There has been significant ink spilled recently on the newest AI-derived toy on the web: ChatGPT, a program which purports to make fully original text which can answer any prompt, to nearly any length (if you have the paid version of course). It is not alone, but joins the legions of other programs which now claim to make art and words and all sorts of other endeavors previously beyond the reach of computers.
Teachers are already sounding alarm bells, worrying about how this technology may impact academic honesty. After all, is there any way for this software to be caught by plagiarism checkers? Is this going to be the new frontier for high school papers, or even college admissions essays?
In this article, we will examine what ChatGPT is and is not capable of, and what effects it may have on you and your education. We’re going to be looking at both high school academics, which strongly impact the college admissions process, and at the admissions process itself. Let’s jump right in!
What is ChatGPT anyway?
There have been predictive text programs before, algorithms which could simulate conversations to an extent. ChatGPT goes further, with a larger database to draw from and a far more skilled control of syntax and vernacular. It is created by OpenAI, a group which seeks to create ever more complex artificial intelligences (what is and is not an artificial intelligence, and whether a true AI can ever be created is an interesting debate, but outside the scope of this article).
ChatGPT quickly gained attention as it was far more adept at answering general prompts than previous programs. It showed fluidity in its answers, and a command of language which came across as quite natural.
It was not long before the obvious happened: a student turned to the new software with a homework question, and got a serviceable seeming essay in response. From here, of course, the floodgates opened. Students and teachers alike both saw the potential in this new technology, and both sought to gain some handle on how it will impact their schools going forward.
Of course, there are limits to ChatGPT. The most notable comes in the form of accuracy of information. The program writes and argues as it is directed to, but it draws from sources without prejudice, and has no way of judging whether the information it uses is right, or wrong, or copyrighted.
This can make writing essays with ChatGPT an exciting proposition, or even works of fiction. The grammar will be good, the language, while sometimes stilted, more oft flows naturally. It is the substance where the trouble lies, especially when applied to fields and questions where facts matter. It is from this flaw that current predictions can be made.
ChatGPT and High School Classes
We should start by saying that you should not use ChatGPT, or any related programs to cheat in your high school classes. There are several reasons for this, the first being that cheating is, in fact, wrong. Second, should you get caught, your grades and college prospects will suffer. Top colleges take academic honesty violations very seriously, and any blot on your academic record is enough to move your application automatically to the reject pile.
Most importantly, however, relying on these programs in high school sets you up for long-term failure. The goal of the essays you are assigned is to teach you the steps of reasoning and constructing an argument; gathering and presenting evidence, and using all of that to say something interesting. This must be learned and practiced; even the brightest pupils find it does not come naturally. Turning this responsibility over to a machine allows the muscles of your mind to decay and atrophy. When they are called on to do the work of college papers, with higher stakes and expectations, you will find yourself coming up short.
Of course, not all students will heed these warnings. What’s of interest then is how this may be used to circumvent the rules, how high schools are likely to respond, and how this may change your own time in high school.
ChatGPT In Action
In practice this software will work for brief homework responses, a few sentences at a time. Even as it composes drafts of text, careful work will likely be needed to make sure the answers are coherent, and that they actually answer the question at hand. There are also limits to what kinds of questions can be answered.
Since ChatGPT has a loose grasp of facts and plagiarism, essays which depend more on these things are less likely to work well. Writing a paper with multiple historical sources is near impossible, or any work which requires careful attention to names and dates and places. Similarly, fictional work is likely to be entirely out, as ChatGPT has a trend of drawing in copyrighted characters for use in generating names of characters or settings.
Even in papers where this should not reasonably crop up, students will have to be careful that their facts are anywhere close to accurate. That said, many students will be tempted to make use of these programs, for certain assignments at least.
Reaction
The question then passes back to educators. How will schools respond to these programs, and how will they prevent their use? There are several responses they can take, based on the school’s resources and how thorough they want to be in their caution.
Some schools which loan laptops to students will require all work be done on them; software managers will then ensure that programs like these are not used (or attempt to at least). This can be done in a lower tech setting through usage of Google Docs or similar programs, which allow teachers to track their students progress through essays, and monitor past versions for suspicious activity.
Other schools will likely change the structure of assignments, wanting more work done in person, or requiring more drafts to be turned in so students can demonstrate their ability to improve their writing over time.
All of these solutions will require extra effort from teachers, and all can be subverted to some extent. This is likely to open even more frontiers into surveillance of schoolchildren, as the ability to automate cheating requires ever stronger tools and systems to counter.
ChatGPT and College Admissions
The kinds of prompts asked by colleges seem exactly like the ones which should be easily answerable by ChatGPT and similar services. They don’t ask for any facts or figures, they don’t reference fictional characters, and they are incredibly open ended. Indeed, you can probably get perfectly average essays turned out by these programs.
The same aspects that make the prompts so easily answerable by these programs make the answers worthless. The essay created will be technically proficient, but fundamentally fail at what college essays are supposed to do. Colleges want to learn about you; your hopes and dreams, challenges and triumphs, traits and foibles. These are what they look for when they assign essay topics, and what admissions officers review when building a class.
An essay written by a program cannot accurately depict any of these. The program does not know you, nor what you have done, nor what your character is. It cannot speak to your long hours of practicing building up to the perfect performance, or the challenges of overcoming a fear of public speaking to become a debate champion, or why your own personal brushes with the political system inspired your love for political science.
Arguments can and will be made about the artistic validity of AI creations, but what is certain is that a computer is not you, and an essay written by one will not genuinely portray you or your experiences. If one of these essays works, and actually gets you into a college, that’s even more disheartening; does the college actually want you, or this facsimile of experience; some idea of you which you are not?
While ChatGPT does have the potential to be used for college admissions essays, we believe that any attempt to do so will end poorly.
Final Thoughts
Computers have impacted all aspects of their lives since their introduction and widespread adoption, and their new power here is just another step. While this will present a new hurdle for educators throughout the educational system, we do not believe it will have a major impact on college admissions as of yet.
Of course, it is still better for students to learn to write essays themselves, rather than outsourcing the cognitive load to a program. If you want to learn to be a better writer generally, or struggle with your high school essays, check out our academic coaching service. If you want help drafting college essays specifically, schedule a free consultation to learn how we can best help you. We have mastered the craft of writing, and are always happy to help you improve your own talents.
