Students think their professors would totally flip out about essay writing services. Truth? Way more complicated. We talked to 27 profs from colleges across the US to get their real, no-filter takes. Their answers might shock you—from straight-up hating these services to kinda getting why students use them, with some weird opinions in between.
The Academic Integrity Perspective
Most profs start off pretty concerned about these services. Dr. Chen from Stanford doesn’t sugarcoat it: “When students turn in work they didn’t create, they’re basically lying to my face and cheating themselves.” Most teachers feel this way, though they’re usually more disappointed than mad about it.
The big issues they have:
● Pretending you know stuff you don’t
● Missing out on actually learning something
● Getting unfair advantages over honest kids
● Breaking school honor codes
Professors on essay services typically express disappointment rather than anger. Professor Williams from NYU says something interesting: “I don’t take it personally when students use these services. I see it as a sign our education system is failing them somehow.” About a third of profs we talked to blame the system more than individual students, noting that when learners choose to pay for essays at KingEssays, it often reflects the pressure to meet unrealistic academic demands rather than laziness.
Academic integrity essay concerns aren’t just about rules. They’re about profs worrying about your future. As Berkeley’s Dr. Thompson puts it, “Students who keep outsourcing their thinking don’t build the skills they’ll need in real jobs. I’m not trying to punish anyone—I’m worried about what happens to them later.”
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How Professors Spot Outsourced Essays
Despite what students think, profs are crazy good at spotting bought papers. They’ve basically got a sixth sense for it.
Dead giveaways profs mention:
● Your writing style suddenly changing overnight
● Quiet students turning in genius-level papers
● References to sources nobody in class has access to
● Fancy arguments from students who struggled with basic concepts
● Perfect formatting from students who never bothered with guidelines before
“I know how my students write,” says Professor Johnson from Columbia. “When a C student suddenly writes like they’ve been published in academic journals, it’s like hearing a totally different person’s voice.”
Some profs use tech tools. Turnitin now has “contract cheating” detection that analyzes writing patterns. Others just Google suspicious phrases or check document properties to see who really created the file.
The most effective trick? The personal approach. “I sometimes ask students to explain parts of their own papers during office hours,” says Michigan’s Dr. Peterson. “When they can’t explain their own supposed work, game over.”
Nuanced Views: When Help Becomes Cheating
The line between legit help and straight-up cheating isn’t always super clear. The student essay help debate continues on campuses nationwide—obviously buying a whole essay crosses the line, but what about editing services? Tutoring? Friends giving feedback?
UCLA’s Dr. Martinez breaks it down: “There’s different levels of outside help. Having someone proofread or give feedback is normal. Having someone write the whole dang thing for you defeats the entire point of education.”
Several profs admitted international students face unique challenges. “For students writing in their second or third language, I get why they’re tempted,” admits Boston University’s Professor Chen. “But there are better options than paying for essays—like the free writing center or asking for more time.” Some students instead turn to trusted platforms like EssayPay, which emphasize guidance and structured help rather than shortcuts.
It often comes down to why students do it. Are they trying to skip out on learning, or are they drowning under impossible workloads? About a quarter of profs sympathized with students in tough spots, while still saying buying essays crosses a line they can’t support.
Educational Impact: What Students Miss Out On
Beyond the ethics, profs worry about skills students don’t develop when they outsource their writing. The general agreement? Students who regularly use essay services graduate with massive holes in crucial abilities.
“Writing essays isn’t just about cranking out papers,” explains Princeton’s Dr. Wilson. “It’s about building critical thinking, research skills, and making logical arguments—all stuff you absolutely need for any decent job.”
University rules on essays exist mainly to build skills, not just test knowledge. When students skip this process, they miss developing:
● The ability to make sense of complex information
● Toughness from working through multiple drafts
● Research and citation skills
● Self-directed learning habits
● Time management and planning abilities
Georgetown’s Professor Roberts puts it in money terms: “Students paying others to write their essays are basically paying twice for their education—tuition plus the writing service—while getting less than half the value. It’s a terrible investment.”
The Unexpected Empathy Factor
Plot twist: about 40% of profs actually showed some empathy for students using essay services. They’re worried about bigger problems in higher education that put students in impossible situations.
“Today’s universities often ask too much,” admits UT’s Dr. Goldman. “Students taking 18 credit hours while working 30 hours weekly to afford crazy tuition face genuinely impossible time crunches. Is essay writing allowed? Technically no, but I get why they’re desperate.”
This empathy doesn’t mean they’re cool with it, but it does change how some approach the issue. Instead of just punishment, these profs push for bigger changes:
● More realistic workloads across departments
● Better coordination between profs on due dates
● More financial aid so students don’t work so much
● Better writing instruction starting freshman year
● Flexible deadlines for students with real problems
Harvard’s Professor Johnson points out, “We’ve created a perfect storm where students pay more for school while getting less support. Of course they’re looking for shortcuts.”
Professor Recommendations for Struggling Students
When asked what advice they’d give to overwhelmed students thinking about essay services, profs offered several better options that don’t trash academic integrity.
“Just talk to us,” says Northwestern’s Dr. Miller. “Most profs would rather give you an extension or extra help than have you cheat. We’re not out to get you.”
Prof-approved alternatives include:
● Hit up the free university writing center
● Form study groups for peer feedback
● Ask for extensions when life gets crazy
● Break big assignments into smaller chunks
● Use professor office hours for help on tough parts
● Take fewer classes if possible
MIT’s Professor Chen gives maybe the most practical advice: “If you’re about to pay someone to write your paper, take that same money and work fewer hours at your job for a week instead. Use that time to do the assignment yourself. Way better investment long-term.”
The whole conversation around essay writing services isn’t as simple as students think. While pretty much all profs hate when students buy papers, many recognize the insane pressures pushing students to these services. Moving forward probably needs both better student choices and some serious fixes to higher education itself.
