Is it considered cheating if a friend gave you an old teachers test to study?

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1. It's not cheating.

2. If confronted, even though it's not cheating, don't volunteer the info.

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Policy at my school is expulsion for this exact scenario. Or you can out whoever gave it to you, that person will be expelled, and you will fail the course and have an IA on your record.
Love the huge range of opinions on this.

"This is the norm"
"This gets you expelled"

lol
 
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A few thoughts here, much that are comments on previous replies

1) Unless there is an issue raised by the professor, you have no issue except for neurosis that you are giving yourself
2) The professor handed out his old exams previously and therefore should have no expectation of the questions remain confidential for future use
3) This is not cheating as no intention of you do to so can be shown
4) This is not an unfair advantage as every student in the class had equal opportunity to find student from year before to get old exam
(btw this was common in my original UG days as well as postbacc just a decade or so ago. Indeed the prof made old exams available and most students never bothered).
5) Unless the professor made a statement in class or on syllabus that students should not share old exam or current students seek them out, there can be no violation of any "honor" code. For example, the MCAT specifically forbids even discussing specific questions with anyone and you sign to that affect.
6) If the professor asks how you did so well, then you must explain what happened. To do otherwise, would be to violate honor code at most schools

I don't disagree with any of this. But -- Assuming #6 and OP is forthcoming about having studied from the previous exam - what then?

The higher your moral standards, the more difficult is your life.

In some ways, yes. In others, not so much. We all have to live by our own codes. That part is reasonably straight-forward. It's when we 'fudge' on our own codes and try to apply our codes to others that things get messy.
 
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Basically, no one here can give you a definitive answer. The only way to tell is by looking at the policy of your university.
 
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In some ways, yes. In others, not so much. We all have to live by our own codes. That part is reasonably straight-forward. It's when we 'fudge' on our own codes and try to apply our codes to others that things get messy.

Exactly my point. Sometimes I catch myself applying my own morals on others, though they didn't sign to follow them, and form my attitude, which I think is not always fair. On the other hand, I know bunch of folks who never eat themselves with dilemmas such OPs. Step over somebody's head? Easily! Cheat, lie, steal, deceive, just don't get caught! And it seems their life is so careless and pleasant that I wish I could just cancel or erase my upbringing and nature and live a life (of "a beast"says my morality) free of self-analysis and regret. Luckily, there's a karma police. Don't mess with it.
 
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