I'm freakin out. Please advise! Or offer good thoughts!

[Aimeedyan]

Its finals time, and I have two that are takehome. One is open everything, and one is open book but not to be worked on with friends. I was working with some friends on the open everything test, when a friend of mine came in and brought me some books I needed to borrow... she asked what i was working on, and I told her this final, but that I still had this other final to finish. She asked if I had it with her, and I pulled it out of my bag and handed it to her... and went back to my final. A few minutes later, she handed the final back to me, and she had filled in the rest of the test that I didn't have answers to yet. I had done about 3/4 of part of the test (not the short answers, but the multiple choice, matching, etc) and that is what she finished up for me. I told her, when I realized what she had done, that that was my FINAL, and she freaked out - she thought it was my final STUDY GUIDE and was just guessing on answers to help me out!

I am not even sure her answers are right, but the class is in her major area of study, so it wouldn't surprise me if they were.

We both are freaked out, this obviously is grounds to be expelled. I just emailed my prof and told him what happened and asked for his guidance... he could, if he wanted, turn us in and have us expelled... or even give me a zero on the final. I can tell which answers she did based on the pen she used and handwriting, but still.

So my heart is racing a million miles an hour and I can't concentrate on these final questions because I don't know what he's going to say!

Please, someone, reassure me things will be okay. I know I did the right thing by turning myself in. I just hate to think of the consequences that that brings.

*sigh*

 

[Serena]

You did good, hopefully they will understand that it was a mistake and not intending on cheating.

 

[wendyl]

here's my 2 cents

I'm a college instructor, and if one of my students came to me with that story, I would completely believe them--give them a blank one, and have them re do it.

If you were trying to "get away with something" you would not have told the professor. I think he/she will see it that way.

But, not knowing your professor, I can only tell you what I would do.

 

[minniepumpernickel]

I think that you'll be fine too. Maybe he'll just give you a different test, that is similar but not exactly like the other one!

Good luck!

 

[TigerBear]

I too think that since there was absolutely no intent on either of your parts to cheat that you should be fine. I commend you for your honesty.

 

[Micca]

I am so bad at anything"school" I can't even give you advice on this. I do wish you all the best and will be hoping that every thing works out. You sound like an honest and decent person

 

[makaylee]

I am not a professor, but I would imagine he would not penalize you in anyway for this. You were honest, if you did not have honorable intentions you would not have told him. I'll wish you luck anyway, it can never hurt.

 

[Dan Murphy]

I agree with all those above and also say how good that is of you with your honestly. I like that.

 

[TigerBear]

Let us know what you prof says. I'm assuming you go to Baylor? My ex-husband went to law school there, so I had the pleasure of living in Waco for 3 years. Having only lived in Austin before, it was quite a change.

 

[DoeWDW]

Glad to hear you were honest! I don't think your professor will penalize you. Try to relax - nothing you can do now but wait and see so stay optimistic and hope for the best.

 

[DemonLlama]

Another college instructor weighing in here -- no student who was trying to cheat would have openly explained to the professor what had happened and asked for another test.

I can't quite figure out the logic of having a take-home honor-system test anyway, but maybe that's because I'm too cynical and jaded. (If you saw last week's Primetime show "Caught Cheating" you will see what I live with on a daily basis.)

 

[Aimeedyan]

Well, to offer more insight into the takehome test concept, I'm in seminary working on my Master of Divinity... so, it's assumed people don't cheat, and its not really cheatable material.

I like the concept of take homes because there are no surprises, BUT, they're harder than heck and take hours and hours to do. Or perhaps I should say days and days. Even open book, notes, and classmates, this one final has taken me 21 hours to get done. The other I have worked about 7 hours on and haven't even started the essay questions! I've been keeping track of time put in! LOL! It'll be an all-nighter for me, for sure.

They want concepts back from you that can't be done in a timed environment...

I have called my profs office, left a message - Emailed him - And also called his home and left a message with his daughter. At this hour, I doubt I'll hear from him. Drives me mad since its an 8am, but I will go early and ask to speak to him privately. I wish I had it resolved so I could concentrate!

Y'all make me feel better... I can't imagine him killing me over this... I'm trying to be optimistic =)

 

[Beth76]

I really hope your prof understands and lets you re-take it. You were honest with him after all. The only problem I can see is that you gave the test to your friend, which you shouldn't have done. I just wanted to throw that out there because that could be a factor. Good Luck and keep us posted!

 

[Aimeedyan]

Beth, I thought about that too, but she's already taken that class with him (wanted to compare and see what he's added to the course since) so if he does ask who it was, that issue would be cleared up... he's close to her, as she's in his major field of study - taken lots of classes with him. I haven't offered her name, yet.