Got caught cheating... What will happen?

<p>I am a Junior and I was caught cheating on a mid-term exam. For my class, we had to do a program and I finished it early. My friend wanted to see how I did it, so I sent mine to him... Apparently ours were really similar therefore both of us got caught. I received a 3 day out of school suspension and a zero on the exam.</p>

<p>P.S. - I wasn't the one who cheated, it was my friend who copied my work... The admin said because I was involved, aware, and sent him my work, I am going to be punished</p>

<p>I have always been a straight A student and have always taken the most rigorous classes available... I was wondering how much this thing kills my chances at good colleges. I'm not looking at Harvard, just some of the top public schools (non-ivies) like UVA, UC Berkeley, etc...</p>

<p>I got a 2020 on my SAT (taking again, maybe better) with a 4.0 gpa...</p>

<p>The admin said that the out of school suspension won't be on my college transcripts but I understand that certain colleges, on their applications, ask if people cheated or not... I can't lie</p>

<p>How much will this ruin my chances??</p>

<p>I am not clear -- did you really cheat -- you didnt copy anyone elses work, and I assume you didnt intend for your friend to copy your work? </p>

<p>I hope you have learned from this, and do not provide your work to others.</p>

<p>I didn't cheat but it is considered an integrity violation because I am involved in my friend's cheating... :(</p>

<p>Can you try to get the charge lessened on the grounds that you (seemingly) didn't purposely cheat or aid in cheating whatsoever - just trusted a friend a bit too much? I'd suggest definitely fighting this as much as possible to try to get the punishment at least lowered, because as is it's definitely not going to reflect well on you with college application time coming so close.</p>

<p>edit: if it's not on your transcript, though, it's actually not nearly as bad - the midterm grade is unfortunate but if you had an A in the class beforehand then it'll just be a blemish on a good transcript... I wouldn't at all think you were lying to say "no" to a "have you been caught cheating?" question, because you clearly didn't cheat unless you knew your friend would copy your exam.</p>

<p>Phonexs -- I hear what you saying, that it was an "integrity violation" but I still question if it rises to the level of cheating. I would suggest that when the time comes for applications you or your parents speak to GC and ask if there will be anything negative on their report. Then listen. Then you have to decide if this is cheating. If the GC is not going to report it, and you still decide you have to, I would add it in the other comments sections and not use the word cheat, but describe what happened, and indicate that while you did not think your friend would copy your work, and that you thought he was using it to get a better idea of the projects requirement, you will never do that again, etc etc.</p>

<p>No chance... The admins are really strict about this and I think they hate me for some reason... The suspension also starts tomorrow (kinda fast... I know). I could try to appeal but I don't think that'd help because she knows we did it and we both confessed to it</p>

<p>kayf - Thank you for your help! I'm kind of freaking out right now because my mom is super mad and I just don't know what to do!</p>

<p>You can try to fight it, but cheating is the same no matter what end you are on. Particularly LAC or Ivys with honor codes and such heavily value integrety and cheating. Since you have talked with your admin, I dont think you will have much to worry about though because he seems to be conscious that he does not want to damage your record.</p>

<p>I suppose... Thanks for helping!</p>

<p>What's LAC?</p>

<p>Phoenix1300--Read these comments about suspensions and discipline from admissions insiders that are elsewhere on College Confidential: College</a> experts discuss high school suspensions</p>

<p>I think you'll see that, if you explain your infraction--and what you learned from it--in your applications, you shouldn't be penalized for this episode. </p>

<p>Had you been the one who copied, the cost might be dearer, but you should be okay as long as you point out that you realize you acted improperly, even though you didn't actually cheat. </p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

<p>Liberal Arts College</p>

<p>and I think maybe your admin may just be punishing you with the 0 and suspension, not a cheating label, which may be similarly declining since you cant explain your fallen grade. good luck with whatever happens.</p>

<p>you sent a program? what class is this for wouldn't they all be similar anyway?</p>

<p>Thank you.... I feel a lot better now but I am still sort of worried because of the magnitude of the test. It's a mid term exam and not just a test or a quiz therefore I am worried that colleges will frown upon that</p>

<p>AKittka - True but my friend sent in like almost exactly the same one but changed only the variable names and a little bit of ordering... ;|</p>

<p>i got caught cheating one time... my girlfriend left me and on top of that she ended up figuring out who i was cheating on her with and told that girl about it... now im all alone. but i still got into college. so, from personal experience, if u cheat ur going to end up lonely and feeling like a bum, because u r, but theres still hope for the future if u learn from ur mistakes.</p>

<p>oh i see. what was his punishment?</p>

<p>Yeah... I wouldn't blame you if you were in that situation, but I don't know how you can get out of this mess. But lesson learned right? Don't share answers or any works with friends... I hate how I am asked by everyone for the answers on homeworks and whatever on a daily basis.</p>

<p>He received a three day out of school suspension too. Thanks guys but do you guys think that colleges will look at me a lot worse because this was an exam versus a test or a quiz?</p>

<p>Probably not. I would guess that the distinction between assessment/homework is greater than the distinction between sub-divisions of assessments. I mean, a homework quiz is different than a final exam, but if you explain the situation (clearly you will), I don't see how the fact that it's an exam makes your crime worse (which, when you think about it, wasn't dependent on it being an exam). </p>

<p>It will obviously affect your grade though.</p>

<p>OK thank you so much! It definitely made me feel so much better like the stone was lifted off of my chest!</p>

<p>If he's gonna use another person's work for "inspiration", he should try his best to make it look like his own...</p>

<p>definitely agree with woojoo.</p>

<p>i mean, look, let's be honest here -- a lot of us have cheated in the past and it's part of a learning experience. but i mean, at least be smart at it. me and my boys used to do the early morning cafeteria routine, five of us at a table smacking up the lab for ap bio. luckily, we're golden now; but the point is, we always switched up a few numbers, completely changed the sentences (while keeping the gist), and just made it look original.</p>

<p>your "friend" ain't no friend, my friend. you -- in my eyes -- did a straight thing sending that to him for him to check it out, but he straight up used you and you don't deserve that.</p>

<p>anyway. colleges won't go into so much detail about whether it was a quiz/exam, etc. there will be a section on the common app about suspension/expulsion/arrests where you'll have to explain, but that is only for formal procedures. so my advice to you is to accept the suspension, but work out an agreement where it doesn't go on file.</p>

<p>good luck next year. learn from your mistakes.</p>