Inspiring Essay About Cheating And Violating Academic Integrity

Cheating amongst students in very common and it is on the increase in most academic institutions. I fully understand that cheating violates academic integrity and it can lead to grave consequences, including suspension or expulsion from my academic studies. However, such consequences did not deter me from cheating in most of my class activities and coursework. This paper is a reflection on some of the reasons why I cheated in class.
Primarily, I cheated because of the immense pressure of being the best amongst my peers. I am always in an environment where my peers, parents, and teachers underline the value of passing exams and getting good grades. However, there is always too much work do and little time to cover all the topics that are tested during exams. Besides, anything less than a top grade is considered failure by my peers and teachers. I also comprehend the fact that a poor grade can stifle my career path. Therefore, the fear of an uncertain future instilled in me the belief of excelling at all costs, prompting me to resort to cheating.
Furthermore, I cheated because I wanted to get financial aid in the form of a scholarship. In most instances, students that excel in their exams are awarded scholarships that relieve them of the financial burdens of paying fees. I come from a relatively poor background; therefore, I had to employ all strategies that would enable me to qualify for a scholarship. In this regard, cheating was one of the realistic strategies that could guarantee me high grades in exams.
In sum, I cheated because I wanted to achieve high grades that would enable me to get a scholarship. Scholarships are very competitive, and only the students that get high grades are considered. Therefore, I cheated to increase my chances of getting high grades, which would subsequently guarantee me a scholarship. Besides, the pressure from my peers, teachers, and parents also pushed me to cheat. I did not want to disappoint them, yet they had high hopes for me.