Student Blog: Why Is Academic Integrity So Important?

What is academic integrity? As we are now in the year of 2025, we are living in a time where technology is becoming advanced and this sometimes makes things easier as we might have a lot on our plates. Artificial Intelligence including Chat GPT are becoming popular even more than ever right now. Although these tools can be very helpful in many circumstances as we move forward to the future, as students, we have to keep in mind the negative impact that these advanced technologies have on your academic integrity. Academic integrity is to be truthful and to be responsible when it comes to your academic life. Not cheating, staying away from artificial intelligence, and completing work by yourself are all very important values that us students need to set in place, in order to eventually see success in the future.

Trust me, I know, life can get incredibly busy at times whether that's you getting home late from rehearsal or practice, taking all AP and IB courses, trying to live life as a teenager, and much more. It can be so incredibly challenging at times and it might come down to where you think that the easiest thing to do is ask a friend to send you the assignment. This is actually not in your best interest because this not only puts you at risk for huge consequences but it also largely disrupts your academic integrity and reputation. When you might be struggling, there are a wide range of other paths you can take while still maintaining your academic integrity. I think asking for help is always something we encourage as a society but when it comes to a point where someone else is doing it all for you, there is no learning experience throughout the process. That is why it is always better to just take the experience and time that’s worth learning in the work rather than taking the immoral route that creates a negative impact on your academic integrity. 

As students, we continue to aspire to get places whether that's your dream school or a dream job. We are always hoping for success and having a positive reputation when it comes down to your academic integrity. It can be a huge deal breaker for what you might be able to pursue when your reputation in the academic world is ruined. As time moves on, the world is becoming more competitive as people want to succeed in life and find ways to support themselves independently or a family they might be taking care of. To put your foot in the door and get your name in the world of success, maintaining your academic integrity in a positive light is one big thing that will continue to move you forward instead of getting stuck in a trouble spot. Don’t get me wrong, I am always a huge advocate for “work smarter, not harder”, but in reality, doing the work yourself is actually “working smarter” because you are taking those few extra steps to make sure that you are prepared and educated on what is to come. Education is something that I treasure and have so much care for in my life because, although school can be long, challenging, and tiring, it is the place that sets us up to become successful human beings later in life. Knowing to value education and what it has to offer is very important and I think that if you are ever in a predicament of deciding if whether to risk your academic integrity for something so small, don’t do it, and give yourself that learning opportunity so that you can be prepared for success and create that clear path for success. Your academic integrity is IMPORTANT!