Cheating is Actually a Really, Really Bad Idea

What’s making students so dishonest? We’re breaking down why cutting corners just isn’t worth it.

Picture this: It’s nearly midnight on the Thursday before break, and with a major chemistry test just hours away, you’re big-time stressed. Between late-night volleyball practice, last-minute end-of-semester homework and a million Secret Santa gifts to buy, you just never found the time to study…and, eek, you’re not exactly going to start now.

It’s exactly the sitch Avery J., 15, recently found herself in: “I stayed up late procrastinating on TikTok and barely reviewed the study guide,” she shares. “When I walked into the test, I didn’t know any of the answers.”

But with a huge portion of her final grade on the line, Avery felt like she couldn’t afford to fail. “When my teacher walked across the room to help someone else, I snuck a glance at my friend’s paper and copied her answers,” she admits. “I know it wasn’t the best thing to do, but at least I ended up with a B. And, thankfully, I didn’t get caught.”

This year during midterms and finals season, thousands of students just like Avery will look for a workaround to working hard. Whether you copy a classmate’s test, peek at your phone during an in-class essay or just mimic a friend’s homework responses, make no mistake, that’s cheating.

Everyone knows that cheating is wrong. But, let’s be honest, there are rewards (in the moment) for actions like Avery’s, from a higher GPA to a lack of parental disappointment.

We also get that it’s super frustrating to struggle in school— and not everyone has equal access to resources that will help them (legitimately) succeed.