Kalimat al-Mutafalsif

Interesting topic today, hacking your GPA. Now, as I'm using this, it probably won't bring you from a failing student to an A student, but it might bring up a letter grade, or more.

What is it?
The basis of this idea, is social engineering, also called Social hacking. This is using the human element of a system to gain entry, or something that benefits you. For instance, posing as a technician for a call center, in order to access call records, or change your phone line.

How can this apply to your GPA? Well, teachers are the human element. If you're a talented hacker, you could attack the grading system (most schools use computer based ones now) and change your grade there, but that's illegal. however, exploiting teachers is not.

For those unconvinced right now, I offer a simpler explanation. If you hack, crack, or in any way attack the school's grade system, you leave behind traces. These can be traced to you. It's illegal, and you can be prosecuted, or just expelled, or both. Now, if a teacher makes the exact same change as you, there is no repercussion, because a teacher is trusted. This is like having a police officer let you out of jail, and breaking out. One brings penalties, the other only benefits you.

How do I do it?
Now, how does one hack a teacher? Some call it sucking up, but that won't work. many teachers can tell the suck ups, and just think they're, well, suck ups. A better route is to genuinly get on the teacher's good side. Demonstrate from the begininng you mean to do well in the class, and you're ready to put work into it (even if you aren't). This might entail going to office hours, but I prefer just to show up to class early, or stay late, and engage the teacher in conversation. Find a common ground, or mutual interest, and get to talking about it. You want the teacher to consider you a trustworthy friend. If you can get the teacher to believe in your abilities, you might not have to prove them.

Examples
As an example, I'm studying a foriegn language (Arabic). I had a course last year, a one on one with a teacher. I did hardly any work for this course, and mainly just used my ability to think on the fly to get my through the course. At the end, I approached her about moving into two classes she taught. Without even thinking she agreed. She'd seen my "talent", and would be glad to let me into more of her classes. Those two courses are relatively easy for me, but mostly because she believes in me. I pointed out that she graded a test too easy (gave me a much higher score then I should have gotten) and she just told me to keep it, it didn't matter to her, as it would "Be the difference between an A and an A+."

In another class, the same thing happened. I was graded way too easy on a test, mainly because the teacher had seen my "abilities" and assumed the answers were correct, without checking them too carefully. He just said "bank error in your favor" and let me keep the high grade. The same teacher requires notebooks in another course. I was way behind on work, and mine waas quite scarce. So I did a few easy lessons, and threw them in. When he graded it, he mentioned that these weren't required, so I replied that Ihad them done anyways. He accepted it, and due to the false lessons, said my notebook looked complete. Also said I shouldn't have to worry about my grade in the class.

See, in the above examples I spent a few mintues being nice to the professor, offering my services (computer consulting, and help) for free. The professor learned to trust me, and as a result assumed I would be correct, rather then wrong. Most teachers assume wrong, and check for correctness. Now, I have four courses (two each of the above teachers) where I'm getting an A, whether I deserve it or not.

Also beneficial is to find the professors who have similar interests. I happened to write a paper on the work of a professor here, and through subsequent conversations, I got invited to his grad course. He also has hired me as a research assistant, and given me an office, out of his own grant money, just so I'll work with him. Did I deserve this? No, I'm not even a CS double major anymore (I do have one of two minors, and will get the other also), nor am I a grad sudent, nor do I have any security background. Merely the fact that I impressed him with my "talent" and represented myself as what he wanted, not necessarily what I am.

So, what does all this mean to the average student?
If you're sitting at a low grade, say C or C-, you might be able to make that a B- or B if you employ these tricks. Choose the rest of your classes carefully, and hack the teachers, teaching assistants, and advisors, you can get far. Invitations to classes you couldn't normally get into, and (positive) discrimination from the teachers being two immediate benefits.

If you're looking for grad school or scholarships, this is also really good. Many teachers just write a basic recommendation letter. If you hack one, you can get something a lot longer, in more detail, and with a lot more praise directed at you. I've happened to read two letters that I got for a summer program, which I never applied for, and both teachers were ones that I'd hacked. They were the best letters of recommendation I'd ever read, with both guys actualy putting themselves on the line vouching for my character, talent, and whatever else. One was a guy I had known a grand total of a month by this time. The other claime his military career as reason why he *knew* I should be accepted to this program, and that the military missed out by not letting me enlist (yes, I tried, for those of you who don't know, they have a height/wieght requirement, I need to gain 30 pounds).

I highly recommend people start trying to hack more teachers, it'll save you time studying, and doing homework. Heck, I've been allowed to skip classes, and not turn in homework because the teacher was "sure I understood the material".