Ambiguity around the use of AI for college applications has become a constant topic of discussion. Before students embark on their application journey, they must have a clear picture of the repercussions of using these tools to write mainly their essays. Colleges consider using Chat GPT and other AI tools as plagiarized content, and applicants are at risk of being disqualified from the race.
Students are yielding to the temptation of AI-generated content for their college essays. With AI’s potential to manipulate language, it gives rise to a lack of original thinking and intellectual honesty. Since these tools are still very new, students must understand the detrimental effects on their applications as well as academic and personal growth.
Admission officers read thousands of essays and are adept at differentiating between human-written and AI-written content. Additionally, generated essays are plagued with repetitive words and phrases and have a mechanical tone. As a result, it does not capture the humanistic essence of the writer. Hence, if a prompt is being overused, your story might run the risk of sounding similar to a lot of other students. Colleges want to know the person behind the grades; AI cannot showcase that.
Why is AI tools’ work considered plagiarized?
Plagiarism involves presenting someone else’s work or ideas as your own without proper acknowledgment. These include paraphrasing without citation, copying and pasting text from the internet, and AI-generated content without proper credit, inaccuracies, and lack of transparency among others. ChatGPT uses a wide range of internet data and can help users write articles, program code, answer questions, and conduct in-depth conversations on a range of topics.
Understanding Universities’ AI Policy
Many colleges have set ethical guidelines regarding the use of Chat GPT. Students need to familiarize themselves with these guidelines. While in some cases grammar checks and spell checks are acceptable, getting this software to write a complete essay is completely unacceptable by all.
Brown University looks for integrity in students’ applications and reiterates “the use of artificial intelligence by an applicant is not permitted under any circumstances in conjunction with application content. All essays, short answer questions, and any other material submitted by an applicant must be the work of the individual, unassisted by artificial intelligence.” Integrity in the Application Process | Undergraduate Admission | Brown University
Caltech’s ethical guidelines say, “Your essays are where we hear your voice. Relying on AI, specifically large language models such as ChatGPT or Bard, to craft your essay will dilute your unique expression and perspective. While we know AI tools have become readily accessible over recent months, overuse of AI will diminish your individual, bold, creative identity as a prospective teacher.” It has listed a few examples of what it considers unethical. Undergraduate and Graduate Admissions AI Policy: Guidelines for Fall 2025 Applicants—Undergraduate Admissions.
Georgia Tech has a slightly different approach regarding the use of AI. Its website says, “We encourage you to take the same approach you would when collaborating with people. Use it to brainstorm, edit, and refine your ideas. We think AI could be a helpful collaborator, particularly when you do not have access to other assistance to help you complete your application.” Application Review Process | Undergraduate Admission
How much of AI can be used?
In this age of technology, the question arises whether or not colleges and universities can completely negate the use of AI tools. The Common App, being a centralized application portal, does not have a specific policy solely dedicated to the use of AI tools like ChatGPT. It does not call out content that is plagiarized. It is therefore important for students to check each university’s AI policies before using any AI tool.
While some universities have outrightly warned students against using Chat GPT, others have yet to formulate their guidelines. Students must remember that universities have the right to rescind admission even at a later stage if their application is found to be plagiarized. Universities have many reasons to reject applications. Do not give them a chance to reject your application on this basis.
Ivy Central’s advice
Writing essays is a tricky part of the entire application process. Students who need help in understanding how best to articulate their experiences must turn to experts who can help with brainstorming ideas, proofreading, and editing their original piece of work.
As a student who has always relied on teacher feedback, would you be comfortable gambling your application by asking an AI tool? At Ivy Central, we consider using AI tools to write essays unethical. Instead, we encourage students to think for themselves by diving deep into their lived experiences. The result is an authentic portrayal of a hardworking student.
