<p>I'm currently a HS junior. Last year, I was busted for plagiarism and got off with a warning. However, this year, my English teacher (who really, really, hates me) accused me of plagiarism because my homework answers (it was out of a textbook) had the same answers as someone else. Truth be told, I did have trouble with a question or two (out of 10) and I forgot to paraphrase the answer he gave me. I worked sooo hard this year to rebuild my reputation, but I was sick and really desperate (I've missed 3 homework assignments this grading period already) I don't know what type of punishment I'll get this time, but I know for sure that it's going to be a catastrophic DISASTER. what are my chances at getting into any decent school at this point? My GPA, SAT, EC's, awards, etc. are great, but I'm afraid this will pull me down.</p>
<p>pinkbunny, you need to stop copying and stop justifying what you did. Copying anyone’s work is cheating. It doesn’t matter if you “only copied a couple of things”. It sounds like you didn’t learn anything last year:(</p>
<p>I know… It just made me feel a little bit better when I said it like that 
I understand that it is a grave offence (especially because it’s the second time). But if I can get my act together, and everything else in my college app back on track, then is it possible for me to get into a 4-year university? (I’ve heard of AMAZING applicants who ended up going to CC because of a mistake like this)</p>
<p>I think you should still try your best, and don’t let that stop you from applying to any colleges. Try to make it up in any way you can, but you have to live with the consequences. It definitely will hurt your chances though. Also you need to remind yourself that it’s not about the grade. When you copy, you’re doing it for the grade. It’s about learning, and when you copy you don’t learn anything. If you were sick, I’m sure your teachers gave you plenty of time to make it up, so you should’ve done it! If you didn’t do it, then don’t copy. It’s better to get a zero than to lose your integrity. Live with the consequences, buddy. Learn your lesson this time, because you obviously didn’t last time and don’t. do. it. again.</p>
<p>I don’t really think its that big of a deal to copy a homework assignment. If you send colleges a letter saying that you just copied the homework because you weren’t thinking and you realize that its bad blah blah blah, it won’t be as bad as you are assuming.</p>
<p>The answer will depend on what the school consequence turns out to be…what has your school told you about the next step? You will want to involve your parents at this point, if you haven’t already.</p>
<p>Also get all of those missing assignments (using only your own work) turned in ASAP.</p>
<p>(I’ve heard of AMAZING applicants who ended up going to CC because of a mistake like this) </p>
<p>Doesn’t sound like a mistake to me if you were warned about this last year. Of course this will “pull you down” if it is put on your transcript as an academic violation. I agree with the other posters to get your parents involved and do what you can to keep this off your record. If you have trouble keeping up with high school work when sick such that you need to copy work from another source after working to rebuild your reputation, then CC may be a good opportunity to ease into the rigor of a four year college.</p>
<p>thanks for all the feedback, guys. I asked my GC about this topic, and all she said that the school doesn’t report these offences on transcripts, but it is visible to all teachers while they are writing recs. She really did seem to like me, but because of the second offence, she couldn’t just omit the issue from the letter of rec. It will be mentioned, but the rec will still be very good (I asked her for a rec, and it was 3+ pages). As for consequences, my teachers/ GC/ etc. will vote on my integrity, and if it is in my favor, then I will only get a 0 on the assignment and unsatisfactory conduct in the course, if not, then I will get an in-school-suspension.</p>
<p>pinkbunny123 -</p>
<p>You need to sit down with your guidance counselor and talk about what you can do to organize your time better so that you don’t “miss” assignments. What is going on in your life that you can’t get your work done? Do you have some kind of huge family responsibility that is getting in the way of your schoolwork, or are you just goofing off? Do you have trouble keeping yourself organized so that you can remember when things are due?</p>
<p>happymomof1-</p>
<p>usually, I can keep up with and balance my extracurriculars, but last week, I was gone for various trips as well as a few days this week (on top of being sick). I know that what I did was wrong regardless of any excuse I can try to fabricate, but it was a bad, bad time for me.</p>
<p>Peoples’ integrity isn’t tested when things are going well for them. It’s tested when times are bad and they are under pressure. Taking the easy way out when you are in a corner shows a lack of maturity. Of course, being immature is a lot more acceptable at 17 than at 37, so hopefully you will be cut some slack. Get your parents involved now.</p>
<p>Prepare to explain in your essays what happened, what you’ve learned from the experience and what safeguards you have in place to prevent it from ever happening again. (A two-time fail is going to require some major explaining). The onus to prove that you have integrity is now on you.</p>
<p>Consider a gap year both to give yourself more time to mature and to put some distance between your application and the plagerisms. It would lend credance to the claim that you have grown up since these incidents occurred and would give you the opportunity to demonstrate that you really do have a social conscience.</p>
<p>By the way, I sincerely doubt that your English teacher “really, really hates (you).” I suspect that he really, really doesn’t trust you, unfortunately with cause. Yet again, it shows a lack of maturity to blame a teacher for justifiably harboring suspicians that a student is cheating.</p>
<p>M’s Mom</p>
<p>What would be the benefits of bringing my parents into this? I know theyll be furious if they ever found out, and I really don’t want to disappoint them just a few days after I just won a huge competition, and they’re planning to shower me with gifts. (I’ve had to lie to them for days to return/ reject gifts) Also, I was accepted into governOrs school a few months back, would this incident make me ineligible ( if my parents even let me go after a fiasco like this).</p>
<p>For Christ’s sake, you make it sound as though you murdered someone. This wouldn’t be the first time a college had an applicant who -gasp!- copied a homework assignment.</p>
<p>do you think your parents would be more disappointed if they found out about this from someone else? Part of the learning experience is owning what you did, thinking about what you learned and then going in a new direction and starting new habits that are more honest. </p>
<p>Lying to your parents about this keeps you on the same dishonest path. Talk to them about your struggles. Listen to their suggestions. suggest some form of reciprocity. Maybe you should forgo the gifts from the recent big award. Your actions have consequences. You need to face them, not avoid them. You might also find that your teachers appreciate your forthright and repentant attitude as we all do make mistakes. </p>
<p>they may be curious as to why you are not getting accepted at certain top schools next year. They need to know what is going on.</p>
<p>In addition to the reason given by TKsmom, there is a more self-serving reason: When the school knows that your parents are furious and have instituted appropriate consequences, the school is likely to go easier on you. They figure you are being punished at home already, so they don’t need to pile on. If they feel like they are the ones who have to ‘teach you a lesson,’ they are likely to choose the harsher punishment. You don’t want them to decide to use you as an example to future cheaters.</p>
<p>Yes, your parents will be angry and disappointed. But if they are halfway decent parents, they will get over it (this is cheating on homework, not murder, as someone already pointed out) and use it as the famous ‘teachable moment’ to talk about how not to get yourself backed into a corner like this again. You are still a kid and kids make mistakes and mistakes get forgiven. It might also lead them to ask themselves why you are under so much pressure to perform that you would actually cheat and if there isn’t something they should be doing differently to be more supportive, instead of just basking in your reflected glory when you win prizes.</p>
<p>You are not so screwed. There was a guy at my school who had cheating issues at Exeter and transferred to my school (another boarding school). He went to WashU for a year and now goes to Duke. However, he didn’t officially get expelled–he withdrew before Exeter kicked him out.</p>
<p>lawl you suck at copying</p>
<p>good luck in college</p>
<p>what’s funny is that i assumed everyone does a bit of copying. I don’t know if this hw was a major assignment, but does no one around here go to their friend and go “hey what did you get for number 7 on the worksheet?” </p>
<p>(disclaimer: I’m not commenting on the morality of the OP’s actions)</p>
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<p>obviously… I did it on some minor homework assignment and look what happens…</p>