<p>At the beginning of my sophomore year of high school, I got an "honor code" violation. My dream school is Princeton. The following will summarize what happened: So we have this thing called summer reading (I'm sure it's a rarity :P) and we have to write an essay as an assignment to compliment the reading. I gave my essay to someone who requested to edit mine. I, open minded to the idea, agreed to letting this person edit my essay. The week school started, I get called by my teacher and she told me that my essay was plagiarized according to turnitin.com. Apparently, the person who wanted to "edit" my essay stole my work and used it in his own essay. We both had to sign this dreaded form. I received a zero on this assignment but still managed an A miraculously in this class. Now the my question: Will this thing screw me over when I apply to Princeton in the future? I really want to get into Princeton. My grades are good enough and I am shooting for a 2300+ on my SAT. My passions are distinct and concrete. Do I still have a living shot? My ninth grade teacher the previous year encouraged peer editing. My school's obscure policies pertaining to this issue really make me irritated. I was honestly not expecting this person to be ignorant enough to use my hard work. I guess I was too naive. I just want to apologize if they ask about it. Help please!</p>
<p>Well it’s universal at most high schools that if you assist someone, or help them cheat (by giving them homework or anything, even with good intentions as you clearly had), it’s considered cheating or academic dishonesty. However, there’s room on the common app for your college counselor to explain your specific situation and affirm that you didn’t actually use turnitin.com or anything. It could hurt your chances at a top school like Princeton, but it shouldn’t disqualify you entirely. Good luck!</p>
<p>Sit down and discuss it with your HS GC. If he or she is not already aware of the specifics, plead your case. Then ask if they plan on including it in your permanent record and reporting it, or else would they be so kind as to expunge it. The worst they can say is no.</p>
<p>ANy one else? THis has been on my mind everyday!</p>
<p>My school also has an honor code but its NEVER explained well enough to new kids so things like this happen all the time and they still go on to top schools. As long as it doesnt happen again, your college counselor should explain it for you.</p>
<p>anyone else?</p>
<p>I echo 4th house’s advice. Go to your guidance counselor and talk about it. It is very possible that this kind of thing will not be on the record your high school will send to Princeton. They don’t send everything they have on you.</p>
<p>Honestly, its in the interests of high schools to send their grads to good colleges, so your school may expunge this from your record, or just make sure its not included. Obviously don’t come out and ask if your guidance counselor can expunge it, but just be patient and polite, and ask about the policy on this type of thing and explain it as clearly as you can. </p>
<p>I have a friend who was in a similar-ish situation when applying to Princeton, and his high school guidance department cleared his record when he applied. It’s not just you who can be proud if you get into Princeton–your school can, and will, too. So look on the bright side–your school may not be in to hurt you, but to exploit you as a token of their achievement. haha</p>
<p>Last year, a similar thing happened between two of my friends over a summer reading assignment. Friend #1 read the books and wrote the assigned essays, but Friend #2 didn’t. Friend #2 told Friend #1 that she needed help with the assignment, so Friend #1 gave her her essays to look at as guidelines. (She was NOT trying to help Friend #2 cheat; she was only trying to help her get a general idea of what was expected for the assignment.) Friend #2, without telling Friend #1, actually copied the essays and turned them in as her own work. She got caught, and both she and Friend #1 received 0’s for the essays. It was then that Friend #2 confessed to the teacher that she had plagiarised her friend’s papers without telling her, that Friend #1 was completely innocent, etc. As a result, Friend #1 got the 0’s taken away and the teacher gave her credit for the essays.</p>
<p>I don’t know what happened at the higher levels of the system (what was recorded on their permanent records, what the guidance counselor will tell colleges), but my point is, if your teachers or GC doubt you or are reluctant to vouch for you, if you could get your classmate to confess to full guilt for the incident, maybe it would help you. Good luck!</p>
<p>Siemprecuriosa, the other kid did exactly that except our obscure school policy states that I violated the honor code despite being deceived in doing so. Basically, I was lied to and got screwed over, a double negative. I worked really hard in this class to finish with an A. It’s my nightmare that a kid with similar credentials as me will get in over me because of this incident.</p>