I am a senior in high school who in currently in the process of applying to school. I got an honor code in 10th grade for letting someone fully copy of my formal lab. the honor code did not go on my transcript, but many colleges ask the question of did you have any misconduct violations and I was told by everyone to just answer it honestly. I have had no other transgressions, but will this hurt my chances of getting into a college that asks for the honor code explanation.
I may be wrong, but if it doesn’t go on your transcript I don’t think you have to report the violation since it may not be considered that big of a deal. Then again, this may be just for my school. I got my first detention this year (I’m a senior) and I was told I do not have to report it. However, I am not familiar with the honor code system so it may be different for you.
I would imagine most students out there would not report it if its not on official records being sent to colleges.
Yes, of course this would hurt your chances. Colleges take plagiarism (both the one who does it and the one who enables it) extremely seriously. If you are asked about honor code violations, then I feel that you should answer that honestly and unfortunately the honest answer is yes. I think usually they give you a chance explain. (Not 100% sure as I never had this problem.) You can then explain you were a stupid sophomore who wanted to help a friend by allowing him/her to copy your work and that you never have and never will ever allow that to happen again.
Even if it is not on your transcript, it could be mentioned by your counselor. I personally think that it is better to own up to your mistake and explain that you have learned from it.
IMO, you shouldn’t report it. If it didn’t go on your transcript, then it’s likely your counsellor won’t mention it. But take everyone’s advice with a grain of salt. It’s your application.
Gotta appreciate the irony of covering up one honor code violation with another honor code violation.
Don’t worry about it. I know someone that had an honor code violation but didn’t report it on her transcript. Colleges look at thousands of applications, and don’t have time to actually go in depth about your background - IF NOTHING IS ON YOUR TRANSCRIPT. Please correct me if I am wrong.
Look, it’s not about the transcript, sheesh. Frankly, what hs put it there? It’s about the GC being asked the same question about you, on the School Report.
Not all hs divulge this. It may be their policy not to. Talk to him or her, get that advice.
After that, you decide. Look at the Common App. If you disclose, you need to explain and how you do is key.
In the scheme of things, some things are worse than others, and this is 10th grade.
The term honor code refers to a code of ethics that you agree to when you agree to go to a school. It’s typical of private schools. A violation of the honor code occurs when you for example cheat by letting someone copy your lab.
If I am correct, and you go to a school with an honor code, then the reason that everybody tells you to answer honestly is because an honor code requires you to be honest (hence the name).
Since you still go to a school with an honor code, wouldn’t it be a violation of that honor code to fail to mention the violation when the question so clearly asks you about it?
The problem I see it is one of integrity, not whether the GC will report it, not whether you should conspire with the GC to not report it, not whether it will hurt your chances. None of those things should matter in determining whether you truthfully answer the question. Only your integrity should matter. Only your honor. You should answer it honestly, and take the consequences. If it hurts your chances, it hurts your chances.
If you do this, and live your life from this point on putting your integrity first, then IMHO you will be a lot more successful and a lot happier in life than if you learn to profit from a lack of integrity.
You didn’t get an honor code violation. You earned one by cheating. So your question is “Do I have to tell the schools to which I am applying that I cheated?” Morally, yes, you do. But you should be able to show that you’ve reformed and that your concern is your character, not whether you were caught.
Ok I didn’t clarify, my counselors are not allowed to report the first violation, but I do know of someone who did not reveal their honor code and was ratted out by a classmate to the college and the offer was rescinded. It was a dumb mistake and I should not have done it, but if it specifically asks, isn’t it better to just report it. And don’t many kids go into these applications with honor code violations.
Also I already did put it down for one university, Georgia State University, and they asked me to merely report what had happened, in addition to the common app question, did you have any disciplinary issues and what did you learn from them. I did not feel comfortable leaving the same question blank, and just answered what happened, though they only asked what happened, so I didn’t go into much more depth then that.
You still are only reporting it because of fear of getting “ratted out”.
Think about what honor means. Honor means you won’t tolerate cheating or those that do. By using a derogatory term for an honorable act, you still do not understand integrity. This is really important.
On your dying day, many years from now, you want to be able to look back and say that except for that juvenile mistake in HS you lived with integrity. You would own that. Nothing is more valuable.
Just so you know, two things about the common app:
- They ask you if you have ever had academic misconduct. Could you lie? Sure, I guess. But…
- Your counselor has to fill out a Common App report which specifically asks if there has ever been a case of academic dishonesty/discipline. Whenever I have to check that box for a student, I tell them they need to be really careful to be honest.
- I advise them to use the “extra” section (any information not covered add here) on the Common App to write a short paragraph that covers 3 things: ownership of the honor code (no blaming, no excuses), an apology for the honor code, and a ‘what i’ve learned/why i won’t do this again’.
I had a student who didn’t disclose and had his acceptance pulled because his answer didn’t match mine. The admissions office called the guidance office to clarify. Don’t expect your school to lie for you.
And one more thing! If you have submitted an application, and THEN receive an honor code, do you know that colleges require you to self-report that? Yep, read the fine print when you sign off/submit your application.
I had another student whose acceptance was rescinded because he didn’t disclose (“Why should I? That information was honest at the time I submitted the application!”), and the college found out.
Always be honest. It makes me sad how many people try to get around it.
Truthfully I don’t understand the concept of integrity.There seems to be no integrity or honor in the real world. An example is for every test, a lot of people skip it to get more time to study and get the answers from others, and they get better grades than me even though I never skip test dates. A real world example is the naval academy cheating scandal. About 150 kids cheated, which did not follow the honor concept, but the kids that admitted to cheating(did follow the honor concept) got expelled 30 DAYS FROM GRADUATION, while those who lied graduated as commissioned officers in the US navy. Who suffered? How is it that those who show integrity and followed the honor concept of the Naval Academy even after a bad action get punished? That is not fair. I am not a bad person or a cheater but I don’t understand whether integrity exists or matter in the real world. Anyone care to weigh in?
I think you’re looking for excuses. What others do isn’t important. Please go back and reread @ClassicRockerDad’s excellent posts.
I am not looking for excuses because I don’t need to make any excuses @austinmshauri . I am asking the question, why is it that those that really show integrity are not as successful(or end up suffering) as those who don’t ? I am not in the real world, so I don’t know. And yes, I might have got honor coded, but I am not salty about it because it was a stupid decision that I didn’t think through. I am salty about others skipping exams and quizzes, but that stuff doesn’t matter because you can’t do that in the real world. And I am not someone who has bad grades and is trying to blame it on not skipping tests. I have good grades and know that people who do well do things the right way. Its just I have seen others(the naval academy example) who really try to show integrity really suffer in certain cases. I really am curious to know the answer to this question. Heres my analogy, if I am at a job interview, am I going to tell them every single dishonest thing or stupid thing that I have done, including serious ones, that they don’t know about it, don’t have any business knowing, and don’t even ask about it. Please don’t mistake me for a bad person or someone whose had to do dishonest things, but I want to know the answer to this question and whether I am just totally wrong or if you just need to use your common sense.
Your job interview analogy is a bad one - if an interviewer ASKS you a legal question, you have to answer truthfully. If you sat there and listed all the things you’ve done wrong since kindergarten, you’d come across very strangely.
Same with the college app - it’s a simple question - have you ever been disciplined for academic misconduct? So you have to be honest.
This is a life lesson…some liars get caught, some don’t. Some people with no integrity make it very far in life. Others are caught and shamed- maybe immediately, maybe a year later, maybe a decade or two later. Maybe NEVER!
But now you get to ask yourself, HOW DO I WANT TO LIVE? How will YOU behave? Will YOU be able to sleep at night? How do you define your character?
This isn’t about all the other kids and what they do…it’s about YOU and how you will handle this situation. Will you cover it up with another lie, or will you handle it with honor and integrity?
Good luck to you…
I think your premise is flawed. There are successful people who show integrity, and cheaters who don’t do well at all. But it doesn’t matter what other people do. You have to decide for yourself what type of person you want to be.
Go talk to your guidance counselor and ask what you should put on your application. And when you get to college, don’t cheat. Most colleges take that type of behavior pretty seriously.