It was posted on the Johns Hopkins “Essays that worked” and I had never seen it before in my life, but the concept and way everything is tied together is very similar. I’m worried that an admissions officer might think I copied but I didn’t (obviously the admissions officer wont know that). is it too risky?
Should I scrap my common app and start over?
they are pretty similar,( not the content, but the metaphor which goes through the entire piece)
If you didn’t copy it or look at that website while writing your essay, I would recommend you keep your essay. A college won’t actively check for plagiarism unless they are told about this essay being plagiarized (I remember one story I read when an AO talked with another AO and found out that way an essay was copied from the internet), or they somehow stumble upon that “Essays that Worked” Essay. But honestly, if the content is not identical I wouldn’t be too worried.
As long as you’re not talking about shopping at Costco you are probably ok.
There is nothing new under the sun.
what are you writing about