<p>I was just on the UChicago forum and saw a post warning prospective applicants to not share/trade their essays at all. Apparently that was the advice given by Libby Pearson too.</p>
<p>So I was wondering, are these fears of getting copied off and all our hard work going to waste justified? Has anyone ever had such negative experiences through sharing their essays here on college confidential?</p>
<p>For me personally, I like reading my fellow classmates' essays here simply because I realize we're on the same boat and can offer each other helpful advice. Plus editting the flaws in another's essays helps me to try and see the flaws in my own essay better, which otherwise I don't see from a usually more subjective perspective.</p>
<p>I would never ever dream of "borrowing", "copying", "exploiting", etc. another person's essay. For one thing, most of the time their specific situations doesn't even apply to me if I were looking to do harm. And I think my conscience is an incredibly powerful motivator here. Plus it seems stupid to take something from someone else when colleges are looking at who YOU are as a candidate, not some random person online.</p>
<p>But yeah, I'm not so naive that I don't understand that there are bad ppl out there as much as I'd like to believe CC is a safe haven of innocent ppl in the same boat as me. </p>
<p>So yeah, any experiences/insight?</p>
<p>I personally am willing to edit other people's essays, but I've decided not to give mine out as a blanket rule just to be safe. The better writer you are, the riskier I think it is to send your essays out. If your essays aren't very good, then it's not likely someone is going to want to steal them, lol.</p>
<p>^haha lol so you think you're a pretty good writer then, huh?</p>
<p>jk thanks for your response. it's enlightening. i used to feel the same way till i actually cranked out an essay of my own and now i'm desparate for unbiased advice (unlike the kind i get from my parents, teachers, etc.)</p>
<p>Essays are vessels for personal thought. "Borrowing" another person's ideas and experiences shows a bankruptcy of imagination. </p>
<p>Having said that, essays that are authentically personal are not easily transferable. </p>
<p>Colleges expect students to seek help to improve their communication of their own unique experiences, ideas and aspirations in their essays. That is why forums such as this exist and are invaluable. Of course, students should be encouraged in the first instance to approach their English teachers, their parents, or even peers they know well for assistance. The problem is that not everyone has access to teachers and adults who can help or do so in a timely fashion. Some pay professionals to edit their essays or help with counseling with the admissions process. They are the fortunate few with means. Thus, we are back to the value of this forum.</p>
<p>As part of their due diligence, I would suggest people seeking help spend time reviewing the past posts of those who volunteer to read their essays to understand their backgrounds, the schools they aspire to, etc. </p>
<p>Ultimately, any forum which relies on the services of a well-meaning community of volunteers will remain vulnerable to those who will seek "free-rider" advantages.</p>
<p>You can't really "steal" a piece of an essay.
If you haven't notice, most essays have a tone that is unique to itself.
If the person who is trying to steal it actually spends the time editing it so it fits his essay, he is better off just writing his own essay.</p>