SEATTLE, July 27, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Intelligent.com, a trusted resource for online degree rankings and higher education planning, has published a new survey report examining the prevalence of cheating in college admissions. Researchers surveyed 1,250 parents with at least one child who attends or attended college. The study highlights the most common unethical actions and what motivated parents to take these steps.
Survey results indicate that 1 in 4 respondents cheated to get their child into college. Nearly half of parents admitted to cheating because of their child's low high school GPA. Another 40% of the people surveyed said they cheated to ensure a prosperous future for their child. These unethical actions were also more common among families from high-income households and parents who made less than $49,000 annually. In contrast, only 19% of cheaters are from middle-income homes.
"We've heard stories and scandals about college-admissions cheating among celebrity parents, but this survey reveals that it's not uncommon for average parents to use unethical practices during the college application process," Intelligent managing editor Kristen Scratton says. "Interestingly, 25% of our survey respondents cheated by listing false achievements, making sizable donations, or getting a test-taker to impersonate their child on the SAT or ACT test."
According to the study, 52% of all respondents made monetary donations to improve their child's chance of being accepted into a college or university. Forty-one percent of parents said they arranged for another individual to take their child's standardized tests. Another popular method of cheating is listing false volunteer work or achievements, and 1 in 4 parents admitted to this practice.
The research team collected data from two surveys designed and paid for by Intelligent.com and administered through Pollfish, an online survey platform. On April 25-26, 2021, the survey was distributed to 1,250 American parents with a child who attended or is attending a four-year college. A separate study was conducted on April 25, 2021, with 1,250 American adults aged 18 and older, who currently attend or attended a higher education institution. To access the complete report, please visit: https://www.intelligent.com/1-in-4-parents-cheated-to-get-their-child-into-college/
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SOURCE Intelligent.com
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