By: Sara Meng
When was the last time you heard about a student cheating on an assignment or a test? Odds are, it wasn’t too long ago. Academic dishonesty has become an increasingly prevalent issue in schools. According to a survey conducted by Dr. Donald McCabe, one of the founders of ICAI, nearly 60% of students admitted to cheating in some form. Outside of the obvious dishonesty involved, these numbers show us some of the academic pressures students face today. But what drives this behavior? And how do students themselves view the ethics of cheating?
Cheating isn’t just a product of laziness or bad morals; the psychology behind it reveals a much more complicated picture. Many students cheat due to fear of failure, high academic expectations, or the belief that they won’t get caught. When the stakes are high, whether it’s passing a final exam or maintaining a perfect GPA, students may begin to rationalize their behavior, viewing cheating as a survival tactic rather than a direct failure. On the other hand, high impulsivity and poor cognitive skills can also lead to cheating attempts.
To better understand this issue, I conducted an anonymous survey among Mills High School students, shedding a bit more light on their experiences and perspectives. The results revealed to be both expected and surprising.
When asked, “Do you think there is ever a situation where cheating should be considered acceptable?” 60% of respondents said no, while 40% said yes. Those who said yes often referred to “extreme cases” where the consequences of failing outweighed the morals of cheating. Some explained, “If you had a desperate situation where you had no way to study, and you need to pass the test to not fail,” cheating might feel justified. The majority agreed that copying a friend’s answers or looking at someone else’s test paper was cheating. However, it was more divided on whether sharing test details with friends or using AI tools like ChatGPT was considered cheating. Some argued, “AI is okay if used creatively and doesn’t do all the work,” while others felt it crossed an ethical line. Perhaps the most striking result was that 70% of respondents admitted to having cheated at some point. Despite this, most said they would not cheat again if given a choice, showing a sense of regret.
Cheating is clearly an issue that can’t be ignored. Schools should find a way to sufficiently address this. Many students believe that the environment plays a significant role in their decision to cheat. A high-pressure environment, combined with an emphasis on grades over learning, can push even the most honest students toward dishonesty. Overly strict measures such as harsh punishments or rigid surveillance can create an environment of fear. This would, Instead of promoting honesty, lead students to find more creative ways to cheat, deepening the problem rather than solving it.
One solution I believe we should look into would be promoting learning over competition.
Ultimately, the goal isn’t just to stop cheating but to create an environment where educators and students value growth, curiosity, and honesty over a grade on a paper.
