The ethical dilemma of using a personal essay writing service for a core major class

[Patricia]

I’m in a bit of a moral pickle here and I really need some outside perspectives. I’m a junior majoring in Political Science, and I’ve got this final paper for my "Theories of Justice" class that’s worth like 40% of my grade. It’s on Rawls and Nozick, and honestly, my brain is just fried. I work 25 hours a week at a coffee shop to pay for this tuition, and between that and my other classes, I have practically zero time to breathe, let alone craft a perfectly argued 15-page essay.

I’ve been looking into a personal essay writing service just to get some help structuring my arguments or maybe even writing a draft I can then edit heavily. My roommate says I’m overthinking it and that everyone does it, but he also failed his ethics class last semester, so... I’m not talking about just buying a pre-written paper and submitting it. I genuinely want to learn the material, but the pressure to get a good grade is immense.

I feel like using such a service for a class that’s literally about moral philosophy is the ultimate irony and I’d be cheating myself. But then again, is it cheating, or is it just using available resources to manage an impossible workload? Has anyone here used a service for a super intense, theory-heavy class and actually found it helpful for learning, not just for getting the grade?

I’m genuinely torn between my principles and my GPA.

 

[Sonya]

I'm gonna be real with you, Patricia. I used a service once for a philosophy paper junior year. Similar situation—overworked, overwhelmed, desperate.

Here's what happened: The paper came back and it was... fine. Good grammar, decent structure, totally generic. I turned it in, got a B+, and felt empty. Because when the professor wrote comments about my "interesting take on Kant," I had nothing to say. I couldn't defend it. I couldn't even explain it.

The worst part? A month later, in a different class, we referenced Kant again and I realized I had learned nothing from that first paper. I had paid someone to steal my own education from me.

I ended up dropping that class and retaking it later just to actually learn the material. Cost me more time and money in the long run.

If you're struggling, use office hours, use the writing center, use literally anything except a service. Your future self will thank you.