When the investigation into an SAT cheating ring led to the arrests of a bunch of Long Island high schoolers (and one college student, the test taker, Sam Eshaghoff, who was at Emory before all this happened), we were, perhaps wrongfully, somewhat enamored of the idea of an SAT cheating ring. After all, standardized tests only do so much in showing off one’s talents, and we thought, organizing a cheating ring is almost akin to an extracurricular activity, requiring leadership and skills, no? Also, it’s such a good movie! But alas. The kids in the cheating ring had lowly goals, apparently. The New York Post reports that two of the four Great Neck North High School students caught only wanted to go to Arizona State and the University of Boulder!
…”where students are as likely to be toking on a bong as hitting the books, sources told The Post yesterday.”
Two got into Tulane (slightly better), until, of course, being kicked out because of the SAT cheating ring.
“None of these kids were known as the smart kids,” the source said. “I guess they needed the help to get into college.”
Cheaters beware. Not only will you likely be kicked out of the mid-level party school you’d hoped to attend to hone your keg stands and finally learn how to create an apple bong, you will be called dumb in the New York Post. Also, there’s a crackdown on cheating on SATs now: Nassau County DA Kathleen Rice has said security will be increased as soon as this very weekend. She is concerned that otherwise, SAT cheaters will become “the future corrupt politicians, the corrupt CEOs, the corrupt accountants, because they’re going to say, ‘Look, I did this when I was 17 and I got a slap on the wrist. Cheating pays.'”
Point taken. Her chronology may be backwards, however.
SAT cheats only aimed for party schools [NYP]