Students Everywhere Cheat—Not Just Harvard’s Freshmen
In a survey published a few weeks ago in the Harvard Crimson, 42 percent of incoming freshmen admitted to having cheated on a homework assignment in high school and 10 percent admitted to cheating on an exam. (The real numbers are likely higher: Can we really count on all cheaters to be honest about their dishonesty?) With this data coming on the heels of last year’s cheating scandal, in which dozens of students were caught plagiarizing on a take-home exam, Harvard is starting to look lackluster in the ethics department—and the national press has gleefully taken notice. “Harvard’s incoming freshman class is full of cheaters,” cried Slate’s headline (for a post by Harvard alumnus Matthew Yglesias). “Can’t wait for one of them to become president,” wrote Paul Whitefield of the LA Times. “Not so smart without the answers, are they?” gloated the Washington Times.
Because Harvard is Harvard, where more than 35,000 applicants vied for just 1,664 spots in this year’s freshman class, it’s hardly surprising that everyone is piling on. But it would be foolish to believe that Harvard students, with their exceptional GPAs or life stories, are also exceptional in their propensity for cheating. High school students of all calibers cheat
