We have all cheated at some point in our lives. It is so easy to do. All it takes is that one test that you didn’t quite study enough for or that homework assignment that you didn’t quite finish. Just a quick glance at your neighbor’s paper can make the difference between a passing and a failing grade.

We often think of cheating as someone sneaking a peak during an exam. This is cheating, but cheating also is whenever you use someone else’s work as your own. This can be copying answers on a test or homework assignment, having someone do your homework for you, getting the answers ahead of time or plagiarizing someone else’s work.

With today’s technology, it is easier than ever to copy a paper or share the answers for that big assignment. With smartphones, we are able to look up the answers virtually anywhere.

We all know that cheating is wrong, but what we don’t know are the exact consequences one gets from being caught cheating.

After all, how harmless could it really be? It may seem like a good idea at the time, but all it takes is that one time for you to get caught. That alone can put your whole academic future in jeopardy.

At Iowa State, academic dishonesty can be handled in several different ways. Usually, you will first receive a letter stating what you did and how it violated the code of conduct. Next, your action will go under observation for a period of time. Then it will be decided what action the university will take.

The most severe consequence of cheating is expulsion from the university. You are unable to attend school under any circumstances. With a consequence like that, why risk your entire education?

Not only do you have to worry about troubles with the school, cheating also hurts you as an individual. Cheating is easy to do again once you’ve done it the first time.

It becomes a regular habit. You cheat just because it’s easy, not because you couldn’t figure out the test question. Becoming used to cheating can prevent you from actually trying in your classes. Studying becomes a foreign term. By relying on cheating to pass the class, you are unable to actually learn the information taught. With cheating as a fallback, it is much easier to quit studying the material altogether.

So, why is it so easy for us to cheat?

The problem lies within the belief that education doesn’t matter as much as the grade you receive. We have it set in our mind that getting a C grade in a course shows a lack of intelligence.

Getting a C is considered average, which shows that you know enough to pass the class. Getting A’s becomes the goal however, and some will do whatever it takes to achieve that high mark.

Instead of worrying about the letter at the end of the semester, we need to take time to realize the value of the education we receive. Sure, it was a tough course and we didn’t receive the grade that we desired, but the knowledge learned from that course is much more valuable than the grade.