Amanda Rubino-The Long Term Consequences of Cheating in College

The Long Term Consequences of Cheating in College

This photo shows a college student walking down the halls of the library. The photo comes from  Madd, M. (2017). College [Online Imagine]. Retrieved April 12, 2019 from https://flic.kr/p/VXJSnN  

                     

With recent advancements in technology it has become easier for students to cheat. Students do not necessarily have to rely on writing notes on their hands or attaching study guides onto their water bottles. Instead, they have easier access than ever. Students can simply text each other different information or use Google to find the answers. This is not to mention the increase in online classes which allow students to complete their work in unsupervised locations. Consequently, when in his study, Academic Entitlement and Its Relationship with Perception of Cheating Ethics, Rafi Z. Elias mentions that cheating rates are only increasing, it is relevant to look at the long-term consequences associated with this.

As previously mentioned, cheating is a major issue going on in schools. Elias (2017) notes that about “70% of college students admitted to cheating at least once during their college years” (p.194); this is not including those who refuse to admit their academic dishonesty. Unfortunately, this not an issue that can just simply be fixed; it is more of a process. Part of the reason this is difficult to fix is because many people view it as a short-term issue. One can simply argue that all the student is doing is simply receiving a better grade on an exam, which would ultimately lead to short term benefits like receiving a higher GPA, or making the Dean’s list. However, that is not the case, and it is evident by the findings in Elias’ study.  

While students might think that they are outsmarting their professor, parents, or friends by cheating on an assignment or exam to receive a higher grade, they are actually cheating themselves. One thing that Elias notes is that when a student leaves college, that student actually finds themselves unprepared for that job or interview as a result of cheating. If one thinks about it, there is a logical explanation. While GPA should not be the only factor in representing a student, it often does give employers a decent view onto what that person’s knowledge is and their work ethic. Primarily, GPA is used to measure and reflect a student’s understanding and retention of the material learned in a particular class. When a student goes to apply for an internship, there is usually a minimum GPA required in order to even be eligible to apply. If the student cheated in order to obtain a certain GPA and finds him or herself receiving an internship, then that person might find themselves fired before they know it. This is because they simply do not have a strong enough background in order to perform the job at hand. There is a reason there are minimum requirements in the first place. Most likely it is to prevent the company from hiring students who are simply not at a certain level. To correlate with the findings of Elias, students who cheat in college are most likely to cheat again in the workplace or be cheated themselves (p. 194). Either the student will take those cheating tendencies with them through the work they do for the company, and ultimately be caught, or it will soon be evident to the company that the student simply was not a good fit for the firm.

The other main long-term consequence that Elias mentions is the idea of the student feeling that they are entitled. Elias (2017) defines entitlement as a student who believes that they deserve a better grade simply because they assume they worked harder than their peers (p. 194). It is very concerning that students are using this as a way of justifying of cheating. The idea of feeling entitled and superior in the workplace is a very toxic viewpoint to have. For example, while it might not seem like it at first, many jobs require their employees to work in teams. Whether it’s a financial services company having people in different economy sectors, or at the hospital having a team of doctors work together to save a patient’s life, each person plays a critical job in the task. Therefore, if these college students try to take the same shortcuts into the workplace in order to try to get ahead, they most likely are going to get fired as they will be showing their inability to work cohesively in a group. The main point to understand from Elias findings is that he believes that cheating in college, will also hurt students in terms of an ethical viewpoint and their ability to work with others. 

Overall, cheating in a major issue going on in our schools, specifically in college. With more access to technology, the methods of how students can cheat is only growing. With that, it is important to understand that while cheating might seem like something that can not affect us if we get away with the act, it could potentially hurt us in the long-run. Cheating sets students up for failure by making employers believe they know more than they actually do, while giving students that feeling of entitlement. 
By Amanda Rubino, University of Florida 

References

Elias, R. Z. (2017). Academic Entitlement and Its Relationship with Perception of Cheating

                   Ethics. Journal of Education for Business, 92(4), 194-199.
                   doi:10.1080/08832323.2017.1328383
Madd, M. (2017). College [Online Imagine]. Retrieved April 12, 2019 from https://flic.kr/p/VXJSnN