Thanks for writing about this, Daniella. It's so widespread and so accepted that it feels as if trying to make it through school on your own is a lost cause.

When I took a contract position revising college admissions essays for kids trying to get into elite universities, my mentor questioned the ethics. Glibly, I pointed out that not everyone had someone like her - the woman who went over my admissions essay endlessly and helped me get into Columbia University.

I could kind of rationalize that but I won't take a job with one of these essay mills where I'm the one earning the grade. Screw that.

It's disheartening and I'm glad someone's yelling about it!