I cheated in my freshman year...will I be able to get into college?

I cheated in my freshman year. I remember it as if it happened yesterday. It was in science class, which just happened to be my best class. I was really lazy and didn’t want to study for my vocabulary quiz, so I wrote a definition on a piece of paper and tried to cheat, but got caught by the teacher.

The teacher said that I would be called to the principal’s office in a week or so, but I never was called to the principal’s office. I was too scared to ask my teacher if she ever contacted the principal, so I didn’t. And I didn’t get any punishment at all.

Will I be able to get into a college? Is it possible that there is a report of me cheating on my permanent record?

<p>That is such a small incident that I don't think it will be sent to colleges. But if it is, you can write about how you have learned and grown from the experience (I've heard other CCer's give this advice). :)</p>

<p>If you aren't sure if it's in your folder, I wouldn't risk mentioning it..</p>

<p>If it's not on your record, do yourself a favor, and do not mention the incident.</p>

<p>I have no idea whether it's on my record or not...that's why I had an urge to ask if it was.</p>

<p>I doubt that it is. Teachers and staff usually tend to forget about these things. Well, at least at my school. Yeah, I agree though, dont mention it.</p>

<p>Its probably there, and if you don't mention it, it looks really bad.</p>

<p>I don't think it would be on the record, seriously. If science was your best class, I think the teacher would have forgiven you for that one, not live it in your record so that you get haunted by it in the college admission process.</p>

<p>you need to ask if it's on your record. it's going to be awkward, but it's SO much better to hear it from your guidance counselor or your former teacher than it would be to find out later that it's a reason you didn't get into college. </p>

<p>if it's not on your record, don't mention it. If it is, I would NOT make your personal statement all about how you cheated, but I would instead submit a regular essay, then a short additional statement (no more than a paragraph) explaining what you did, and that you would NEVER do it again because you've learned a lot about academic integrity. or something to that effect.</p>

<p>Wouldn't they be in the wrong if they hadn't told you about it...If they did put it in your records, without you knowing about it, I think your school would definitely be at fault.</p>

<p>and you haven't cheated ever since then, right? common, people, it was a one-time thing in freshman year. Adcoms won't take it seriously at all even if it is on his record, i don't think.</p>

<p>Do yourself a favour and ask.</p>

<p>I received detention back in freshman year... or so the teacher said I would. So I showed up at detention time. The teacher in charge of detentions that week didn't have my name down but I did it anyways. There's a system of working it off at our Xmas Bazaar so I did that ALSO. </p>

<p>And then found out later that the teacher never bothered to file my detention so I never GOT detention in the first place. What a waste of my time.</p>

<p>i don't think it would be in your folder. most schools have two or three strike policies right?<br>
i know someone who was caught plagiarizing junior year, and she's going to johns hopkins bme this fall.</p>

<p>You need to subtley make for sure. When you are with your counselor talking about colleges, jsut jokingly ask, "my permanent record is clean, right?". Given what you've said about the incident, I would be shocked and amazed if he even told the principal, and tenfold more shocked if it went on your record.
Did you recieve an F on the quiz? Since you didn't recieve punishment, then either the principal forgot about it or never recieved the knowledge of the event.</p>

<p>Next time don't get caught</p>

<p>why don't you do yourself a favor and jump out of the nest. Request a meeting with the principal and find out what is in your folder. Either take responsibility for it or find out if it is not there. It be an empty threat by a past teacher (who was not acting like an adult) that is keeping you awake at night.</p>

<p>If you didn't get punished, it's not on your record. Don't sweat it.</p>

<p>Personally, I wouldn't ask for it because I'm pretty confident its not there.</p>

<p>However, if you do decide to ask for it. Ask your OLD TEACHER and not the guidance counselor or principle. He/She can give you a simple yes or no, where if you ask the GC it will raise suspicion. They may be curious about the incident, etc.</p>

<p>They usually just ask you to report suspensions, not small stuff like this. Plus, who doesn't cheat a few times freshman year...Seriously, I doubt the teacher ever called the principal. if he did, you prob would have gotten punished or at least called down, right?</p>

<p>Students have a right to know what is in their school record. Just ask for a meeting with your GC, and ask right out to have a look at your records. There is no question of raising suspicion; if it was not recorded, the GC is not going to go looking for something negative to record now. Please. You can have the folder in your hands, and read it yourself.
If you are not comfortable doing this, tell your parents what happened, and have them casually ask the GC for your file. No big deal.</p>