For example, student who cheats on a first aid exam and then performs a life-saving technique jeopardizes the other person's life. A law student who cheats his or her way through school does not provide adequate representation for clients. Any time a student gets away with cheating in class, a bad precedence has been set. That student learns that cheating leads to success, and may cheat in their business transactions and even in their romantic relationships. Cheating can essentially become a way of life.
If the student is caught cheating in school, the practical effects are more direct. First, the student violates the teacher's trust. That teacher is unlikely to spend time with that student and offer personalized support. The student might stop showing up for class at all. Some students cheat defiantly, pointing out that a heavy work load "made them do it." Second, the student might fail that particular course. Teachers have every right to flunk students who cheat. That means not only did the student waste time but also tuition money. Third, the student might get kicked out of school. This most serious consequence could even prevent that individual from being accepted to another university. Being expelled can spell disaster for academic and professional success. The consequences of cheating are therefore, long-term.
The more cheating takes place, the less likely teachers are to trust their students. This can lead to an overall degradation of academic quality. Teachers who are jaded because of the proliferation of cheating might give up trying to reach out to their students. The quality of education suffers as innocent students are not trusted either. A culture of cheating creates a culture of mistrust.
Cheating in school also creates a climate in which education is devalued. The objective of education is viewed as grades rather than knowledge. Students who cheat do not care if they learn; they only care that they achieve good grades or a diploma. However, the consequences of cheating outweigh any potential benefits in this regard. The effects of cheating can therefore be classified into personal psychological effects; practical effects; moral effects; and social effects. To get good grades, the student sacrifices the very bedrock of education. The student loses moral character instead of building it. The student fails to acquire the skills needed to perform in a professional environment. The student who cheats degrades the educational system and makes it more difficult for honest students to receive the quality of education they deserve.
