Highlights

• Lynn helps her friend Grace cheat during an exam, leading her down a risky path.
• She uses her piano skills to create a cheating system for her classmates.
• After being caught, Lynn loses her scholarship, devastating her father.
• Pat Stone’s wealthy family asks Lynn to help Pat cheat on the SAT for admission to Columbia University.
• Lynn recruits Bank, an undocumented student, to help her in the cheating scheme.
• Lynn and Bank nearly get caught but successfully complete their plan.
• Lynn makes a deal with Mr. Stone to protect Bank and set up a fund for other students.
• She walks away from the experience wiser and more determined to make better choices in the future.

In Bad Genius, directed by J.C. Lee, Lynn is an intelligent student who faces numerous challenges while attempting to bridge the gap between her humble background and the wealthy, privileged students at her prestigious school.

Her involvement in academic dishonesty leads to various twists and turns, culminating in a high-stakes final scheme that pushes her limits.

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Why Was Lynn’s Scholarship Canceled?

Lynn, an academically brilliant girl, gets admitted to Exton Pacific, a prestigious school. This opportunity was huge for her and her family, as they couldn’t afford the tuition fees.

Knowing the value of her education, Lynn excelled in her studies, which earned her a full scholarship from Principal Walsh. However, Lynn’s acceptance wasn’t just about her academic excellence.

Being an Asian student, she also added diversity to the school, and her intelligence guaranteed good results, further boosting the school’s reputation.

But things started to change when Lynn met her new friend, Grace. Grace was warm and friendly, making Lynn feel less out of place at the school. Grace introduced her to Pat Stone, a wealthy boy who couldn’t be more different from Lynn.

Even though Lynn knew they came from very different worlds, she craved the acceptance and friendship they offered.

During an exam, Grace struggled, and Lynn impulsively helped her cheat by passing the answers on an eraser. This act, seemingly innocent at first, set Lynn on a dangerous path.

As more students sought her help, she devised a way to help them cheat efficiently using her skills as a pianist. By using hand movements based on musical notes, she signaled the correct answers during tests.

Unfortunately, her methods caused suspicions when many students began getting similar grades. To make matters worse, another student, who was also from a financially struggling background like Lynn, reported her to the administration.

This led to Lynn’s scholarship being revoked, leaving her father heartbroken. Lynn had let down her family, especially her father, who reminded her of the sacrifices her mother made to provide her with a better life.

Despite the setback, Lynn realized that she could turn her misfortune into an opportunity by using her knowledge to make money and outsmart the system.

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Lynn’s Deal with Pat Stone

After losing her scholarship, Lynn’s troubles were far from over. Pat Stone’s wealthy parents invited Lynn and Grace to their home for dinner, where they acknowledged what Lynn had done to help Pat improve his grades.

Instead of condemning her, they made her an offer. They wanted Lynn to help Pat cheat on the SAT exam so he could get into Columbia University.

Mr. Stone knew that it wasn’t just tutoring that helped Pat; he understood that Lynn used more dishonest methods.

Still, as long as Pat got into Columbia, Mr. Stone didn’t care how it was done. He was desperate for his son’s success and had little faith in his actual abilities.

Recognizing an opportunity, Lynn agreed to the plan, but she knew she couldn’t do it alone. Cheating on the SAT was a high-risk operation, and Lynn needed help.

Pat introduced her to Bank, a highly intelligent but undocumented immigrant student who had been overlooked for a scholarship due to a violent attack orchestrated by Pat.

Feeling sorry for Bank and needing an ally, Lynn convinced him to join her plan, despite the enormous risks involved.

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Did Lynn Get Caught for Cheating?

Lynn and Bank’s plan was to take the SAT exam at a center in Philadelphia under false identities. Since Philadelphia was three hours ahead of Seattle, this would give Pat and Grace enough time to memorize the answers provided by Lynn and Bank.

However, knowing that memorizing the answers in order would be nearly impossible for Pat and his friends, Lynn devised a clever system using barcodes on pencils to represent the correct answers.

Despite almost being caught by the examiners, Lynn and Bank completed their part of the plan. However, Bank discovered that Pat was the one behind the attack that had cost him the scholarship. Feeling betrayed, Bank demanded more money from Pat, who had no choice but to comply.

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Lynn’s Deal with Mr. Stone

Lynn and Bank’s actions made headlines when news of SAT cheating at a Philadelphia testing center broke out. Protests erupted, and the education board eventually canceled the exams for several entries.

Realizing the gravity of the situation, Lynn decided to make a deal with Mr. Stone, but this time, not for herself.

Lynn approached Mr. Stone with evidence of Pat’s involvement in the cheating scheme, threatening to expose him unless he agreed to her terms.

She asked Mr. Stone to use his connections in the legal world to secure proper documentation for Bank, who was living in the U.S. illegally.

Lynn also demanded that Mr. Stone set up a fund to help students like her, who had to retake the SAT exams after the cheating scandal caused their results to be voided.

Surprisingly, Lynn didn’t ask for anything for herself, showing that she had learned valuable lessons from the whole ordeal. Mr. Stone agreed to Lynn’s demands to protect his son and even offered her future opportunities to work for him.

In the end, Lynn walked away from the experience with a clean slate and a deeper understanding of her actions, leaving behind the temptation to engage in such activities again.