How do colleges check for plagiarism in application essays?
I've been working really hard on my Common App essay, and while everything is my own writing, I did use some phrases I saw online because they sounded good. Now I'm starting to worry, do colleges actually check application essays for plagiarism? If so, how do they do it?
Is it like how teachers use Turnitin at school, and can colleges flag stuff that is just commonly used wording? I want to make sure I'm safe and not being too paranoid, but I'm also stressed that something might get misinterpreted. Has anyone actually heard of someone getting in trouble for this? Any advice would be appreciated!
Is it like how teachers use Turnitin at school, and can colleges flag stuff that is just commonly used wording? I want to make sure I'm safe and not being too paranoid, but I'm also stressed that something might get misinterpreted. Has anyone actually heard of someone getting in trouble for this? Any advice would be appreciated!
5 days ago
•
12 views
Lydia Schooler
• 5 days ago
Advisor
I’m a Yale graduate and college admissions advisor with over 8 years of experience helping students gain admission to top universities like Harvard, Stanford, and MIT. I’ve seen how colleges check essays for originality, and while plagiarism detection is real, it’s not something most students need to panic about if they’re writing authentically.
Many colleges now use software similar to Turnitin that scans essays against online content, academic databases, and previous applications. Tools like Turnitin’s “Admissions” product, Unicheck, or Copyscape are designed to catch large copied passages, reused essays, or distinctive ideas that closely match other sources.
These systems aren’t meant to flag every common phrase. Expressions like “I have always been passionate about…” or “This taught me the importance of hard work” appear frequently and won’t trigger alarms. What does raise concern is when entire sentences or paragraphs match other sources — especially if they include unique details or uncommon wording.
In your case, using a few short phrases you found online because they “sounded good” is very common and unlikely to cause issues, as long as the majority of your essay is in your own voice. If you did borrow longer passages, though, it’s worth rewording them to make them distinctly yours.
As for consequences, there have been rare cases where colleges rescinded offers for confirmed plagiarism, but admissions officers will review any flagged essay to determine whether it’s an actual violation or a false positive.
My advice: focus on making your essay sound like you — not a published author or something you read online. If it reflects your authentic thoughts, experiences, and style, you’re in the clear. If you want peace of mind, you can run your essay through a plagiarism checker yourself, but most students writing honestly never run into trouble.
Over the past 8 years, I’ve helped thousands of students craft essays and applications that stand out at the most selective schools, including the Ivy League and Stanford. To give each student the highest level of attention, I keep my caseload small — booking early guarantees a place. I’m currently offering free consultations for new Sundial families where we’ll review your goals, brainstorm essay ideas, and outline a clear application strategy. You can book directly through my profile.
I know this process can feel overwhelming at times, but you are fully capable of navigating it successfully. I’m always here to help guide you through it.
Many colleges now use software similar to Turnitin that scans essays against online content, academic databases, and previous applications. Tools like Turnitin’s “Admissions” product, Unicheck, or Copyscape are designed to catch large copied passages, reused essays, or distinctive ideas that closely match other sources.
These systems aren’t meant to flag every common phrase. Expressions like “I have always been passionate about…” or “This taught me the importance of hard work” appear frequently and won’t trigger alarms. What does raise concern is when entire sentences or paragraphs match other sources — especially if they include unique details or uncommon wording.
In your case, using a few short phrases you found online because they “sounded good” is very common and unlikely to cause issues, as long as the majority of your essay is in your own voice. If you did borrow longer passages, though, it’s worth rewording them to make them distinctly yours.
As for consequences, there have been rare cases where colleges rescinded offers for confirmed plagiarism, but admissions officers will review any flagged essay to determine whether it’s an actual violation or a false positive.
My advice: focus on making your essay sound like you — not a published author or something you read online. If it reflects your authentic thoughts, experiences, and style, you’re in the clear. If you want peace of mind, you can run your essay through a plagiarism checker yourself, but most students writing honestly never run into trouble.
Over the past 8 years, I’ve helped thousands of students craft essays and applications that stand out at the most selective schools, including the Ivy League and Stanford. To give each student the highest level of attention, I keep my caseload small — booking early guarantees a place. I’m currently offering free consultations for new Sundial families where we’ll review your goals, brainstorm essay ideas, and outline a clear application strategy. You can book directly through my profile.
I know this process can feel overwhelming at times, but you are fully capable of navigating it successfully. I’m always here to help guide you through it.