Although it’s an older article (dated September 21, 2012), I just had to share this one. Inside Higher Ed has reported that there are websites now available that offer students the opportunity for someone to take an entire online class for them. These companies guarantee work on all assignments, tests, papers, and other activities for a fee to be paid at the end of the course. They even guarantee a certain grade, typically a B- or better. This is yet another blow to online learning’s reputation for being a convenient option for busy mothers, full-time employees, or people who live too far away to drive to campus.
Colleges and universities still do very little to counteract students from hiring companies such as these to take their classes. Unfortunately, as these sites grow in popularity, the impact will be enormous. Students will only do a disservice to themselves, employers will see the lack of value in college graduates who were educated online, and eventually online education will take a downward spiral because of its perceived lack of quality or ability to prepare students for work.
One of the biggest questions that remains is if students use these sites on a regular basis. For a college student, the thought of spending $700 for someone else to take a class could be overwhelming and not financially feasible. Although, I imagine that there are students out there that would sacrifice $700 a semester to have more time to concentrate on more difficult classes.
The goal of ProctorFree is to stop these websites in their tracks. Our hope is to combat these individuals with a fail proof system that gives colleges and universities a higher level of confidence, ultimately impacting the school’s integrity, value, and bottom line. To request a demo, contact us now!