What would you do if a classmate cheated?

[treetop02]

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I found this to be a hard interview question. Is there a right or wrong answer?

What would you do if your classmate(could be your best friend or not) cheated and you found out? Would you tell the professor? Admonish the student and not tell? If you don't report him, what would that say about you? Does that mean they will think you will cheat too? I mean this shows alot about your professionalism.

Here's another scenario. If you unintentionally received an email about last year's test exam and you know other students received it too, what would you do?

 

[Electrode]

Hi,

I would say, "it depends on the rules and policies of the exam or scenario with regards to catching a cheat".

Whatever the rule or policy say we should do when we discover a cheat, that's exactly what I will do...otherwise, if it mentions nothing about discovering a cheat & what to do to them, I will simply do nothing or ignore it.

Who's with me?


As for the last year's test, that will depend on a few factors or conditions.

 

[PrepharmKID]

I found this to be a hard interview question. Is there a right or wrong answer?

What would you do if your classmate(could be your best friend or not) cheated and you found out? Would you tell the professor? Admonish the student and not tell? If you don't report him, what would that say about you? Does that mean they will think you will cheat too? I mean this shows alot about your professionalism.

Here's another scenario. If you unintentionally received an email about last year's test exam and you know other students received it too, what would you do?

I think there was another thread about this actually. Is the question that they cheated specifically on a test that was just taken? Or was this just some test you dont know specifically when it was taken?

 

[bluesickle]

I don't consider it cheating if students have old tests. Maybe professors should think about writing a whole new test instead of just changing the variables.

 

[FireyDragon]

This happened in one of my classes once. My friend and I saw some fellow classmates cheating on a Cellular Bio exam. We debated about whether we would go to the classmates or the professor. We decided to tell the professor. We explained that we weren't 100% sure if they were cheating or not but we saw something going. The professor made an announcement in class that he knew cheating was going on and if the cheaters didn't turn themselves in, the entire class would retake the exam. (I would like to mention that the professor told us some other students approached him as well about the suspicious behavior so in this case it wasn't just me and my friend.)

I think talking to the student depends on how close you are to them. If the cheater was my best friend I'd talk to them first then the professor. Since these classmates were acquaintances we went to the professor first. Personally I feel that cheating is completely unacceptable in a professional evironment. I wouldn't want a physician who cheated on a pathology exam to be my physician. Would you?

 

[WhiteSnows]

I think many students cheat by either have old exams, or from other students nowaways. What I will do is to cover my page first this time, and next time I will sit at another location. If you see a group of students cheat during the exam, then you might report to your professor.

 

[Sparda29]

I don't believe that acquiring old exams is cheating.

 

[Antimony]

I do not understand what is so hard about this question. There is a very clear answer.

 

[Sparda29]

From the viewpoint of an interview question, if you wanna get in, TELL THE SCHOOL WHAT THEY WANT TO HEAR!!!! Just say that you would report the cheating even if you're not going to.

 

[fenixtnlfan]

From the viewpoint of an interview question, if you wanna get in, TELL THE SCHOOL WHAT THEY WANT TO HEAR!!!! Just say that you would report the cheating even if you're not going to.

I agree with this. There are some other options besides going right to the professor, but ultimately this question is testing your morals and that you would do something in the situation.

I have no problem with using old exams as long as the professor gave it back to the students or had provided them with a key. If the students got the exam some other way, like stealing it or writing down the questions after the test, that would be wrong.

 

[PharMed2016]

I would just give them an honest answer.

 

[ffpickle]

i would murder the classmate- slip a pill into their drink or something.

 

[bluesickle]

I do not understand what is so hard about this question. There is a very clear answer.

No kidding! This isn't exactly an open-ended question without a clear cut right answer.

 

[twester]

My school doesn't allow us to have old exams. Some course directors won't even allow us to review our exams under armed guard after the results come out. Others will, but the guard has grenades. So if someone sent me an old exam in email, I'd have to kill myself.

If I could prove that a classmate was cheating, I'd turn him or her in without hesitation.

 

[Storm90]

If it was a friend of mine, I'd make them turn themselves in. Either way, they're cheating and gaining an edge over everyone else. No matter what the temptation, cheating is wrong, and I would expect someone to inform the professor if I ever did it. However, I don't consider it cheating by studying off of old tests. It gives you an idea of how questions are going to be asked, and the kinds of materials you should already know. Plus, they're OLD tests. This means your test should be NEW (foreign concept to some instructors).

 

[yummycookie]

I found this to be a hard interview question. Is there a right or wrong answer?

What would you do if your classmate(could be your best friend or not) cheated and you found out? Would you tell the professor? Admonish the student and not tell? If you don't report him, what would that say about you? Does that mean they will think you will cheat too? I mean this shows alot about your professionalism.

Here's another scenario. If you unintentionally received an email about last year's test exam and you know other students received it too, what would you do?

Now this question doesn't have a right or wrong answer because it really depends on the school. For most schools, you should say that's you're going to report the student to the teacher. BUT, for some schools, especially religious schools, you might be surprise if you answer the question like that. Like for PBA and some other schools, you should mention something like everyone deserves a second chance, because God gives us all many chances, etc... Cheesy, I know, but this is more along the line of what their adcoms want to hear. I hope this helps.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

No kidding! This isn't exactly an open-ended question without a clear cut right answer.

Is it? Perhaps they want to see who is willing to lie to get what they want. Nobody would actually rat out their friends....unless they are *******s....

 

[Antimony]

Now this question doesn't have a right or wrong answer because it really depends on the school. For most schools, you should say that's you're going to report the student to the teacher. BUT, for some schools, especially religious schools, you might be surprise if you answer the question like that. Like for PBA and some other schools, you should mention something like everyone deserves a second chance, because God gives us all many chances, etc... Cheesy, I know, but this is more along the line of what their adcoms want to hear. I hope this helps.

Tell me where PBA thinks you need to give people a second chance. We may forgive them, but they are still accountable for their actions. Big Difference.

 

[calisoca]

Tell me where PBA thinks you need to give people a second chance. We may forgive them, but they are still accountable for their actions. Big Difference.

I agree. Academia does not grant cheaters a second chance...not even when they believe in 5th century ideas.

 

[yummycookie]

Tell me where PBA thinks you need to give people a second chance. We may forgive them, but they are still accountable for their actions. Big Difference.

Well, my roomie is part of the student interviewers and she told me what answers they're looking for. This is just my input, giving some suggestions for the OP, but like all suggestions, you can take it or not, it's up to you. I also answered the question like what I put at a religious school and got accepted, so I'm just trying to help out. I know everyone's opinion on this question is going to be different. I'm just here giving some advice to other members who didn't get accepted yet, because I benefited a lot from SDN. And if you don't agree with what I wrote, that's ok too, we're all entitled to our own opinions.

 

[WhiteSnows]

I was just walking down the hall in my school today, and some ideas came up to my mind. If I strongly suspect anyone cheating my paper, I will bubble all the wrong answers, so he will got it all wrong. Then, I will fix it later. It is funny.

 

[Sparda29]

I was just walking down the hall in my school today, and some ideas came up to my mind. If I strongly suspect anyone cheating my paper, I will bubble all the wrong answers, so he will got it all wrong. Then, I will fix it later. It is funny.

Something like that happened to me in 7th grade math. I didn't study for the test. So yeah, I was just cruising through the test, and the guy next to me was copying my answers (I had a reputation of being a nerd in junior high school.)

I hand in the test first.

I ended up with a 10 on the test. This wasn't a major setback since the teacher dropped the lowest grade and I had all 90s to this point. This guy was regularly in the 60s. So he comes up to me and is like, "Dude, I thought you were smart." LMAO

 

[medicalCPA]

Something like that happened to me in 7th grade math. I didn't study for the test. So yeah, I was just cruising through the test, and the guy next to me was copying my answers (I had a reputation of being a nerd in junior high school.)

I hand in the test first.

I ended up with a 10 on the test. This wasn't a major setback since the teacher dropped the lowest grade and I had all 90s to this point. This guy was regularly in the 60s. So he comes up to me and is like, "Dude, I thought you were smart." LMAO

lol. Good thing this question has never come up during my interviews. If IRL someone was copying my answers on a test, I would probably circle the wrong answers and fix them before the end of the test also. I would never have done this before, but now I'd probably do it without batting an eyelid.

...How I would answer this question during an interview is a different matter, and for now, I choose not to say.

 

[DaddyOAK]

If I strongly suspect anyone cheating my paper, I will bubble all the wrong answers, so he will got it all wrong.

I did this exact thing in a 200 level microbio class. A pre-nursing student was copying my paper (I always circle the answers on the paper, then fill in the scantron at the end so no "going back" needed). I started putting hash-marks next to the right answer and circling the wrong answers after the 10th question or so. I don't even know if she read the questions or not.

I then told the prof, who was a friend, to keep her eye out for the score so we could laugh at it later over a home-brew. Perhaps I was biased.

As for the original question it would be hard for me not to say "I busted my ever-loving butt to get to this point, and if someone else floated through by cheating and now thinks they can become a colleague by doing the same, then they have another thing coming. I'd turn them in." We all have that test that we've gone into way under-prepared, but I'd hope most of us take the licking, and just further our efforts to maintain the good grade.

 

[CaptainPicard]

I'd learn to deal with the frustration of cheaters. Everyone talks about integrity and punishment, but cheaters never go away. They'll just get a lawyer and most schools will decide that fighting is too expensive.

When said students return, policies change to make things worse on everyone else.

Too many people view cheating and stealing as a right and will resort to name calling and threats against those who oppose their actions.

Some people comfort themselves with the belief in either a divine retribution or that the person will ultimately suffer some consequence. I don't believe in the former, and the latter doesn't seem true. Scumbags quite often make it to the top, just look at Wall St and then look at who actually pays for what they did.

 

[thephoenician88]

i would murder the classmate- slip a pill into their drink or something.

well that sounds great, now he's a cheater, and you're a murderer!

New question, would you call the cops if you saw someone murder a cheater?

 

[Haleyzx]

i don't see anything wrong with having old exams, it's a way of studying. a lot of my science/math professors posted old exams online for us to study lol.

 

[Artful Dodger]

haha reverse the question here & put yourself in "their" shoes: what if you cheated? would you keep on cheating? Would you turn yourself in? Not trying to make a point; just assigning a new question. I think we all, at some time in our life, cheated on something...it's normal, but you've got to grow up from it. If I knew the cheater, I'd have a chat about it and see what I can do to help this person - case closed.

 

[CaptainPicard]

i don't see anything wrong with having old exams, it's a way of studying. a lot of my science/math professors posted old exams online for us to study lol.

The problem arises when your school has a policy of not doing it. Even if there isn't a policy, only certain students tend to have copies of old material, so it isn't fair.

Your professor posting old exams is an entirely different matter.

 

[iBeast]

lol. Good thing this question has never come up during my interviews. If IRL someone was copying my answers on a test, I would probably circle the wrong answers and fix them before the end of the test also. I would never have done this before, but now I'd probably do it without batting an eyelid.

...How I would answer this question during an interview is a different matter, and for now, I choose not to say.

So why are you even replying to this thread.

Like a previous poster already said, tell them what they want to hear.

 

[OChemist]

I remember my firend haivng Testing Accomodation because he was hard at hearing.
He had plugs, thy gave him 8 hours with 1 chemistry exam.
He also went to me and other students to get the exams from them.

So here is the deal
Summer course
We take exam in 6/12/08
2 or 3 days later, the exams come back, scantron or math with the right answer.

He goes to the tutor and does the same problem.
Goes into his little room without the professor or anyone, and takes out his little note of answers or scantron, and just fill in.

He had the nerve to come out of the 8 hour exam room to call me and help him in his math.

I regret not telling the professor, he knew that he was doing unethical stuff, I approached him, he never stopped.

Im not against disabilities, it just makes me really pissed off. The person then went to another school and ask if he can get the same testing accom.

The person said "your hard at hearing, you dont have a mental disabilities"

Edit: it was last year in the summer, just made up a random date.

 

[fenderbiz]

... because God gives us all many chances, etc... Cheesy, I know, but this is more along the line of what their adcoms want to hear. I hope this helps.

right, like children that die from cancer, uncurable diseases, and starvation every day.

 

[diastole]

I had the best friend version of this question during my interview. I wanted to say what they wanted to hear but I couldn't lie. I know I'm not turning in my best friend over an exam. Now maybe if she did it multiple times I would reconsider but for a one time thing, there is no way. So I told them I would talk to my friend and try to convince her to do the right thing. I thought that answer might cost me a spot but they liked me anyway. The question did make me wonder how many people really would turn in their best friend and how many just lie in the interview.

 

[charfdorn]

I had the best friend version of this question during my interview. I wanted to say what they wanted to hear but I couldn't lie. I know I'm not turning in my best friend over an exam. Now maybe if she did it multiple times I would reconsider but for a one time thing, there is no way. So I told them I would talk to my friend and try to convince her to do the right thing. I thought that answer might cost me a spot but they liked me anyway. The question did make me wonder how many people really would turn in their best friend and how many just lie in the interview.

I can't believe it took six months for someone to say this. That's the best answer you can give. It's always better to approach the individual one-on-one first. If your cheater is bull-headed and decides to do it anyway, knowing full well that you are aware of it, then you have to go to the prof. But as with just about every conflict situation in life, it is best resolved by approaching the offending individual directly. When your neighbor is playing loud music late at night, you should go over there first, THEN call the cops.

 

[Passion4Sci]

Is extortion not the correct answer?

But really, approaching the person first is always the best idea.

I do not agree with approaching neighbors having a party directly before calling the police, unless you know them. In some neighborhoods, especially if drugs/alcohol is being abused, you might get yourself into trouble.

 

[charfdorn]

Is extortion not the correct answer?

But really, approaching the person first is always the best idea.

I do not agree with approaching neighbors having a party directly before calling the police, unless you know them. In some neighborhoods, especially if drugs/alcohol is being abused, you might get yourself into trouble.

Oh, good point. But if they live close enough to keep you up at night, maybe you should go meet them?

I work as a poker dealer right now. I have people ask me to ask the player next to them to scoot over or to turn down their ipods. WTF? You can't turn slightly to one side and just ask them? They're RIGHT THERE!

 

[ret09]

Oh, good point. But if they live close enough to keep you up at night, maybe you should go meet them?

Helll no... Doesn't anyone here watch Southland (great show by the way)? Complaining to drunk rowdy neighbors and intervening a domestic dispute: easiest two ways to get shot in the face. Call the cops.

 

[Passion4Sci]

Helll no... Doesn't anyone here watch Southland (great show by the way)? Complaining to drunk rowdy neighbors and intervening a domestic dispute: easiest two ways to get shot in the face. Call the cops.

Yep, pretty much.

I know it's a sad commentary on our society, and certainly it depends on your neighborhood, but all in all, letting the law handle what the law is designed to handle is the best course of action in almost every circumstance.

People that take the law into their hands and bad things can, and do, happen. Even if it's not bodily harm, how about someone taking retribution on your car after you accost them about their party?

Just doesn't sound like a good idea to me.

 

[CaptainPicard]

I can't believe it took six months for someone to say this. That's the best answer you can give. It's always better to approach the individual one-on-one first. If your cheater is bull-headed and decides to do it anyway, knowing full well that you are aware of it, then you have to go to the prof. But as with just about every conflict situation in life, it is best resolved by approaching the offending individual directly. When your neighbor is playing loud music late at night, you should go over there first, THEN call the cops.

I read a story about a pharmacist who was raiding the CIIs. His coworkers confronted him and tried to get him to stop, but he would not. Eventually someone higher up found out and fired the coworkers for not reporting him. I think they may have had their licenses revoked. The person stealing drugs claimed addiction problems, got treatment, and resumed work.

Many cheaters have it as part of their identity, as something they feel is perfectly ok to do, and they won't change just because you talked to them. Most likely, they'll change their methods so that you don't see it.

In the end, I wouldn't put my license on the line for other people.

 

[rphfan2009]

I found this to be a hard interview question. Is there a right or wrong answer?

What would you do if your classmate(could be your best friend or not) cheated and you found out? Would you tell the professor? Admonish the student and not tell? If you don't report him, what would that say about you? Does that mean they will think you will cheat too? I mean this shows alot about your professionalism.

Here's another scenario. If you unintentionally received an email about last year's test exam and you know other students received it too, what would you do?

Turn them in

 

[rphfan2009]

I read a story about a pharmacist who was raiding the CIIs. His coworkers confronted him and tried to get him to stop, but he would not. Eventually someone higher up found out and fired the coworkers for not reporting him. I think they may have had their licenses revoked. The person stealing drugs claimed addiction problems, got treatment, and resumed work.

Many cheaters have it as part of their identity, as something they feel is perfectly ok to do, and they won't change just because you talked to them. Most likely, they'll change their methods so that you don't see it.

In the end, I wouldn't put my license on the line for other people.

I would have called the DEA in a second

 

[AKN16]

Wow, I hate this question for many reasons... When it's all said and done, I'll let the cheater have his or her day, and not call him or her out.. I believe in karma, and I feel that if someone has the audacity to cheat infront of so many people, then that person is going to eventually get caught.. It will only be a matter of time before it happens..

 

[SHC1984]

The "right" answer to this question is: I will confront him/her, ask him/her why they feel the need to cheat then I will give him or her a chance to turn themselves in first. If he or she does NOT turn themselves in, then I am suppose to turn him/her in.

Thats what the interviewer wants to hear.

Now, in real life I will most definetly turn in someone who cheated. However, if the cheater was my best friend then proberly not...but I don't make friends with cheaters so I hope I don't ever have that problem.

 

[charfdorn]

I read a story about a pharmacist who was raiding the CIIs. His coworkers confronted him and tried to get him to stop, but he would not. Eventually someone higher up found out and fired the coworkers for not reporting him. I think they may have had their licenses revoked. The person stealing drugs claimed addiction problems, got treatment, and resumed work.

Many cheaters have it as part of their identity, as something they feel is perfectly ok to do, and they won't change just because you talked to them. Most likely, they'll change their methods so that you don't see it.

In the end, I wouldn't put my license on the line for other people.

Absolutely. It's different in this situation because it isn't illegal to cheat on a test.

 

[diastole]

The "right" answer to this question is: I will confront him/her, ask him/her why they feel the need to cheat then I will give him or her a chance to turn themselves in first. If he or she does NOT turn themselves in, then I am suppose to turn him/her in.

Thats what the interviewer wants to hear.

Now, in real life I will most definetly turn in someone who cheated. However, if the cheater was my best friend then proberly not...but I don't make friends with cheaters so I hope I don't ever have that problem.

Would you lie in the interview if the question was about your best friend cheating? You know the "right" answer and you know what you would do in real life. In my interview, I did say that I wouldn't be best friends with a cheater but I still had to answer the question. My ethical dilemma was whether or not to lie in my answer and I had to decide on the spot. So what would you do if you found yourself in my situation?

 

[OChemist]

lol best friend wouldnt be cheating, he or she is probably too smart for that, and of course I dont like being friends with a cheater.

 

[diastole]

lol best friend wouldnt be cheating, he or she is probably too smart for that, and of course I dont like being friends with a cheater.

I assumed they meant my new best friend I made at pharmacy school. It is hard to know how smart that person is because I don't know her yet but I sure hope she doesn't cheat.

 

[SHC1984]

Would you lie in the interview if the question was about your best friend cheating? You know the "right" answer and you know what you would do in real life. In my interview, I did say that I wouldn't be best friends with a cheater but I still had to answer the question. My ethical dilemma was whether or not to lie in my answer and I had to decide on the spot. So what would you do if you found yourself in my situation?

GOOD question. Luckily in my interview I didn't get ask this question. However, if I was ask this question my response would not be an obvious YES or NO.
I would tell my interviewer, I would first ask my best friend why she did it. And then I would tell her the consequences. Then it "depends" on how she cheated...I mean if she planned it from DAY ONE, then I would tell my interviewer that I would turn her in. But if she just happened to "glance" at another person's answer sheet, then I would let it go if she promises to never do it again. I will also let my interviewer know that I DO NOT make friends with cheaters, b/c I am an HONEST person myself. I will also let my interviewer know that if my best friend cheated again I will most definetly turn her in.

However in real life, if she is my BEST FRIEND, (not just a regular friend and its really hard to become my best friend b/c I am very picky with friends...It has to be someone I REALLY REALLY adore! LOL) I would most likely give her another chance even if she planned her cheating from day one. SO YES, I guess I would lie on my interview, but I usually elaborate in great detail...LOL...

 

[tootoo30]

I was asked that question during my interview and I told the truth NO, I wouldn't rat on my good friend, hell that's her business. If what she was doing was going to affect me or anybody else in a negative way then yes, but other than that NO WAY!

 

[SHC1984]

I was asked that question during my interview and I told the truth NO, I wouldn't rat on my good friend, hell that's her business. If what she was doing was going to affect me or anybody else in a negative way then yes, but other than that NO WAY!

Cheating does affect everyone since everyone is graded on the same curve and everyone is fighting for the same residency spot. Well, its less so in pharmacy, but in dentistry everyone is fighting for a spot in Ortho and if someone cheated/mess up the curve you better bet I will be the FIRST one to tell.