Can I Get Help Writing My College Essay? Yes!

As spring arrives many high school juniors are being asked to start thinking about planning for college applications next fall. Most students apply to colleges using the Common App and part of the application process includes writing a 250-650 word essay that highlights the student’s background, interests, and preparation for college. 

The seven Common App essay prompts haven’t changed for next year’s application cycle, so we recommend that students take a look at those options and spend some time in the next few months brainstorming answers for each one. This can be as easy as jotting down some ideas and notes on your phone or in a notebook. Then, when summer break provides more free time, students can choose one prompt to answer and devote additional time to writing, editing, and tweaking their application essay.  

As part of this writing process, students may wonder about what kind of help they could or should get. Can someone else give you an idea to write about? Can someone else review your work and give you feedback? Yes to both of these! But can someone else write your essay for you? No! What about using AI? Here are some guidelines for using AI ethically in order to ensure integrity, originality, and fair use:

AI Pros

AI can be a fantastic tool for brainstorming ideas, improving grammar, rewording sentences, or even summarizing complex topics. Many students use these types of tools to refine their writing, generate outlines, or clarify their thoughts before drafting their own work.

AI Cons

Problems arise when AI-generated content is relied on too heavily without students making it their own. In academic settings, submitting an essay written entirely by an AI tool is considered plagiarism. 

Best Practices for Ethical AI Use

• Use AI as an Assistant, Not a Replacement – Let AI help with structure, grammar, and idea generation, but ensure the final work is your own.

• Maintain Authenticity – Your unique voice, experiences, and insights matter. AI should enhance, not replace, personal expression. Your work must be in your own voice!

• Check Institutional Guidelines – Schools and workplaces may have specific AI policies—always check and adhere to them.

• Cite When Necessary – If you use AI-generated content verbatim, disclose it appropriately.

  
  

Understanding the college application process can help reduce stress and improve success! 

Confident College Planning guides students and families to find colleges which best meet their personal needs and interests through services like planning discussions for exploring majors, making college lists and college visits, and individualized attention for essay editing, application review and tracking, scholarship research, and funding strategies. Contact me at nancy@confidentcollegeplanning.com for a discussion on how I can help you in your college planning process!