SAT cheating is a very serious offense that could lead to the cancellation of your test scores, expulsion, and even criminal charges.
Six students from Great Neck North High School in New York are now finding this out after allegedly paying $1,500 to $2,000 to a man who took their SAT tests for them. The students are now facing misdemeanor charges, according to a news release by Kathleen Rice, the Nassau Country District Attorney.
The man they paid, Samuel Eshaghoff, graduated from Great Neck North High School in 2010 and went on to attend Emory University and the University of Michigan. He is facing a felony charge, along with the possibility of spending 4 years in prison. To pull off the ruse, he used an ID that had his picture, but the names of the other students. According to the Daily News, Eshaghoff also allegedly took the SAT test for a female student, although she did not have to pay.
It seems that what landed the defendants in hot water was how well Eshaghoff scored on the tests, compared to the academic records of these students. The faculty at Great Neck became suspicious after hearing rumors that students were cheating on the SAT by hiring outside help earlier this year, according to prosecutors. They compared the SAT scores of students who had taken tests at other schools to their academic performances.
Rice said that the “large discrepancies” between the students’ grades and SAT scores tipped them off. Eshaghoff’s scores were above 2100, with the maximum score on the SAT being 2400. Using a handwriting analysis, they tracked the tests to Eshaghoff. Rice is also investigating the possibility that Eshaghoff took the SAT for other students and is trying to determine whether there have been any instances of cheating on the SAT at two other county high schools.
Great Neck officials contacted the Educational Testing Service with their concerns. After speaking with the 6 students, they had the SAT scores in question cancelled. The Educational Testing Service, responsible for administering around 2.3 million SAT tests every year, cancels approximately 1,000 of these scores. The most common reason is that students copy answers from each other. According to Tom Ewing, spokesman for the Educational Testing Service, impersonations are very rare.
So, if the thought of SAT cheating has ever slipped into your mind, now you know it is not a good idea!
Let’s talk about some legal alternatives to cheating on the SAT…
Now, we understand that your SAT score can help determine whether you get into a good college and how much student aid you receive, so it’s normal to feel worried about how you will score. But, there are many alternatives to cheating on the SAT that do not involve criminal charges—keep reading to learn about a few of them.
What about studying hard and retaking the SAT if you aren’t happy with your score?
That’s right, you can retake the SAT if you receive a score you aren’t very proud of. Plenty of high school students take the SAT during the spring of their third year, and then take it again during the fall of their final year.
According to the College Board, 55% of students who took the SAT as juniors, then retook it as seniors, improved their scores. Only 35% received lower scores, and 10% had no change. On average, juniors who retook the test as seniors boosted their combined math, critical reading, and writing scores by about 40 points.
How about deciding whether taking the ACT would be better for you?
The differences between the SAT and ACT are substantial enough that, for some students, taking the ACT would be better than taking the SAT. Of course, the opposite would be true for others, so you have to learn the advantages and disadvantages of both tests.
Blog author Brian posted an in-depth look at the ACT vs SAT issue, so be sure to read it!
Have you considered applying to a school that doesn’t require SAT or ACT scores?
Yes, this could mean applying to a community college, but some prestigious universities no longer consider SAT or ACT scores, either.
For example, Wake Forest University of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, no longer requires college admission test scores. This school is considered one the top colleges in the country, ranked among the top 25 national universities by U.S. News and World Report in 2011.
The National Center for Fair and Open testing offers a list of test score optional 4-year universities.
Did you know you can use legal loopholes to get your low SAT score ignored and gain admittance to the college of your choice?
Most people don’t know there are government loopholes that provide college access to nearly everyone. Unlike cheating on the SAT test, these loopholes are perfectly legal to use.
So, if you want to learn how to get into college with a less-than-stellar SAT score, we can show you an unusual yet safe approach.
The bottom line on cheating on the SAT…
SAT cheating is a very, very bad idea. Not only could you be expelled from your high school and denied access to the colleges of your choice, you could also face serious criminal charges, like the students from Great Neck, New York.
There are many legitimate alternatives to cheating on the SAT, such as retaking the SAT, taking the ACT instead, applying to a test score optional college, or using legal loopholes to enter college without going through the admissions process. In short, there is no justifiable reason to cheat on the SAT. Don’t do it.
