Artificial intelligence is transforming virtually every aspect of human activity \u2013 and the college admissions process is not immune. And it\u2019s on both sides of the ball: applicants and institutions. Here are some of the do\u2019s and don\u2019ts when it comes to your child using AI.<\/p>\n
But first, let\u2019s get a lay of the land from my colleague Alvin Carter, a senior admissions officer at CollegeAdvisor.<\/p>\n
\u201cAI tools are completely reshaping both sides of the college admissions desk right now,\u201d Alvin confirms.<\/p>\n
For applicants, the temptation is to turn to AI agents to help with the application essay(s).<\/p>\n
\u201cIt has leveled the playing field for students who cannot afford expensive private consultants, but it also creates a massive sea of generic essays,\u201d Alvin says. \u201cAdmissions offices are noticing a huge spike in essays that sound exactly the same, using the same repetitive vocabulary and perfectly polished but soul-less structures.\u201d<\/p>\n
Do: Use AI to catch errors of grammar or spelling. Do not: Tell AI to generate an entire essay about how important your child\u2019s community service has been to their personal growth.<\/p>\n
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By clicking “Sign Up”, you will receive the latest updates, including emails, from U.S. News & World Report and our trusted partners and sponsors, and you agree to our Terms and Conditions<\/a> & Privacy Policy<\/a>.<\/p>\n Setting aside the ethical problems with having a machine completely write what is supposed to be your applicant\u2019s personal essay, they risk submitting a cookie-cutter piece that may be structurally flawless but could have been sent in by anyone. It\u2019s the opposite of authentic.<\/p>\n And not only are admissions officers getting better at spotting AI-generated materials, they are looking for \u201chuman vulnerability and unique personal voice,\u201d Alvin notes. Take that out, and an applicant will have less of a chance of getting in.<\/p>\n Some schools are explicitly forbidding the use of AI to do the heavy lifting.<\/p>\n Yale University, for instance, says<\/a> \u201csubmitting \u2018the substantive content or output of an artificial intelligence platform, technology, or algorithm\u2019 constitutes application fraud\u201d and may result in \u201cadmission revocation or expulsion.\u201d<\/p>\n Georgetown has one of the toughest policies, Alvin says, a total prohibition \u201cincluding brainstorming, drafting, and even basic grammar checking or editing\u201d and a requirement that applicants sign a statement confirming they did not use AI.<\/p>\n