Is it okay to buy essays for college applications?

Feeling stuck and doubting your essays is a really common experience during the application process—so you're definitely not alone in this.

Buying essays for college applications, though, comes with some serious risks. First and most important: submitting an essay someone else wrote is considered academic dishonesty. Colleges expect that your application reflects your true voice, experiences, and abilities. If a school discovers that your essay isn’t authentic, it can lead to instant rejection or even the revocation of an admission offer, even after you’ve started classes.

Another risk is that purchased essays often sound generic or too polished. Admissions officers read thousands of applications every year and get really good at spotting what feels ‘real’ versus what’s obviously written by someone else or copied. Even if the essay is original, if it doesn’t sound like you—or match your writing style on other parts of the application—it will raise red flags. For example, if your Common App short answers are casual and straightforward, but your personal statement is suddenly packed with advanced vocabulary and unusual phrasing, the contrast is pretty obvious.

It’s also worth remembering that almost everyone deals with the fear that their essays aren’t "special" enough. What stands out more than any formulaic, bought essay is your genuine voice and unique perspective. Admissions officers know that real stories, written honestly, can come from small moments—a favorite childhood memory, a time you solved a problem for someone, or even a failure that changed you in a subtle but important way.

Instead of buying an essay, consider reaching out for real, ethical help. Ask a trusted teacher, counselor, older student, or a service that offers legitimate feedback (but doesn’t write it for you) to give you advice on your drafts. They can help you find the parts of your story that shine, and make sure your essay is clear and compelling. If you’re struggling with a draft, sometimes taking a break and returning with fresh eyes, or freewriting about a moment that mattered to you, can spark new ideas.

In short, it’s never worth risking your future over a bought essay. Your real story, even if it feels ordinary to you, is far more compelling to admissions officers than anything you can purchase online.

If you want help brainstorming or reviewing what you already have, there are plenty of ethical ways to get guidance that’ll leave you feeling confident about submitting something truly yours.