SophiaWilliams
New member
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2026
- Messages
- 6
I've been working as an independent college admissions consultant for about eight years. I've helped hundreds of students get into top schools. And I'm here to tell you: most of the services you find when you Google "write my college essay for me" are complete garbage. They're preying on your desperation, taking your money, and delivering essays that will hurt your chances more than help them. Let me break it down for you. 
The industry: The online essay writing industry is massive and largely unregulated. Anyone can set up a website, claim to have "PhD writers," and start taking orders. Most of these "writers" are not PhDs. They're not even native English speakers half the time. They're gig workers in other countries who churn out generic essays based on minimal information. They have no training in admissions, no understanding of what colleges want, and no investment in your success. They're in it for the money, pure and simple.
What you actually get: When you order an essay from one of these services, here's what typically happens: you fill out a form with your topic and some basic information. The service assigns your order to whoever's available. That person writes a generic essay based on your prompt, using templates and recycled content. You get a document that's technically correct—good grammar, proper structure—but completely devoid of personality, specific details, or authentic voice. It could be about anyone. It's the literary equivalent of a potato.
Why it hurts you: Admissions officers read thousands of essays. They have radar for generic content. When they read an essay that's perfectly written but has no specific, quirky, personal details, they know something's off. They might not know you used a service, but they'll know the essay doesn't feel real. And that hurts your chances more than a slightly messy but authentic essay ever would. You're not impressing them. You're confusing them.
The scam within the scam: Some services take it even further. They sell the same essay to multiple students. They use AI generators and barely edit the output. They promise revisions but ghost you when you ask for changes. I've had students come to me in tears after spending hundreds of dollars on essays that were plagiarized, off-topic, or just terrible. The industry is full of predators, and students are the prey.
The exception: Are there legit services? Yes, but they're rare and they don't look like the ones at the top of Google. Legit services usually:
If anyone has questions about specific services or wants advice on finding legit help, drop them below. I'll do my best to answer honestly. I'm here to help, not to sell you anything.
The industry: The online essay writing industry is massive and largely unregulated. Anyone can set up a website, claim to have "PhD writers," and start taking orders. Most of these "writers" are not PhDs. They're not even native English speakers half the time. They're gig workers in other countries who churn out generic essays based on minimal information. They have no training in admissions, no understanding of what colleges want, and no investment in your success. They're in it for the money, pure and simple.
What you actually get: When you order an essay from one of these services, here's what typically happens: you fill out a form with your topic and some basic information. The service assigns your order to whoever's available. That person writes a generic essay based on your prompt, using templates and recycled content. You get a document that's technically correct—good grammar, proper structure—but completely devoid of personality, specific details, or authentic voice. It could be about anyone. It's the literary equivalent of a potato.
Why it hurts you: Admissions officers read thousands of essays. They have radar for generic content. When they read an essay that's perfectly written but has no specific, quirky, personal details, they know something's off. They might not know you used a service, but they'll know the essay doesn't feel real. And that hurts your chances more than a slightly messy but authentic essay ever would. You're not impressing them. You're confusing them.
The scam within the scam: Some services take it even further. They sell the same essay to multiple students. They use AI generators and barely edit the output. They promise revisions but ghost you when you ask for changes. I've had students come to me in tears after spending hundreds of dollars on essays that were plagiarized, off-topic, or just terrible. The industry is full of predators, and students are the prey.
The exception: Are there legit services? Yes, but they're rare and they don't look like the ones at the top of Google. Legit services usually:
- Have real conversations with students, not just forms.
- Offer coaching and feedback, not just writing.
- Have transparent pricing and clear processes.
- Can provide verifiable testimonials from real students.
- Specialize in admissions, not just general writing.
- Start early. Give yourself time to write multiple drafts. The biggest mistake students make is waiting until the last minute.
- Find a trusted reader. A teacher, a counselor, a family friend who's a good writer. Someone who will give you honest feedback without rewriting your essay.
- Read examples. Look at real essays from admitted students (many schools publish them). Notice the voice, the details, the structure. Don't copy, but learn.
- Use your school's resources. Many schools have writing centers or college counselors who can help for free. Take advantage of them.
- Consider a consultant, not a writer. If you have the money, hire someone who will coach you through the process, not write for you. The difference is huge.
- Websites that promise "guaranteed acceptance" (impossible).
- Prices that seem too good to be true ($50 for a full essay? Run).
- Services that don't ask to talk to you before writing.
- Vague information about their writers.
- No samples or samples that sound generic.
If anyone has questions about specific services or wants advice on finding legit help, drop them below. I'll do my best to answer honestly. I'm here to help, not to sell you anything.