Few years back a survey was conducted regarding ethics and high school/college students. Don't remember the exact stats but believe it was something to the effect of 60% of people feel it's okay to cheat in order to get ahead. As already pointed out by many well-known safety advocates, that's got big implications for aviation safety.

Glad to see you taking charge of the situation. Yes, you're right there will always be problem students. In fact I used to get more than my fair share of them because I was older and had a more confidant demeanor than the average CFI at our school.

He can probably intercept just fine too...he just needs to do it without looking out the window.

You're probably right, hence the suggestion to use a VOR. No runway to see and similar but less sensitive course until you get close. Maybe even have him track it outbound.

Unless you intercept the VOR using GPS OBS mode and put the sensitivity to .3nm (usually in the setup/menus). That'll do it. Most garmin stuff can do this.

A CFII pal of mine lost one of his best students during the past Thanksgiving week, here's the NTSB report-

NTSB ERA13FA062

Instrument flying is not a light hobby, it can kill you. My friend's student was an older man who was inexperienced in IMC and made a bad decision to attempt a low approach at night with something like 5 hours experience in actual IMC. Our theory is he got slow in the turn to final, stalled, spun, and panick-pulled the yoke down to the crash. This is our chance to teach as best we can to avoid these unhappy endings.

Well said!
I a few students like this. I was working as basically the only CFI with my boss breathing down my neck. Then my boss said something to me about these guys "A) they keep the rates down for other students. B) that is why the hobs meter is by the CFI not the student"
Going out at night will help.
This is something I had to do with a PPL student once. He just always cheating and stuff, late, attitude and all. I had a great relationship with my DPE and called him and explained what I was dealing with.
He said sign him off if he is with in tolerances and such. Needless to say he came back from the check ride with his tail between his legs. And then learned the right way.

Kudo's on talking to the "money man." One thing they don't like is when their money is getting wasted. Next...the hood needs to be on ALL the time...and the brim needs to be tight to restrict his view. You need to re-establish control over this kid.

Finally...you should never put yourself in a position to have to "tip off" the DPE. If he's not cutting it...you NEVER sign someone off. You are putting your tickets at risk over someone who is marginal or not ready? No way.

And if he doesn't shape up quick? Then to hell with the "work in progress." Dump him and make sure you tell him and document why. Put in his logbook, "student continually cheats during ILS approaches"...and keep a photocopy.

I had a couple of students like that when I was teaching at one of the bigger programs in Florida. Same scenario, airline pilot kids...and I'm not knocking them because there were many reallly great ones...and some whose parents gave little Timmy anything he wanted. When one of the pilots found out, he looked at me and said, "If you wouldn't put your wife and kids on the plane with them, don't ever sign them off."

I'd like to add a slightly contrarian view. I agree wholeheartedly with the sediment expressed above, but maybe there is something else a foot. Maybe the student just wishes some validation on what really is happening when he is off course? Curiosity as to what is "going on" is natural and maybe the instructor, rather than admonishing the student for "cheating" should invite him up for a peek at the appropriate time to see what is happening and when. Show the student near minimums what even being a dot low/left or right looks like. It may well motivate him to be more precise in the future.

do you have access to a sim?