Overview
As the admission testing season swings into high gear, the first place many students will turn to is the internet, where they will find that an entire industry has evolved to offer test preparation services. These sites offer information about specific tests, advice on how to prepare, discussions of testing experiences, presentations of success stories, access to practice questions, and more. Most of this information is available free, and most of these sites are legitimate.
For a fee, however, some sites offer subscriptions for access to “special” test questions. A typical testimonial might say, “I saw four of the special questions and did real well on the test.” Subscribers are encouraged to return after they take the exam to post questions that they saw. Only a tiny fraction of test takers take the bait, and they foolishly—and permanently—jeopardize their reputations and careers. Accessing live test questions in advance, like having someone take the test for you, is cheating. Aside from considering the obvious moral reasons not to cheat, all test takers should understand the potential risks and rewards.