By Jeff Erickson, CS professor, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
I remember this one kid who pulled the absolutely perfect scam.
First, he got a copy of the book that the class was based on, since he knew from past students that the exam would cover material directly from that book. Then, every other day, starting at the very beginning of the semester, he would sneak into the room where the professor was teaching and take notes. Occasionally, he would even ask questions! Then later that same day, he would review his notes to make sure he understood everything.
At least once a week he would actually go to office hours and ask the professor questions. And the amazing thing was, the professor would just straight-up answer his questions, telling this kid directly how to do the things that would later be on the final!
Oh, and I almost forgot—this is the really unbelievable part—when the professor would assign homework problems, this kid would actually do them, and then the professor would actually tell him what he got right and wrong, before the exam! This idiot professor just gave everything away, all semester long! All the kid had to do was practice and listen.
When the final exam came around, the kid didn’t even have to cram for it; he had so completely cheated the system that he actually got a full night’s sleep before the exam, and then just walked in and took it. And unlike all the poor honest schmucks who walked in off the street not knowing what the exam would cover, he just sailed straight to an A. It was awesome to behold.
I was never brave enough as a student to do this myself, of course; I was way too scared that I’d get caught. I always stuck with the tried-and-true technique of slacking off the entire semester and then trying to cram everything into my brain at the last minute. Didn’t do much for my grades, of course, but at least I can live with myself for not cheating.
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