College essay grader for US applicants
For high school students applying to US colleges: paste your essay and get a score on six criteria, the lines from your essay behind each score, and the three things to fix first. Free, no signup, and we never rewrite your words.
The six criteria we score
Every essay is graded on the same six criteria, each from 1 to 5. Here is what a high score and a low score look like on each one.
Voice and authenticity. A strong essay sounds like one specific person talking. The words are ones you would say out loud, and the opinions have an edge. A weak essay could be swapped between applicants without anyone noticing. It leans on phrases such as "passion for learning" or "make a difference", or on words that look borrowed from a thesaurus.
Specific detail. A strong essay puts the reader in a place at a time: the room, the object, the number, the exact thing someone said. A weak essay summarizes. "I learned the value of teamwork" tells the reader nothing that a scene would not show better, and a list of awards repeats what your activities list already says.
Reflection and insight. A strong essay says what changed in how you think or act, and shows it with a later moment. It can admit what you still do not know. A weak essay either tells the story and stops, or ends on a lesson stuck on like a label: "and that taught me never to give up".
Structure and flow. A strong essay opens inside a moment, moves forward paragraph by paragraph, and ends by adding something new. A weak essay opens with a dictionary definition or a quotation, has paragraphs that could be put in any order, or closes by repeating the introduction.
Prompt fit. A strong essay clearly answers the prompt you chose, and you could name that prompt from the essay alone. If you chose a topic of your own, it still has one clear center. A weak essay was written first and matched to a prompt afterward, or answers half of the question.
Language and mechanics. A strong essay has clean grammar, sentences that vary in length, and a rhythm that suits the story. A weak essay repeats the same error, runs sentences together, or pads with filler. Casual wording, contractions and short fragments are not penalized when they are on purpose.
How the score works
Scores add up to a total from 6 to 30, which maps to a band: Needs work (6 to 14), Developing (15 to 20), Solid (21 to 25) and Strong (26 to 30). There is no 100-point score and no chance of admission, because a writing score cannot predict a decision.
The grader is told that most competent essays belong at 3. A 5 is for a criterion where there is almost nothing to fix. Any score of 4 or higher has to quote a sentence from your essay as evidence. We then check that the sentence appears in your text, word for word, ignoring capitals and spacing. If it does not, that criterion is capped at 3 and the result says "We could not verify this quote".
The descriptions behind the scores are written by us. They are not trained on, or checked against, real admissions essays, and we do not claim they match how any college reads an application.
How to use the feedback
- Read the three fixes first. They are the problems that cost the most points, with a direction for each. They are not replacement sentences.
- Pick one fix and change the essay yourself, in your own words.
- Show the new version to a teacher, counselor or someone who knows you. A human reader catches what a score cannot.
- Grade it again if you want. Free use is limited to 2 gradings a day, so change something real between runs.
EssayScore does not rewrite or polish sentences, and nothing it returns is meant to be pasted into your essay. Your essay should stay yours.
How it differs from asking a general chatbot
You can paste an essay into a general AI chatbot and ask for a grade. That works, and it costs nothing. These are the differences in how EssayScore is built:
- The same six criteria and the same 1 to 5 scale every time, instead of a rubric you have to write in the prompt.
- Every score of 4 or higher must point to a sentence that exists in your essay, and we check that by exact text match.
- Output has no rewritten sentences.
- No account, and no stored essay.
What a chatbot does that we do not: answer follow-up questions and rewrite on request. If you want that, a chatbot is the right tool.
Who this is not for
- Applicants to UK universities. UCAS statements work differently; see our personal statement page.
- Anyone who wants a decision predicted. We do not estimate whether you will get in.
- Anyone who wants the essay written or polished for them.
- Under-13s. You must be 13 or older to use the site.
- Essays under 80 or over 800 words.
Please follow the rules of each school you apply to about using AI tools. EssayScore gives writing feedback only, and you are responsible for how you use it.
More: personal statement checker and pricing.
Questions
Is EssayScore really free?
Yes. You get 2 gradings per day without signing up, with the full result each time: total, six scores, quoted evidence and three fixes. The limit resets at 00:00 UTC. Paid options are not open yet; see Pricing.
Do you store my essay?
No. We do not store your essay or the feedback. To write the feedback, your essay is sent to an AI model provider, and that provider's own terms apply to what it does with it. Details are in the Privacy page.
Can I use this and still follow my school's AI rules?
That is up to you and your schools. EssayScore gives feedback and does not write or rewrite any text for you, but some schools have rules about AI tools at any stage. Please check them before you use any AI tool and follow them.
Why does it not rewrite my sentences?
Because the essay is meant to be yours. Rewrites also push every essay toward the same smooth voice, which is the opposite of what the first criterion rewards. You get the problem and a direction, and you do the writing.
What does my score mean?
It is a writing score on our six criteria, from 6 to 30, with a band name. It is not a prediction of admission and not a comparison with other applicants. Use the quoted evidence and the three fixes more than the number.
Can children under 13 use it?
No. You must be 13 or older. If you are under 18, ask a parent or guardian before you use the site.
Paste your essay and see the scores.
Six scores with quoted evidence and the 3 fixes to make first. Free, no signup.
Grade my essay