Doing Papers for College Students

[Cristen Wyght]

I recently encountered a site that they are paying at least $25 to $250 depending on the complexity of the subject matter to write papers, assignments for students. This is very lucrative to those who are looking for ways to augment their income, but how about the learnings of the students? What do you think?

[Thrif-t]

I think it's cheating, right? And don't let my son know about this because I can see him in a few years when he's in college going to this black market to get his papers done.

[disneysteve]

Obviously this is cheating but it's certainly nothing new. This has been going on for as long as there have been essays needing writing, long before the internet was around. There's nothing you can do about it except instill in your own kids a sense of right and wrong. They should know that the point isn't to pay someone else to do your work for you. The point is for you to put out the effort and hopefully learn something in the process.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

Just yesterday I came across a site like that, too. I was curious how much they might offer, but did not click to look any further. The idea kind of disgusts me.

When I was tutoring, a woman referred a relative to me. The referred family was used to throwing around money to buy advantages for their kid. I worked with that kid a few times on his math and literature; he was a nice enough kid. But soon, the mother wanted me to write papers for him and fill in the answers to take-home tests! Of course, I would not do that. That same year, the mother called me to tell me that her son had not gotten into the competitive high school and to ask me how she could bribe his way in! Just like that-- she outright asked how to pass a bribe.

Since I still see the woman who originally referred this kid, I heard how he's doing now. Just took his ACT and got a 17. Oh, mom wants him to be a doctor. Sorry, but that is extremely unlikely to happen. Anyway, I imagine the mother has found people to write papers, take tests, and do homework for the kid, but that is not really going to help him in life.

[scfr]

I recently encountered a site that they are paying at least $25 to $250 depending on the complexity of the subject matter to write papers, assignments for students. This is very lucrative to those who are looking for ways to augment their income, but how about the learnings of the students? What do you think?

I think it's horrible and unethical.

The only reason I would ever consider such a way of making money would be if NOT doing it would even more unethical. In other words, if I had children who were starving and I had exhausted almost all of my other options for how to find food or earn money to buy food to feed them, then I would probably consider it. At least it would be better than turning to shop-lifting or prostitution or drug dealing (in my mind at least). But really, surely someone who is smart enough to be able to write an essay that someone would be willing to pay for, is smart enough to figure out a more ethical way to earn money.

[Randomsaver]

Just think of it as sub-contracting.

Corporate America's homework is to do its job. Someone outside of America is willing to do the homework for 80% of the price. Corporate America subcontracts foreign company to do its homework for them.

[Gailete]

I did my own papers and managed to get into college on my grade and application itself, but that was a very long time ago. While there I typed plenty of term papers. I do remember one, that the writer handed me his bunch of papers, handed me my fee (I think $2/page) and took off for Christmas vacation. I ran into so many problems, spelling errors, scribles I couldn't interpret, etc. I wrote a note to the professor to say I had done my best but some I just couldn't decipher. I have no clue what he got as a grade on that paper. I can't imagine writing an entire paper for someone. I suppose the really bright person, once they did the paper once could re-sell it around the country until some bright professor noticed that it was the same paper he had read at another university. I don't know what is in the mind of these kids (and their parents) that think any way that they can get junior into Harvard is worth it, which I doubt. Once I had a job, no one cared what high school or college or even nursing school that I went to. I was judged on actual preformance and these kids won't be able to preform at all after never having done any of the studying. I saw new nursing grads fresh out of their BSN programs (I was a diploma grad whose school was top in the nation the year I took my state boards for ALL nursing prporams - yeah us!). The new grads had no nursing skills and one in particular, any distasteful job she would find a way to gt around it by telling the other nursing she 'didn't know how'! Grrr, especially because I had taught her, or at leat tried to teach her how to do it. Don't most folks know that becoming a nurse means some acquantice with the 3Ps - puke, pee, and poo? I've seen resumes and work apps from new nurses that say they will only work 9-5 and no weekends. ROFL! I was in my 11th year of nursing before I got that sort of shift.

[tom_a]

If a student wants, he learns, and if he is lazy, then this is a great way to earn other people. Nobody makes anyone.

[bjl584]

This is nothing new. I'd be careful trying it now though. Colleges have gotten smarter, and some professors are scanning term papers through a program that can identify plagiarism. The program will search term paper data bases from popular websites and look for copying.

You're best bet is to find someone smart and have them write the paper for you from scratch, and keep it off the grid.

This is obviously unethical and can get you expelled from school. I can however see why someone would hire someone to do a paper for them. Especially if it is for an elective class that has nothing to do with their major. If the college is going to force them to pay tons of money to take a bunch of b.s. courses, then why not stick it to them a little bit?

As a disclaimer, I can say that I went through college and grad school and never cheated or plagiarized work. I know people that did however. They all got away with it by the way.

[disneysteve]

Especially if it is for an elective class that has nothing to do with their major. If the college is going to force them to pay tons of money to take a bunch of b.s. courses, then why not stick it to them a little bit?

The key word here is elective. That means you chose to take that class. I realize you may have taken it to fill a credit requirement but if you commit to the class then you commit to doing the required class work.

As for a class not relating to your major, I find that mindset disturbing. We need more liberal arts education, not less. Just because someone wants to be a _____ (insert desired profession here) doesn't mean they shouldn't also have some knowledge and appreciation of topics outside of that field whether it be literature, art, history, music, science, or whatever.

Obviously I'm not in favor of cheating your way through college.