The Latest Way to Cheat on the SAT

Cheating on the SAT happens. Sad, but true.

CROSSWALK Test Prep & Tutoring has been in the business long enough to know about some of the most common cheating schemes and the scandals that follow.

The fake-identity scam exposed in the documentary Operation Varsity Blues is an unfortunate example of how far some people will go. In fact, CROSSWALK recently heard about a student in Asia who allegedly had an impersonator sit for several AP exams.

Another popular strategy involves exploiting time-zone differences. This approach requires international coordination, which, apparently, isn't all that difficult for some people to arrange.

Most recently, according to The New York Times, the latest trick involves using AI tools to feed answers to students. Now that the SAT is fully digital, this tactic is fueling a digital arms race between test makers and hackers. And with the ACT pushing ahead with its own digital testing platform, there's little doubt that hackers are paying attention, too. Are they one step behind—or one step ahead?

All told, cheating happens. It may not be rampant, but it's out there.

So what is an honest test taker supposed to do in the midst of all this cheating?

CROSSWALK's advice is simple: Do good work.

Repeat CROSSWALK's Test-Prep Cycle with time, intentional preparation, and dedicated effort. Practice consistently, learn from your mistakes, refine your strategies, and watch your score grow.

After all, we believe there's no shortcut to improving a test score. The time, money, and energy spent trying to cheat could instead be time, money and energy invested in improving an honest performance. The former could land you in the middle of a scandal; the latter could open the door to more college admissions and scholarship opportunities.

There's no shortcut worth taking when the right work gets results.

If you're ready to invest your time, money, and energy in improving your score the right way, sign up for CROSSWALK's Winter Test Prep Program here.