Hey there, I'm kinda stressed about the originality of my essays. Does anyone know if the Common App uses Turnitin or some sort of plagiarism checker on our personal statements? Just want to make sure I'm all clear ahead of submission!
Hello there! It's completely understandable that you're making sure your essay is original and ready for submission. To answer your question, yes, the Common Application has in the past used plagiarism detection services to ensure that all submitted essays are original work. While they haven't specifically mentioned Turnitin by name, this means that your essay will likely be checked against a vast database of work to check for originality.
As long as you've written your essay yourself and haven't used others' words or ideas without attribution, you should have no reason to worry. Plagiarism checks are there to maintain a fair admissions process by ensuring that all applicants' submissions are indeed their own. If you've used any quotes or distinctive ideas from other sources, be sure to properly credit them in your essay to avoid any issues.
If you're feeling unsure, you can always run your essay through an originality checker yourself before submission. This can give you peace of mind. Remember, your personal statement is meant to reflect your own thoughts and experiences, and I'm sure you have plenty of originality to bring to the table. Keep up the good work!
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