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Why Using AI for Your Admissions Essay Could Cost You Your Spot

In the race to get into top colleges and graduate programs, more applicants are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) to gain an edge. But what seems like a shortcut can backfire in ways you might not expect. As colleges ramp up their detection tools and ethical standards, using AI for your admissions essay could actually cost you your place in the incoming class.

This article will explore the dangers of AI in college applications, including detection risks, plagiarism concerns, ethical implications, and the real-world consequences students face in the current admissions cycle.

The Temptation of AI-Powered Essay Tools

With tools like ChatGPT and GrammarlyGO offering full essay generation capabilities, it’s never been easier to produce a polished personal statement. Students often feel overwhelmed with the pressure to stand out, and AI promises a quick fix. A recent Intelligent.com survey found that 1 in 5 students used AI tools like ChatGPT to write their admissions essays. 

However, this convenience comes at a cost. Schools are now taking a hard stance on what they consider ethical and original in the admissions process.

AI Essay Detection is Getting Smarter

Universities are well aware of the rise in AI usage and are investing in sophisticated detection software. Tools such as Turnitin’s AI writing detector and GPTZero are being used to flag submissions that appear machine-generated.

While no detection tool is foolproof, their increasing accuracy makes it risky to rely on AI. According to Turnitin, their AI detection tool has a 98% confidence rate for writing generated entirely by AI source. That means if your essay was mostly written by AI, it could easily be flagged during the review process.

Plagiarism and Originality Risks

Many AI writing tools scrape massive databases of online content to generate their output. This increases the likelihood of unintentional plagiarism, even if the content seems original. That’s why institutions are taking the AI and plagiarism conversation seriously.

The risks of using AI for college essays extend beyond just detection. Admissions officers are trained to spot when a voice doesn’t match the rest of your application. If your personal statement reads like a polished essay but your other materials (grades, test scores, or short answers) don’t match that tone or complexity, it can raise red flags.

Ethical Concerns and Institutional Values

The ethical concerns of AI in admissions go deeper than detection. Colleges expect honesty and integrity throughout the admissions process. Submitting an AI-written essay is not only misleading, it also contradicts the core values many universities emphasize: authenticity, self-reflection, and intellectual growth.

Some schools are beginning to include statements of authenticity in their applications, asking students to confirm that their essays were written without the help of AI tools. Violating these terms could result in rejection or revocation of admission offers.

A 2023 statement by the Common Application confirmed that students are still expected to “present their own work” even in the AI era source. This means the use of AI-generated content is viewed as a breach of trust.

Real Consequences in the Current Admissions Cycle

The consequences of AI in college applications are not hypothetical—they’re happening now. In recent months, reports have emerged of students being rejected after AI-generated content was flagged. Some institutions, particularly graduate programs, are also asking follow-up questions or conducting interviews when AI detection tools raise suspicion.

Moreover, once flagged, your credibility is at risk. Whether it leads to outright rejection or just increased scrutiny, the use of AI puts you on unstable ground. And unlike a poor test score or low GPA, it’s difficult to recover from an integrity-related issue.

Human Touch is Still Your Greatest Advantage

While AI can be a valuable tool for brainstorming or catching grammar mistakes, the personal essay is still your chance to connect with admissions officers on a human level. It’s your story, in your voice, that stands out. No algorithm can replicate your experiences, emotions, or perspective in a way that truly resonates.

If you’re struggling to write, seek feedback from a trusted mentor, teacher, or admissions consultant. These resources can help you stay true to your voice while strengthening your narrative without crossing ethical boundaries.

Conclusion

The rise of AI in education is inevitable, but using it to write your admissions essay is a gamble with serious consequences. From AI essay detection and plagiarism risks to ethical concerns of AI in admissions, it’s clear that authenticity still reigns supreme. Don’t let a shortcut jeopardize your future. At Write Track Admissions, we help you craft powerful, authentic admissions essays that reflect your true voice and maximize your chances of acceptance. Let our expert team guide you through every step of the process with personalized, one-on-one support.

Balancing the Use of AI for the College Admissions Process

Georgia Tech proudly announced, “We believe there is a place for Artificial Intelligence tools to help you generate ideas, but your ultimate submission should be your own.” In fact, Georgia Tech is one of the first schools to provide an official statement on the use of AI college applications. Ironically, universities such as Georgia Tech are also experimenting with the use of AI in college admissions to manage the growing volume of applications, from automated application reviews to predictive modeling for enrollment management. Such use, however, raises real concerns about fairness, transparency, and the human element in decision-making.

In this article, we will explore how universities are leveraging AI, the utility and drawbacks of applicants’ use of it, and strategies for maintaining a healthy balance for the future.

Universities’ Leveraging AI for the Admissions Process

Many universities have embraced AI to streamline admissions processes. According to a survey by Intelligent, 8 in 10 universities will leverage AI in college admissions this coming cycle in 2024. The survey points out that the most common uses of AI in admissions are conducting interviews, communicating with applicants, reviewing transcripts, letters of recommendation, and even personal essays. Georgia Tech, for example, has been experimenting with using AI to sift through large data sets, evaluating thousands of applications more efficiently. NC State University is utilizing AI to process transcripts by extracting key information like student coursework and transfer credits.

While some view AI as a tool to streamline the admissions processes, others approach its adoption more cautiously, given the potential equity implications from AI biases that emerge when evaluating and selecting applicants. Indeed, the possibility of ‘depersonalization’ can result when AI-driven evaluations overlook more nuanced qualities crucial for a candidate’s holistic assessment.

The Pitfalls of Using AI in College Application Essays

Many applicants have shared how tools like ChatGPT have helped democratize the scholarship process, giving them a chance to express themselves in unimaginable ways. This is especially the case where applicants may lack access to support and assistance in the admissions process. In fact, Georgia Tech goes on to state in its official statement on AI: “Use it to brainstorm, edit, and refine your ideas.” Some education companies like Khan Academy are capitalizing on this by creating tools like Khanmigo to help applicants generate ideas. This is definitely a great use case for AI in terms of helping with ideation, stress-testing thoughts, and structuring essays in a clearer, more cogent manner.

As a company, we have worked with thousands of college and graduate applicants over the past 15 years and discovered that one of the most important parts of the application process is authentically conveying the story you tell. The main issue with the use of AI is the cliche, vague, and frankly generic emotions churned out by such platforms as ChatGPT, YouChat, or Bard. Many have complained of the dearth of ‘sensory’ detail and raw emotions that are missing from AI-generated essays. Not to mention, such machine-generated output completely undermines the introspective and cathartic nature of crafting application materials for college or even graduate studies.

In the Inside the Yale Admissions Office podcast by Dunn and Mendlowitz, the hosts state, “When students submit written content to colleges, they must sign a statement affirming that all work submitted is the applicant’s own. Submitting work written by ChatGPT or another generative AI model violates this affirmation.” This is because admissions committees still look far more favorably on a candidate who has taken the time to ideate, draft, and re-edit their materials in their unique voice rather than curate AI content that is copy-pasted and passed off as their own, raising ethical issues and undermining the integrity of the process.

“Note, it’s not hard for administrators to see the difference, especially with the rising use of tools like GPTZero, which helps distinguish between human and machine-generated content.”

Parting Thoughts

The AI revolution is just beginning, and its vast uses are critical for shaping the future. This is especially the case in education and even in the admissions space. However, AI requires careful navigation. Universities must balance efficiency with fairness and transparency, ensuring AI complements human judgment rather than replacing it. They must have a human-in-the-loop to ensure accountability in AI systems and only use them alongside human expertise to mitigate biases and oversights.

While no one can deny the democratizing nature of AI in helping students better reflect, ideate, and structure their thoughts, applicants must preserve the authenticity of their own application materials. We, therefore, anticipate, and frankly hope, that official statements such as Georgia Tech’s will become the norm, not the exception, to help reduce confusion for all those involved in the process. Further, there needs to be a balanced approach that combines AI with the human experience to harness its full potential while upholding the integrity of the application process for both applicants and admissions committees.