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Do colleges find out if you reuse essays for different applications?

Hey everyone, I've been working on my college applications and was wondering if colleges are aware if students use the same essay for multiple applications. Is it risky to use the same content, or should I tailor each essay to the specific college? Thanks in advance!

11 months ago

Hey there! It's completely normal to wonder if it's okay to reuse essays for different applications. Colleges don't typically have a way of knowing if you've submitted the same essay to multiple institutions, as long as they aren't all on a specific writing prompt unique to each school.

That being said, it's always a good idea to tailor your essay to make it more specific to the college you're applying to. This shows that you've put thought into why that school would be a good fit for you, and it can make a better impression on the admissions team. When my child was applying to colleges, they reused some parts of their essay but made sure to tweak it according to each college's values and strengths.

While it's tempting to save time by reusing content, putting in the extra effort to customize your essay can definitely make a difference in the eyes of admissions officers. Best of luck with your applications!

11 months ago

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