AI Use Can Lead to a Rejection
Do not use AI to write your application essay or any part of your communications with admissions
AI made life a lot easier when it hit the scene. Marketing campaigns can be created in minutes, full apps can be created in days, and therapy can be provided by an algorithm. One place where AI should never be used is in an admissions application; especially in the personal statement.
Teachers lament AI use in the classroom, because students will use ChatGPT to write essays and do the work they themselves are expected to do. That frustration is leaking outside of the classroom and into the administrative offices. Students are using AI to write an admissions essay, statement of purpose, or personal statement. If an admissions officer even thinks an applicant used AI, a rejection will be assigned no matter how strong the rest of the application is.
“I had one student who used AI to polish up her personal statement. This caused an alarm to go off when admissions ran her application through an AI checker. Not only was she rejected immediately, but those who gave her a letter of recommendation were disappointed in her when they found out.” Admissions officer Cheryl Y.
Do not use AI for any written part of your application
Any part of the application that requires writing needs to be written without AI. This goes for the topic essay, the personal statement, the letter of intent, the letter of continued interest, even emails. Take the time to write and review each communication. Your goal is to sound educated, sharp, interested, and sincere.
