Cheating for a degree

Question:

For multiple undergraduate college classes, I've cheated on the exams and homework assignments. As a result, I either don't have the skills these classes were meant to develop or I got a higher grade (and higher GPA) than I deserved.

I graduated, and I am very worried about all the future occurrences of Gneivas daas and stealing that will result from my cheating in the past. How do I do teshuva and apologize to any people that I hurt? How do I apply to jobs if my resume says I got a degree and GPA that I didn't fully earn?

Answer:

Hello,

In retrospect, it depends on the subjects that you cheated on. If they were subjects that pertain to the job that you are assigned to do, or were they from subjects that the school requires, just so that you have a “well rounded education”. What can be done about it now is, to study the material well so that if you would be tested on it you would get such a grade. Otherwise, you are correct. Applying for, and taking a job that you are not qualified to do, can be geneivas daas and also outright geneiva, if the employer would not hire you if he would know that you don’t have the knowledge needed to do the job properly, on the level of having a degree.

Best wishes

Sources:

CH:M 248-6, Igros Moshe CH:M 2-30, Mishneh Halachos 7-275, Kuntris Onnas

Devorim Ugvievas Daas 21, Lreiacha Komoicha Gneivas Daas 3-75.