Ethical Dilemma - Admission/Application Essay Example

Decision Making over Ethical Dilemma My experiences in undergraduate school always ed me to ethical dilemmas in various occasions. Guilty consciousness disturbed me whenever I learnt about bad plans by fellow students. I was a vocal student leader and liked fighting for students, which was an opportunity for me to know what students liked and what the school administration was capable of. I even knew whenever there was tension over matters affecting students. Personally, I would never report any ill plans such as demonstrations.

I always felt it was wrong but would never report but try to resolve the issue. Reporting would mean I lose popularity and students would never reelect me. My greatest dilemma was when I learnt that classmates planned to cheat in an end of semester exam. It had been a difficult unit. I did not know whether to keep quiet, talk with them about it, or report to the authorities. Fellow students seemed confident and they often boasted about it. Everyone, however, remained secretive about how they would do it.

I was certain that all had devised ways to access source materials during the examination. I knew my classmates very well. They were not the likes who talk about what they have not planned well. Leon, a classmate for instance, let slip that he would succeed with his mission unless he was frisked, a revelation that revealing the plan to the authorities would easily thwart it. I had never cheated or witnessed such examination irregularities. I felt that if I tried the examiners would certainly know it.

Letting others cheat would work to my disadvantage as much as it would be deceptive to the administration. Evidence of the malpractice was proved by the high grades my friends got. I was scared of the consequences of all the three options above although I was conscious of the ethicality of the matter. About five others and I were badly outperformed because I kept quiet.I would refer to several reasons behind my preferred decision. For one, I doubted the discretion of the examiners from the concern that they would carelessly reveal me as the informant.

With that, I would be subject to bully. Secondly, I was conscious of the sense of honor often afflicting peer groups particularly in my college. Being a “tell-tale” or a “snitch” was a refutable idea. I was conscious that I was an elected student leader and I would need the support of my classmates during the next elections. I enjoyed several incentives being a leader and would not want to compromise it.Finally, I had the feeling that the students’ actions were not my concern, I did not care about their grades because I had mine to think about, and of course, talking to them about it or reporting to the authorities would have made me feel gratuitous.

This was an ethical dilemma but I felt that it was a matter of others, in particular the authorities, to keep their house in order. Clearly, my choice and decision was founded on the individualism perspective. It did not serve to my interests to report. Indeed, if I exposed him it would probably have worked to my disadvantage. Probably, I would have messed the good relationship I had with peers, relationships that persists up-to-date although we have moved to different fields. I could support Maiese 2011 that this dilemma taught me that reservation of good relationship with people supersedes other issues where possible.

Works CitedMaiese, Michelle. "Establishment of Personal Relationships.". Beyond Intractability . 12 September 2011. Web. 26 February 2014 .