u/Total-Bread331

This semester, a professor took a hardline stance against AI in essays. The policy was clear, repeated often, and even framed as a plea: "Just give me your raw, unfiltered ideas—perfection isn’t the goal!" The message was simple: no ChatGPT, no shortcuts.

For the most part, it worked. The submissions were far from polished, but at least they were (theoretically) human. Still, a few students couldn’t resist the temptation of AI-generated slop.

When the final essay rolled around, the professor offered a lifeline: "If you’re caught using ChatGPT, you get a second chance. Take a blue book test—write a few paragraphs by hand, prove you can think for yourself, and you’ll still get full credit."

Two students jumped at the opportunity. The third? Instant tears.

"But I won’t pass the test!" they wailed.

"It doesn’t have to be perfect—just try," came the response.

The student stormed out, still crying, and never showed up for the test.

The conclusion? This wasn’t just laziness—it was full-blown AI dependency. The kind where someone can’t string together a paragraph without a bot doing the heavy lifting. And now the big question lingers: How did someone who can’t write a single original sentence end up in an advanced writing class?

What’s happening in education when students can’t even attempt to write without AI? The system might need a serious check-up.

I am attempting the 2026 session of the John Locke institute essay competition. Going decently so far, but I am worried about one thing: John Locke institute uses many AI detection algorithms; what if they flag my essay as AI generated too? I am taking as many crucial steps as I can to avoid this, like writing my essay in google docs, so that I have version history. I have also been passing my essay from time to time through AI detection websites. They come out as 80-90% AI. I know that such AI detectors aren't accurate at all, but how do I use professional and fancy language in my essay without making them think it is AI? It is a prestigious essay competition, so I must use professional language. And I can't intentionally make spelling mistakes, as that would be a sign of recklessness. I AM IN A DILEMMA HERE PLEASE HELP!! (Please don't DM me with things like "I will humanize your essay for you", and stuff like that. Please keep any advice and conversations to this post only, thanks!)