In the age of rapidly improving technology, it seems we can have anything at the touch of a button. The emergence of the gig economy means we can have food delivered, get a ride, or have our house cleaned simply by using an app. We live in a world of convenience—as long as we're willing to pay for it.

And it's no secret to college students, but if you want to pay someone to write a paper for you—there are numerous apps for that. Just because you can, however, doesn't mean you should. The stakes are high. If you decide to pay for an essay or assignment, you could be accused of academic misconduct by your college or university.

How Common Are Essay-Writing Services?

It's unclear just how many students use essay or assignment writing services, but the large number of companies offering these services indicates that many, many students are paying for papers and assignments.

Why Use An Essay Writing Service?

Some students may use the services because they're in a time crunch. They may be involved in too many outside activities and fail to carve out time to complete their assignments. Some may simply find themselves with a bad case of writer's block. Perhaps some students don't believe their writing skills are strong enough to write a paper on their own.

Can Paying for a Paper Get You in Trouble?

Yes, paying for a paper is more than likely a violation of your college or university's academic honesty policies. Simply put: it's cheating.

While you may think you can get away with it because the writing service is creating original work, there is still a good chance you'll get caught. For one, if the writing service you're using uses plagiarized work, your school could easily detect the plagiarism. Or perhaps you tell your roommate about the essay-writing service, and they file a report against you. There are many ways your school could find out that you've violated its policies by paying for a paper or assignment.

False Accusations

Maybe your school has accused you of using a paper-writing service when you did not. This can happen when a professor believes your paper or assignment looks like higher quality work than they normally see, or maybe the assignment looks fishy for some other reason. These accusations could lead you into disciplinary trouble. In this situation, it's important that you have legal support to ensure your rights are protected.

What Happens If You're Accused of Cheating?

If you are caught using one of these services to complete your assignments (or you're falsely accused of using one), the consequences will vary depending on your disciplinary history.

The school will probably have some type of hearing process in place for academic misconduct, and you may have to go before a disciplinary board.

If you're found responsible, you will likely receive some type of punishment. You may receive a zero on the assignment, or face probation, suspension, or even expulsion.

You may be entitled to appeal the disciplinary decision if the university failed to follow proper procedures or issued overly harsh sanctions against you.

Nationwide Legal Help

If you or your child has been accused of using an essay-writing service, contact attorney Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team. Attorney Lento and his expert team can explain your rights and represent you in the disciplinary proceedings at the school and university level. Call the Lento Law Firm now at 888.535.3686 or reach out online.