Every year, thousands of struggling students are tempted to pay somebody else to do academic work for them. One of the most pervasive forms of not doing your own work is using one of many online essay mills to write or complete essays. Education supplements and even universities realise that they are there; they are not illegal. However, there could be massive implications for your study if you use them.
The Expense
The first reason you should not use these services is that they are expensive services. They generally charge upwards of £300 per essay; more for these and longer project work. This is a lot of money in itself, but for students on a tight budget, it is an enormous chunk of the term’s student loan. Could you really afford one essay, let alone a series of essays? Save yourself the money and do your own work.
You Don’t Know What You’re Getting
The cheapness of available written copy on the internet, especially from the developing world, means you are taking a real risk with the work’s quality. Several major student researchers have purchased essays from content mills and found them (in some cases) total nonsense. Common problems include glaring factual errors, garbled and nonsensical language and out and out plagiarism from website such as Wikipedia.
You Will Get Caught
It may pass Turn It In, but that doesn’t mean it won’t pass your lecturer’s eyes. Nothing compares to the human brain for picking out inconsistences. Over the years, your lecturers have become adept at picking out your writing style, individual quirks and use of language. If that suddenly changes, red flags will go up in his or her brain that something isn’t quite right. It might not be the first time you use an Essay Mill, but someone will find you out.
You’re Only Cheating Yourself
It’s an age old trope, but it is just as true now as it was then. It’s no different from copying your best friend’s homework. It’s no better than copy-pasting from Wikipedia. Cheating is cheating, and at university, the stakes are higher. Lecturers will notice a rogue essay. They will also notice the difference between persistent high achievement in essays and poor performance in exams. The difference will be so large that you couldn’t dismiss it as merely not liking exams.
If You Are Struggling Academically
There are answers that do not involve using essay mills. There is no shame in asking for help. Lecturers and other faculty would prefer that students struggling with academic or emotional problems during the course of their studies seek the right help so they can guide you in the right direction. A degree is stressful and if you cannot cope, there is no shame in leaving the course. However, there will always be steps to follow first.