Is it okay to use Grammarly when writing my college essays?
I've been using Grammarly for all my high school essays and it's been super helpful for catching typos and suggesting better wording. Now that I'm working on my college applications, I'm a bit unsure if it's allowed or considered ethical to use Grammarly on my Common App and supplemental essays.
I want my work to be authentic, but I also don't want to miss simple errors. Will colleges care if I used a tool like Grammarly to help polish my essays? Has anyone heard what admissions officers think about this? I want to put my best foot forward, but not cross any lines.
Any thoughts on this would be appreciated!
I want my work to be authentic, but I also don't want to miss simple errors. Will colleges care if I used a tool like Grammarly to help polish my essays? Has anyone heard what admissions officers think about this? I want to put my best foot forward, but not cross any lines.
Any thoughts on this would be appreciated!
4 months ago
•
88 views
Camille Luong
• 4 months ago
Advisor
Great question! Using Grammarly—or similar spelling and grammar tools—to help polish your college essays is generally considered completely acceptable and ethical. Most college admissions officers expect applicants to proofread their essays and use available resources to correct basic grammar and enhance clarity. The goal is for you to submit your best work, and tools like Grammarly are just a modern version of spellcheck or having someone read over your essay for typos.
However, it's important to make sure that Grammarly or any other tool isn’t rewriting your content or changing your unique voice too much. Admissions officers want to hear your authentic story, in your own words and style. For example, if Grammarly suggests a change that sounds nothing like something you would actually say, consider skipping that suggestion. Keeping your essay true to who you are is more important than having it sound perfectly polished—some minor imperfections can actually make your writing feel more genuine.
Plenty of students have used spellcheckers, grammar tools, or even peer editors when preparing their applications. Admissions officers know this and typically aren't concerned as long as the substance and voice behind the essay are yours. For instance, if you write a heartfelt anecdote about a family dinner and use Grammarly to fix a misplaced comma, no ethical boundary is being crossed.
A practical tip: Use Grammarly for grammar and spelling but turn off or double-check suggestions for rewording, tone, or style changes. Read your essay aloud to catch anything that doesn't sound like you. This helps ensure you're just polishing your writing rather than masking your authentic voice. With this approach, you’ll still get the benefits of clean, readable prose without sacrificing the personal touch that admissions officers value.
Good luck with your essays! If you have specific concerns or want feedback after using Grammarly, that's also a great time to ask a trusted teacher or counselor for a quick read-through before you hit submit.
However, it's important to make sure that Grammarly or any other tool isn’t rewriting your content or changing your unique voice too much. Admissions officers want to hear your authentic story, in your own words and style. For example, if Grammarly suggests a change that sounds nothing like something you would actually say, consider skipping that suggestion. Keeping your essay true to who you are is more important than having it sound perfectly polished—some minor imperfections can actually make your writing feel more genuine.
Plenty of students have used spellcheckers, grammar tools, or even peer editors when preparing their applications. Admissions officers know this and typically aren't concerned as long as the substance and voice behind the essay are yours. For instance, if you write a heartfelt anecdote about a family dinner and use Grammarly to fix a misplaced comma, no ethical boundary is being crossed.
A practical tip: Use Grammarly for grammar and spelling but turn off or double-check suggestions for rewording, tone, or style changes. Read your essay aloud to catch anything that doesn't sound like you. This helps ensure you're just polishing your writing rather than masking your authentic voice. With this approach, you’ll still get the benefits of clean, readable prose without sacrificing the personal touch that admissions officers value.
Good luck with your essays! If you have specific concerns or want feedback after using Grammarly, that's also a great time to ask a trusted teacher or counselor for a quick read-through before you hit submit.
Related Questions
Students also ask…
Camille Luong
Nomadic
Stanford University, BAH in Urban Studies
Experience
5 years
Rating
5.0 (5 reviews)