That will be an additional essay, not his main one. Colleges will not be impressed if he blames his actions on his being stressed. College officials know that there's plenty of stress in college, so they aren't interested in admitting someone whose response to stress is to steal a test.</p>
<p>No, it's not great that the student turned him in. That's not how you go about things. It's an unwritten code. I very much hope that kid got his butt kicked.</p>
<p>"I think that it's great that someone turned your friend in, and I would not clal the student who did that "petty." Under most honor codes, anyone who has knowledge of others' cheating is supposed to turn them in. That makes sense to me."</p>
<p>I think you misunderstood me because I didn't give enough details. The kid who turned my friend in did not do it b/c he felt it was the right thing to do. By "petty" I meant that he turned my friend in b/c they simply don't like each other. Had it been out of honor or a desire to follow a code, I would have understood. But he's simply... petty - and I thought this before he ratted on my friend. But your opinions as a professor are greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>EDIT:
"No, it's not great that the student turned him in. That's not how you go about things. It's an unwritten code. I very much hope that kid got his ... kicked."</p>
<p>Cheating is bad. But treason is even worse. I think that the guy who cheated did wrong thing. Yet, I would talk to him. But as to snitch, he/she deserves being completely ignored by the school.</p>
<p>your friend messed up, and being stressed out is no excuse for stealing a quiz. but i just dont think it's right for someone to have their future compromised because of one mistake they made. tell your friend to apologize to the teacher and then maybe in the future (when the teacher is less angry about it) he could ask the teacher to write a recommendation for him that does say it was just a one time thing. in the meantime, tell your friend to work his butt off in that teacher's class.</p>
<p>My friend got suspended twice (albet for hacking into the schools computer system, and for swicthing all the locks on lockers as a senoir prank...yes this kid is a god) and he still got into uc berekley.</p>
<p>Your friend will have to explain the suspension on the comm app no matter what. He should stick with the facts and what he learned from this event</p>
<p>I do know of a student who was caught with a crib sheet during a test and was suspended during his junior year. Because of how maturely he handled the situation---took responsibilty, made no excuses etc in fact the teacher who caught him wrote a glowing college recommendation for him, called the admissions office for his #1 college on his behalf (She was an alum) and he was admitted to that school and is doing well</p>
<p>Stress is no excuse. Also, trying to get the teacher to like him again is a bad idea. Sure, some teachers might genuinely forgive and forget, but most would smile and act happy with him to his face, then write a recommendation letter...glowing with her disappointment of him.
Also, I wouldn't call the person who turned him in "petty." You may say it was a one time occurrence but 1) for all you know, this is the first time he has gotten caught. I'm sure you'll say you know him and he'd never ever do something like that, but thats not the sort of thing you tell your friends. and 2) he could have done it again, even if it was his first time, had he not been caught you CANNOT say he wouldn't have done it again. Once a cheater...the temptation will stay with you always, and 3) most schools have an honor code that says you should let a teacher know. I sure as hell did when I caught someone cheating. And you know why this is good? The teacher watched him closer during his retake and he cheated AGAIN! He totally deserved it!
Also, don't you think a teacher should know if her quizzes/test/personal information/anything is easy to steal? </p>
<p>
[quote]
"By "petty" I meant that he turned my friend in b/c they simply don't like each other. Had it been out of honor or a desire to follow a code, I would have understood. But he's simply... petty - and I thought this before he ratted on my friend."
[/quote]
you seem to think stress is a good enough excuse for your friend to cheat. So how do you know this kid doesn't like your friend because he is stressed? I very much doubt that you know the history between your friend and this guy. If you really want to help your friend, don't go calling this kid names. That doesn't help your friend, and if that kid didn't turn him in, someone else probably would have. He deserved to get caught. Otherwise nothing would stop him from doing it in the future. Now your friend more fully understands the consequences and is hopefully not as likely to do so again.</p>
<p>Because it is so close to when he would be entering college....I'm thinking he won't get into a big name thing school. However, IF that happens, I would advise him to go to a state school (not a community college), get kick butt grades, volunteer, and join some sort of integrity or honor club...or maybe be an assistant scout master of a local boyscout troop, then when he reapplies to the big name schools, he can write about how much the incident taught him, how he has learned and now he helps others learn to deal with stress so they won't make the same mistake he did etc etc</p>
<p>Thats punishment seems really harsh to me. Was it a major test?
I cant believe how many people on these boards would turn someone in. I saw a kid roll a blunt on his desk in plain view of everyone but the teacher in IB HL English. Did anyone snitch? No.</p>