Every fall, high school students seeking college admission encounter a challenging endeavor: composing a trendy, unforgettable essay to boost their chances of acceptance.

It’s easy to see why they might view AI chatbots like ChatGPT, which can brainstorm, write, and refine content, as an appealing advantage.

Nonetheless, experts in college admissions advise caution against depending on AI for a refined, thoroughly researched, well-articulated essay. Utilizing AI for an admissions essay could put a student at a disadvantage.

“A college application is a blank canvas,” states Dr. Jennifer Kirk, a leader in high school counseling curriculum and a member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling. “Every element added should be a vibrant splash of color… An essay generated by AI will simply dilute it.”

In addition to sacrificing their genuine voice to AI, students run the risk of submitting essays filled with embarrassing errors, inaccuracies, or resemblances to other applicants.

Reasons to Avoid AI for College Admissions Essays

When composing their Common Application admissions essay, students select one out of seven prompts, limited to 650 words. These prompts encourage applicants to discuss a significant talent, reflect on thankfulness, or explore an intriguing concept or idea. They also have the option to write an essay of their choosing.

The writing doesn’t stop there. Students might need to submit an additional essay on “challenges and circumstances,” addressing factors affecting their success, such as housing instability, family caregiving, or political unrest.

Colleges may request further supplemental essays. The University of California, Berkeley, expects applicants to answer four out of eight “personal insight” questions. Harvard’s application features five prompts, with each response limited to 150 words.

For students feeling daunted by the task of writing striking essays and creating original answers for each application, an AI chatbot appears to be an easy workaround.

However, Connie Livingston, assistant director of admissions at Brown University, underscores that unique essays shine because of an “authentic” voice from individuals who view themselves as learners and scholars.

“AI cannot do that for you,” Livingston states, now a college counselor with Empowerly. “It must be an inherent quality that a student has and conveys on paper for admissions officers to recognize.”

While students may believe they can prompt AI to replicate their ideas and voice by offering personal details, Kirk cautions against this due to privacy concerns. Some models might leak or disseminate sensitive information publicly.

There is no foolproof method to conceal AI assistance in an essay.

Kirk points out that admissions officers can identify indicators such as constructions, phrases, punctuation, and grammar hinting at AI involvement.

If the essay features original concepts and a genuine voice, these warning signs could be overlooked. However, if it comes off as bland and uninspired, suspicions about AI arise.

Moreover, phrases and wording may appear distinctive but reflect how ChatGPT typically responds to the same essay question with minimal prompting.

Imagine thousands of students vying for the same university utilizing the same AI chatbot for their essays; the chatbot could employ similar language for each answer.

“That definitely can happen,” Kirk remarks. “They’ll sound and appear quite alike.”

When AI Might Be Appropriately Used for College Admissions Essays

Although Kirk warns against using AI for essay writing, she does recognize its value in other facets of the process.

Initially, students should investigate whether each college or university permits AI usage, both generally and in admissions applications, and follow those guidelines.

Once apprised, Kirk suggests leveraging AI for research, brainstorming, outlining, refining drafts, editing, and proofreading.

Livingston advises utilizing AI solely for research and brainstorming, urging students to adhere to their high school’s AI policy during the essay-writing phase.

AI can condense information about a university’s culture or academics, offering insights that might take longer to uncover. A student interested in a specific academic department could request AI for a list of distinguished faculty or noteworthy research areas, potentially integrating this data into an essay.

Nevertheless, applicants should verify the accuracy of AI-generated research and facts.

“AI can err,” Livingston cautions.

“Don’t depend on AI to select your topic or develop key ideas without personal introspection.” – Jennifer Kirk, school counselor

For effective brainstorming, Kirk recommends narrowing down to a few essential topics before seeking AI’s input on the essay subject.

“Don’t rely on AI to select your topic or refine core ideas devoid of personal contemplation,” Kirk notes.

AI can assist during the revision stage, Kirk adds. She recently collaborated with an applicant who utilized AI to merge two essay drafts into a fresh iteration.

However, Kirk advises against allowing AI to excessively enhance the writing beyond aiding in structure and addressing grammatical issues. This can dilute a student’s authentic voice. Employing complex or sophisticated vocabulary that a student might not typically use has the same effect. Admissions officers can recognize these inconsistencies by reviewing the entire application.

To circumvent high-pressure scenarios with tight deadlines and unfinished essays, Livingston suggests starting early, ideally during the summer before the senior year.

Students can seek assistance and feedback from high school writing centers, college counselors, and English teachers throughout the journey, recommends Livingston.

Regardless, students need to understand that AI won’t provide an effortless shortcut to their ideal college.

“Yes, AI can generate a decent essay, but