Advice about IA

[willdeleteimstupid]

Hello, I'm seeking advice about my academic integrity IA. I understand that I will receive criticism on this forum and that's okay, but I do hope I can gain some genuine advice on what to do from here.

This past spring of my sophomore year I was faced with a formal warning from my spanish teacher. I was being accused of cheating because I had asked my friend to proofread my spanish writing assignment. At the time of asking my friend I didn't think it was a way of academic dishonesty or cheating. However, it was clearly stated in the syllabus so there was no arguing around that. I admitted to the teacher that I was wrong immediately and the formal warning contract was signed. I never read the contract clearly and didn't realize it would be put on my disciplinary record. The teacher simply told me I would get a zero on the assignment and there would be no mark on my transcript. Not until this past month did I realize that you had to report any IA even if its not on your transcript. Therefore, I understand fully that this will be something I need to disclose when I apply to medical schools. Aside from all of this, ethically I realize that this was wrong of me to do. In hindsight I wish I had never done it, not really because of the grade (the assignment itself was less than 1% of my grade) or even just because of the mark on my record, but because it was unethical and unfair to other students even if it wasn't a curved class or a curved exam. I still received an unfair advantage by asking my friend to proofread. In addition, my friend never got in trouble, but it was reckless of me to ask her. I should never have put another student in a potential situation that could hurt them. I also genuinely regret it because it made me in a way "traumatized" from spanish. Initially it was a language I truly wanted to master by the end of college, but this whole incident caused me to pull away/not focus as much on the course and the language as a whole. It also damaged my relationship with my professor which I would say was somewhat strong before the incident. I had attended office hours before and always been transparent with her about my struggles in spanish and asked for extra resources. Instead of asking my friend for help on this writing assignment, I really should've gone to the professor. This was a grave mistake and I truly regret it. In the end it really hurt me as a student and my learning, but also others.

I know cheating is often seen as fatal for applications, but I really don't know what to do. I had planned on graduating early after this year (my junior year) and taking two gap years to work on a clinical job and continue research. Things post-covid just started to look up for me. I've gained many meaningful experiences as a hospice volunteer, I gained club leadership, I have a clinical job that I'm set to start this year, and this past summer I did research at a well known institution that will probably have me published. Aside from that I have other volunteering projects I've been part of in the past for underserved communities. I've also maintained a strong gpa at a T10 school. (to be clear I don't think the ranking of my school matters at all in this scenario, I'm just upset because I know how much it cost for me to attend here). I don't know what to do. I know a lot of people say start looking at plan B, but what even are my feasible options from here? I'm just a humanities major, not even a stem major. Other graduate schools and paths of higher education are going to see this on my record as well because it will stay on my record several years past the incident even once I graduate.

Again, I understand the major criticism and insults I'm about to see on here, and I accept it fully, but I would appreciate any advice on what I should do from here, especially from @LizzyM since I've noticed you reply to some similar forums. Thanks.

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[Dantes]

Just to be clear, you're sure this comes up on your disciplinary record? Doesn't sound like much of a warning if so

 

[willdeleteimstupid]

Just to be clear, you're sure this comes up on your disciplinary record? Doesn't sound like much of a warning if so

I will be double checking with my school's student conduct director and the office, but yes I believe so. Based on the way my school lists offenses the first time is classified as a "formal warning". The agreement we signed had a very tiny print I missed, but realized as I reread it yesterday that says the agreement to the formal warning will be put on my disciplinary records.

 

[Princeton Medical Student]

Honestly I don’t think that this is that awful of an IA to have, especially if you end up still doing well in the class. If you can explain the situation clearly while taking accountability like you did in this post you should be fine especially with some time removed from the IA. This reads more like a genuine “misunderstood policy” rather than cheating at least to me.

 

[LizzyM]

This is a very minor type of "cheating". I think that adcoms will see it for what it is rather than an intentional action to earn a grade that you did not deserve.
You should check to be sure it is an IA and not just an agreement between you and the professor.
Be short and sweet when you do apply. "I asked a friend to look over an essay I wrote in Spanish class. The instructor told me that asking for help in this way was contrary to the academic code of conduct and I received a warning from the instructor and a zero on the assignment. I realize that what I did was wrong and I should have gone to the instructor for help rather than asking a friend. I have had no other instances of this kind during my enrollment in college."

 

[gonnif]

This is a very minor type of "cheating". I think that adcoms will see it for what it is rather than an intentional action to earn a grade that you did not deserve.
You should check to be sure it is an IA and not just an agreement between you and the professor.
Be short and sweet when you do apply. "I asked a friend to look over an essay I wrote in Spanish class. The instructor told me that asking for help in this way was contrary to the academic code of conduct and I received a warning from the instructor and a zero on the assignment. I realize that what I did was wrong and I should have gone to the instructor for help rather than asking a friend. I have had no other instances of this kind during my enrollment in college."

I strongly concur with the above. You got a formal warning from an instructor. To
Me this is NOT an IA.

 

[willdeleteimstupid]

This is a very minor type of "cheating". I think that adcoms will see it for what it is rather than an intentional action to earn a grade that you did not deserve.
You should check to be sure it is an IA and not just an agreement between you and the professor.
Be short and sweet when you do apply. "I asked a friend to look over an essay I wrote in Spanish class. The instructor told me that asking for help in this way was contrary to the academic code of conduct and I received a warning from the instructor and a zero on the assignment. I realize that what I did was wrong and I should have gone to the instructor for help rather than asking a friend. I have had no other instances of this kind during my enrollment in college."

Thank you, especially for advice on the simplest way to phrase it. I will definitely be looking into whether this is an IA, as I have an appointment with my school's student conduct director in a few days. If it is an IA, do you think it will be something fatal? I know people say taking time to distance yourself away from an IA could help. In your opinion Is one gap year post graduation enough time? Two? Thanks again.

 

[LizzyM]

For something of this magnitude, if it was reported by the instructor to some higher office and is "on file" there as a warning, I would not see it as fatal and I would assume that 1 year between the event and your application would be sufficient time. If you took a few years more, all the better but I don't see it as essential. As far as "cheating" goes, this is papas pequeñas.

 

[willdeleteimstupid]

For something of this magnitude, if it was reported by the instructor to some higher office and is "on file" there as a warning, I would not see it as fatal and I would assume that 1 year between the event and your application would be sufficient time. If you took a few years more, all the better but I don't see it as essential. As far as "cheating" goes, this is papas pequeñas.

Ok thank you so much!