<p>If the arguments about morality and “doing what’s right” aren’t going to deter you, then consider the fact that the consequences of cheating and plagiarism are much harsher in college (as several posters have pointed out already). In middle and high school, you might just get a zero on the assignment or be made to redo it, but in college, a single offense can lead to failing a class or being expelled (depending on the college and severity of the case). And it will be on your record. </p>
<p>Also consider the fact that your professors are not unfamiliar with student cheating. They’ve probably seen all kinds of cheating over the course of their careers, and they have taught hundreds (and perhaps thousands) of students. They’ve encountered all the excuses from jammed printers to dead grandmothers. You say you started cheating in an 8th grade English class. Humanities classes in college are heavily paper-based, which gives professors a chance to become familiar with your particular writing voice and style. Perhaps plagiarism isn’t part of your repertoire, but if it is, you will seriously want to reconsider, since professors will be able to tell.</p>