Frequently asked questions
Will Margin write my essay for me?
No. Margin never writes or rewrites your essay. It brainstorms with you, gives feedback on structure and substance, and helps sharpen your language — but every word stays yours. See Authorship: the words stay yours → for the full explanation.
Is this cheating?
No. Margin works the same way a writing tutor, teacher, or admissions counselor would: asking questions, pointing out what's working and what isn't, helping you think more clearly. It never generates essay content for you to submit. Colleges expect students to get feedback on their essays; that's exactly what Margin provides, nothing more.
Does it work with the Common App?
Yes. Margin includes all seven Common App personal statement prompts, plus support for any college supplemental essay or scholarship essay — just paste the prompt.
Can I upload supplemental essays?
Yes. Choose "college supplemental essay" or "scholarship essay," paste the specific prompt and word limit, and Margin tailors its feedback accordingly.
Is my essay private?
Your essays and drafts are private to your own account. See our Privacy Policy → for full details on what's stored and how it's protected.
Can parents see my essays?
No. A student's essay-feedback workspace — prompts, drafts, feedback, notes, and conversations — stays private to the student. The Application Manager is separate: a student may choose to share individual application tasks or invite supporters to an application workspace. Supporters see only the application information the student deliberately shares; essay text is never exposed through the Application Manager.
I'm a parent — how do I pay for my student?
Use the parent checkout →. You'll pay with your own email — that's where the receipt goes and how you manage billing — and enter your student's email at checkout: the address they'll sign in to Margin with. See our page for parents → for the full walkthrough.
Does my student need a Margin account before I pay?
No. If they already have one, the subscription attaches to it immediately. If they don't, it waits for them — the first time they sign in with the email you entered, it's there. They can sign up before or after you pay, in either order.
What if I enter the wrong email for my student?
Email hello@margin.education and we'll move the subscription to the right address. This comes up most often when a student has both a school email and a personal one — the subscription connects to whichever address they actually sign in with, so it's worth confirming with them before you pay.
I'm paying for two students. Do I buy twice?
For personalized essay feedback, yes. Each student needs their own Monthly or Season Pass because each plan covers one private essay-feedback workspace. The Application Manager works differently: one $75 purchase includes four household seats in any combination of students and supporters, and each student receives a separate private application workspace.
How do I cancel or update my card?
Go to Manage billing → and sign in with the email you paid with. You can cancel a monthly subscription there anytime, no email required. Season Pass refunds follow our refund policy below.
What happens if a student writes about something hard?
They should be able to. Some of the strongest college essays go to difficult places, and Margin is built to work with that material seriously rather than steer a student away from it. Writing honestly about something difficult won't cause Margin to contact a parent, a school, or a counselor. If something a student writes suggests they may be in danger, Margin will say so plainly and point them toward people who can actually help — and those support resources are on Margin's home screen from day one, no essay required. Our Student Safety Statement → explains exactly what Margin does and doesn't do.
Can counselors use Margin with their students?
Yes. Counselors can nominate up to five students for a full free season, and Margin is available to the rest of a caseload at regular pricing. See our page for counselors → for the details.
Do I have to stop working with my tutor or counselor?
Not at all. Margin can be your only essay help, or it can make the help you already have go further — you show up to that meeting with your fourth draft instead of your first, and spend the time on what only a person who knows you beyond your submissions can give.
Who is Margin for?
Margin is built for anyone working on a college admissions essay, a scholarship essay, or a transfer application essay — whatever stage of that process you're in. If you're staring at a prompt and need real feedback, Margin is for you.
How is AI used in Margin?
Margin's feedback is generated by AI, designed around teaching principles developed from working with real students on high-stakes writing. See Authorship → for the complete picture, including exactly where the line is.
Can colleges detect that I used Margin?
Margin doesn't write your essay, so there's no generated text in your submission. That said, no honest company can promise you'll never be flagged by a detector — those tools are inconsistent, and research has shown they misflag real student writing, particularly from non-native English speakers. The durable protection is an essay so specific to your own experience and voice that it couldn't have been written by anyone else. That's what Margin helps you produce. See Authorship → for more on detectors.
What if I already have a full draft?
Choose "I already have a draft" from the home screen to go straight to feedback and editing — you don't have to start from brainstorming if you don't need to.
What does it cost?
Personalized essay feedback is $100/month or $500 for a Season Pass at the standard rate; current Founding Class pricing is $80/month or $400 for the season. One-time products are priced separately: the College Essay Rescue Kit is $39, the Application Manager is $75, and the Essay + Application Starter Bundle is $99. Complete bundles that add personalized essay feedback begin at $149. Applicable sales tax is added at checkout. See Pricing → for current details, access dates, and refund terms.
What's your refund policy?
A Season Pass is eligible for a full refund within seven days of purchase only if the student has completed no more than five feedback passes and all completed passes were used on a single essay. Using feedback passes on more than one essay makes the Season Pass ineligible for a refund, even if five or fewer passes were completed in total. Not sure yet? Start month-to-month instead — cancel anytime, no refund request needed.
What if I need help outside the admissions season?
Monthly access continues only until you cancel it. The Season Pass is a one-time purchase that ends after March; it does not renew or turn into an ongoing college-writing subscription.