Twin Cities essay mill under scrutiny

"In addition to the many ethical considerations, students who hire third parties to do their work for them run the very real risk of getting expelled for submitting work that's not their own. The old adage still holds: Students who cheat are not just cheating the system, they're cheating themselves."

Dana Badgerow, president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau, in an announcement voicing ethical concerns over Writingcompany.com, a 13-year-old Apple-Valley firm that writes essays for students in high school and college.

Although A's are supposedly guaranteed, the Star Tribune reports that the firm has had a number of complaints over its ability to meet deadlines and the timeliness of its refunds.

Recently, a University of Minnesota journalism department Chairman Dan Wackman gave a sample essay a C and said it didn't follow Modern Language Association (MLA) standards, the paper writes.

(The link above probably doesn't seem to load. The Star Tribune notes that the company has been difficult to contact and apparently has moved out of Apple Valley.)

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