I hope so.
We’ve written before about ChatGPT, and how students are increasingly turning to it in their admissions essays (and other school work). We aren’t the only ones to comment; Forbes recently released an article on the same topic, discussing tell-tale word usage that marks an application essay as having been written by AI, rather than a real person.
That aside, this is still a question we hear a lot, bouncing around the internet, on boards designed for students to discuss the admissions process. Will admissions officers know? How? Does it matter if they find out? AI is already disrupting many aspects of the creative process; and writing essays may or may not be any different.
How Will Colleges Know If You Use AI?
Experience. There are an increasing number of tools being used to automatically detect the interference of AI in the writing process; using AI to catch itself. Outside of that though, admissions officers read thousands of essays every year, and many have long tenured careers in admissions.
The 10,000 hour rule states that 10,000 hours of dedicated and focused practice is required to create an expert in something. While the veracity of this is debated, it is little wonder that admissions officers are experts at identifying and parsing the writing of high school students; that is their main job after all.
Of course, neither admissions officers nor AI detecting tools are perfect; each has a failure rate, and offers up false positives. This is true of most any test, but with the stakes so high in college admissions, some schools are reticent to use them.
After all, a 2% false positive rate doesn’t sound very high, but we’re dealing with very large numbers. More than 100,000 students applied to UCLA last year; at a 2% false positive rate, 2,000 of them would be falsely accused of using AI to generate their application essays, and summarily rejected. (This is a hypothetical example, we are not saying that UCLA uses these tools or is rejecting students in this manner, we simply want to illustrate the problems caused by very large numbers).
So will colleges know if you use AI? Probably.
Are You Allowed to Use AI in Applications?
It depends! (Everyone’s favorite answer to a complicated question).
Each college has their own policy on AI usage. Some have adopted zero tolerance, others allow AI to be used in drafting. The Common App itself considers the use of AI to be fraud, according to its own fraud policy. The Common App is not scanning every application for fraud, but if you are reported for it, they will investigate. If they find evidence you have violated their policies, they will let every college on your list know. This is generally a bad thing.
We advocate for caution when considering using AI tools in essay writing. It is tempting to do so, given the speed at which AI can create seemingly verbose and high quality writing, but the risks in doing so are quite high. The question then, is taking those risks worth it?
AI Kind of Sucks at Writing
The point most people edge around without fully stating is that AI really kind of sucks at writing. It is technically proficient, sure; it writes without typos or odd grammar terms. But being technically proficient is not the same as being good. Anyone who has compared meals between a proficient chef and a great one knows that.
To look at this further, I asked ChatGPT to answer one of UChicago’s essay prompts: What’s so odd about odd numbers? UChicago asks notoriously weird prompts, which helps highlight this point.
Here is what ChatGPT had to say in response:
As I contemplate the enigmatic nature of odd numbers, I find myself drawn into a world where symmetry is disrupted, and uniqueness reigns supreme. Odd numbers, seemingly simple at first glance, possess a depth of character that sets them apart from their even counterparts. They challenge our perceptions, spark curiosity, and ultimately, reveal profound truths about the essence of diversity and individuality.
In a world often driven by uniformity and conformity, odd numbers stand as a testament to the beauty of diversity. Unlike even numbers, which neatly pair off into twos, odd numbers defy such tidy categorization. They refuse to conform to the norm, proudly asserting their independence and distinctiveness. In their refusal to be divided evenly, odd numbers celebrate the richness of variation and the vibrancy of difference. They remind us that it is our unique quirks and idiosyncrasies that make us truly extraordinary.
Moreover, odd numbers possess a captivating allure that transcends mere mathematical significance. Consider the mesmerizing patterns that emerge when odd numbers are arranged in sequences or series. From the elegant spirals of the Fibonacci sequence to the intricate fractals of chaos theory, odd numbers inspire wonder and awe in their infinite complexity. They invite us to explore the boundless realms of mathematical discovery, where every oddity holds the promise of new insights and revelations.
Yet, perhaps the most intriguing aspect of odd numbers lies in their elusive nature. Despite centuries of study and exploration, odd numbers continue to defy complete understanding. Their inherent unpredictability challenges mathematicians to push the boundaries of knowledge and creativity, constantly seeking new ways to unlock the mysteries they contain. In this perpetual quest for understanding, odd numbers serve as both a tantalizing puzzle and an inexhaustible source of inspiration.
In conclusion, what’s so odd about odd numbers? Everything and nothing. They are simultaneously ordinary and extraordinary, mundane and magical. They embody the essence of diversity, the beauty of complexity, and the thrill of discovery. As I embark on the journey of higher education, I am eager to delve deeper into the fascinating world of mathematics, where odd numbers stand as beacons of curiosity and symbols of endless possibility.
This is an absolutely garbage essay. Let’s explore why.
Note that I’m not doing this to simply mock AI’s writing; the fact that it can generate text at all is a remarkable thing. Instead, I’m trying to show why an essay like this, and any AI generated essay, will directly hurt your chances of college admission. For something created by a difference engine, it’s remarkable. But that’s not what it needs to be.
The first, and most noticeable critique, is factual. The essay doesn’t really seem to know what odd numbers are or how they work. It uses very pretty if somewhat repetitive words to describe them, but never really seems to define what exactly they are. Indeed, the entire conception of math in the essay is…off slightly. It references the Fibonacci sequence and fractals like it’s name dropping; yet neither of these things rely specifically on odd numbers.
Second, this essay uses a lot of words to say very little. There is no grand message underlying this essay, no lessons learned, no higher points made. Odd numbers are kind of neat. Ok. So what? An essay for college needs to tell admissions officers something about you. This is perhaps hardest with the UChicago essays, but that’s the fun of it. You need to show them how you think and interpret the world around you. This doesn’t do that.
The use of language also stands out. I’ve read a lot of college essays, and edited the same (it’s my job after all). The grammar on this is fine. The word choice and diction are…off. Sentences written by people can flow into patterns, but AI has far less variety. Each sentence is similar in length and structure, and the connections between them oft similar. It is not a style so much as the utter lack of one; the blended morass of gray gludge created by putting all of Wikipedia into a blender. It knows a lot of words, it can use them correctly in a sentence, but it struggles to actually say anything.
Overall, this essay does none of the things a good college essay should. It inspires no feelings in the reader, elicits no excitement, and tells us nothing about the writer. It is, of course, possible to get rewrites of ChatGPT responses, to have it edit and revise. But this only adds new facades to try and obscure the central problems.
The core foundations of the building are still rotted, no matter how bright the paint on the exterior. The only way to fix the language is to do it yourself. The only way to add your own thoughts to an essay is to add them yourself. The only way to Make an essay into the kind of statement colleges actually want to read would require an amount of editing on this such that almost nothing of the original would be left.
At that point, for that much expended effort, why not just do it yourself in the first place?
Colleges Know When You Use AI
It is possible to edit these papers to sound more human, or to make ChatGPT incorporate edits you suggest. At the end of the day though, admissions officers will still be able to tell whether a paper was written by a student or not. This technology is impressive, but still far from being able to craft the kinds of narratives that admissions officers need.
We understand why ChatGPT is appealing; writing essays is hard, and staring at a blank page with the pressure building is a terrible feeling. The thought that a shortcut exists, that with the push of a button all of your problems can be solved, well who wouldn’t want that to happen?
Of course, as with all things that sound too good to be true, ChatGPT is not a miracle cure for college essays. We may reach a point where AI technology can truly craft a stellar essay, but even then, we don’t think it would work.
At the end of the day, colleges want to admit you for who you are. Your struggles and triumphs, the challenges you’ve overcome and the passions you’ve pursued. They want to see who you are, and who you may become with their help. An essay written by an AI may sound pretty, but it will never truly know you, nor be able to share with colleges all of the things which make you a great applicant.
Will colleges know if your essay is written by AI? We hope so. Because any essay you write for colleges should have a piece of you in it, sharing your story and soul with admissions officers. AI is unable to do that, for it has no story of its own to tell, only the vague shadows of the tales of others.
Final Thoughts
AI is an amazing and exciting tool, one with broad implications, and a multitude of applications in our fast-changing world. College essays is not one of those uses though, and we hope this article has illustrated why AI is not the miracle cure you may want for your applications.
Of course, writing college essays is hard. We know that, and you do too. If you want help with your essays from a person, schedule a free consultation with us today. We have a long experience helping students write their stories, and are always happy to hear from you.
