Thoughts on the College Cheating Scam


One of the things I love about helping kids with the SAT and the ACT is what my students learn in the process — both in terms of material and in terms of life lessons. It’s important that kids go to college with the ability to use the basic rules of English grammar, to critically interpret reading passages, to use the critical thinking skills required in Algebra and Geometry, and to read and interpret charts and graphs and use Scientific deduction and reasoning. When students don’t learn that material or acquire those skills in the classroom, people like me who do test prep are here to fill in the gaps and to teach the missing material and skills. It’s also important that students know the value of hard work and what it takes to confront your missing knowledge or skills. Those two things are what I teach my students: the material they’re missing and the life lessons that go along with working hard to achieve a goal.

The real shame of the “College Cheating Scam” is the missed opportunity. These kids didn’t get to feel how my students feel — proud, accomplished, happy, confident. They cheated. They know it, their parents know it, and now the world knows it. I understand why they did what they did: they were afraid. It’s not the end of the world, and we should be careful with our outrage. However, we should also be clear. They were faced with a challenge — the same challenge my students face when I start working with them. They were missing the material and skills requisite for the SAT or ACT score they were looking for. Where I help my students see that challenge as an opportunity, they saw it as a threat. They gave in to their fear. The fear of not being good enough. The fear of not living up to other people’s expectations. The fear of what others might say if they ended up anywhere other than attending an elite university. They chose the easy way out and missed out on a tremendous opportunity for learning and growth.

Now, I always try to see everything as an opportunity. So what’s the opportunity in this? Well, it’s an opportunity for us all to re-commit to authentic learning and growth for our young people and for ourselves. It’s an opportunity for us all to look at where we might be cutting corners or taking the easy way out and to embrace our challenges instead of running from them. It’s an opportunity to look at where we’re letting fear guide our decisions rather than honesty, integrity, and commitment. There’s power in trying your best, giving your all and then embracing the outcome, regardless of whether you win or lose.

One last thing. I’ve been working with students in the communities where these students are from since I left teaching and started tutoring in 2006. No parent or student has ever asked me to cheat, bend the rules, or do anything that didn’t align with my values as an educator. So just keep that in mind. The families involved in this scandal are, in my experience, the exception, not the rule.

To embracing our challenges!

https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/12/us/college-admission-cheating-scheme/index.html