An early draft of the script ends with Ben extorting the reward-money which Vito's and Stinky's parents gave them for acing the science exam (on which both cheated). Specifically, Ben threatens to give a copy of Vito's cheat-sheets not only to their science teacher, but also to the principal *and* to the school newspaper. He doesn't even worry about being taken down with Stinky and Vito, since Ben - as he himself points out - is already grounded, with nothing to do but study for a test he's already flunked. For Ben, according to himself, getting thrown out of school would be progress. "Call this blackmail, but at least it's honest," he says. Both Vito and Stinky resignedly fork over the money. All of this prompts Ben's comment (to himself) on how he just made a fistful of cash in less than a minute...and without working! Perhaps he spoke too soon, Ben thinks aloud, when he called honesty the best policy but the worst game plan: "This could very well be the start of an exciting new career."
An alternate title considered for this episode was "Cheaters Never Prosper...But At Least They Get Straight A's".