It is easy to look on the surface and say those who cheat are just lazy and are looking for an easy way out. Constantly striving to prove themselves, they feel trapped in a vicious cycle. One student said people cheat because of fear of failure. Students have jobs, relationships, financial stress, family stress and other pressures that stem from outside sources. School becomes a lower priority, and they succumb to the lure of cheating as a quick fix, failing to realize just how serious cheating can be.
Many students cheat to gain a competitive edge over others.
One student said cheating in a core class hurts only the student cheating, but cheating in the major affects others. Apparently, this is not true for those trying to get into programs that accept a small number of students. That's not something I want to live with on my conscience. Most people who responded to an informal survey said cheating made them feel guilty or disappointed in themselves. I cheated when I was younger because school and grades didn't matter as much to me.