<p>I also want to add, that although the friends who helped were wrong, they were afterall just trying to be a friend and on one hand you have to commend that they were trying to bail their friend out who clearly doesn't cut the mustard. Wrong as they were, they were trying to help and now you are thinking about ruining their lives/college potential? I am sorry but it seems wrong, if my s. was in this poisition there is no way that I would allow him to do that, stay within your business, you dont' have to police everyone around you, that normally does so by itself. Trust me, this kid has to live up to his application in college and he will have to do that by himself, that is retribution enough. I say stay far away from doing anything you may regret and remember any help rendered was done out of the goodness of someones heart obviously taking pity on someone not fully capable of doing it himself. You also don't know what other circumstances might be present.</p>
<p>If you truly want to help your "friend", talk to him about the consequences this could have on his life ten years down the line. If he understands, ask him to simply withdraw his application from the college and bury the hatchet for good. If he comes clean on his own will, good enough; if he doesn't, drop it right there. Anonymously tipping off the college comes more out of hatred than friendship. If he refuses to recognise the potential risks at this stage, let him go on and learn a good lesson in life; the college will probably realise his poor sense of judgement sooner or later and will expel him. Notifying the college yourself would leave this young man fretting and without a true realisation of what he did was wrong.</p>
<p>As I said earlier, it all comes down to whether you wish to help your friend, or you just need an easy outlet to vent out your own aggravations.</p>
<p>He will get punished for this sooner or later in life...
My advice wud b don't bother with it</p>
<p>I'm impressed you raised the question. I am indignant as well- there are many kids who work their butts off and submit an honest application and are no doubt passed over for candidates with embellished credentials and copied essays. Be proud that what you did was what you earned.</p>
<p>I think the issue of proof is key, and I don't know how you can prove the essay's authorship. Do you have a good relationship with the Guidance Counselor? Because that is the person who can handle this, at least the activity dishonesty. And if you don't have a good relationship, maybe send something here anonymously. I don't think it's appropriate to contact the college directly, and I doubt they would give you much credence because they no doubt get sniping notes from students in competition for admission slots. I know that's not the case here, but they won't know that.</p>
<p>As for the assertions that being caught will ruin someone's life, I disagree. Sometimes being caught helps get a person back on track. And I do believe in karma. And if you need someone's help to get into college, you probably are going to struggle once you are there. It is much harder to cheat in college- he will be caught. </p>
<p>As for the friend who wrote the essay, that sounds like a nice person who doesn't have the strength to say no to an overpowering manipulative person. I do feel for him, bad judgment and all.</p>
<p>"If you truly want to help your "friend", talk to him about the consequences this could have on his life ten years down the line. "</p>
<p>I suggest even more: Tell your friend how you personally feel about his actions. Often what helps young people change their unethical ways is knowing that their friends don't approve of what they are doing. Even if your friend doesn't change now, your expressing your opinion may help him change down the road.</p>
<p>Just a postscript -- relevant to one poster's comments about knowing several cases of acquaintances whose parents wrote or contributed heavily to the college essays:</p>
<p>One of my adult friends, frustrated at her daughter's procrastination, quality of essay, & reluctance to apply to certain schools the <em>mother</em> wanted for the student, took it upon herself to inject phrases into her daughter's essay. I know that because one day, in desperation, the mother emailed me the (revised) essay & asked for my opinion -- since I do review student essays (one of my alumn roles -- but it wasn't for my alma mater in this case!).</p>
<p>Anyone who has lived two days over age 21 would have immediately seen the adult hand in the essay. One phrase was SO adult that it was laughable. No high school student, however bright, would speak that way.</p>
<p>The outcome? Student was denied at almost every school. She is, unhappily, attending her safety right now. Further, the Mom had the audacity to "apply" to a highly selective east coast LAC (on CC's top LAC list) on her daughter's behalf, ghostwriting her app. D didn't get in there, either.</p>
<p>Most times, colleges really do see through this stuff.</p>