50% of colleges are already using AI in college admissions to review applicants, according to a survey from Intelligence. With universities already embracing AI in admissions, we can’t leave students behind. AI has the opportunity to radically improve how students go through their own college admissions journey, providing 1-1 counseling at a fraction of the traditional cost.
Here’s 5 ways students can use AI in their college admissions journey:
Crafting your personal statement
Refining your resume and Common App activities
Understanding what colleges are the best fit
Finding scholarships to pay for college
Prepare for interviews
It’s important to know that AI is still in its early stages, and it isn’t perfect. Human judgment is still required to determine what advice is good and what isn’t. But if you’re a student who can’t pay thousands of dollars for a private admissions counselor, AI might be the easiest way to navigate your college admissions journey.
Using AI to craft your personal statement
The personal statement is a crucial component of the college admissions process to showcase your unique qualities, experiences, and aspirations. However, crafting a compelling personal statement can be a daunting task. I still remember the sleepless nights when I was in high school, staring at a blank page.
With new developments in AI, students like you now have access to innovative tools that can make writing your personal statement an easier process. Harvi is an AI-powered college counselor. Harvi chats with students to brainstorm essay ideas. Then, it will generate an outline. After you write your essay, Harvi will provide feedback on the style, structure, and content of the essay. Best of all, Harvi gives feedback instantly, so there’s no more waiting for a teacher’s comments.
AI will never replace the creativity and authenticity of the student's voice. Rather, it serves as a tool to enhance the writing process. By using AI to refine their personal statements, students can unlock their full potential and present their best selves to admissions officers.
This use of AI in college admissions has gotten the most scrutiny. The consensus from colleges is that students should only use AI for advice, not to write their essays. In many ways, AI acts just like a paid private consultant, teacher, or school counselor would – as advisors, not ghost writers.
“Students may receive advice on content and editing, including the use of generative artificial intelligence software to assist with readability, but content and final written text must be their own” - UC Berkeley's written policy
Many students are also concerned about AI-detection software. That being said, AI-detection tools just don’t work. Last fall, Vanderbilt disabled its AI detection tool because of too many false positives. OpenAI, the creators of ChatGPT, even shut down its AI detection tool because of a ‘low rate of accuracy’. As a student, don’t be afraid to use AI to get feedback and advice. AI is a tool, but writing the essay is ultimately your responsibility.
We built Harvi with AI in college admissions best practices in mind. That’s why Harvi never generates content for students and only offers advice and feedback.
When students start experimenting with AI in college essays, they often start with ChatGPT. Here's why ChatGPT is a bad tool for college essays (with real examples of how it might lead to your application landing in the reject pile).
Using AI in college admissions to refine your resume and Common App activities
In addition to the personal statement, the resume and Common App activities section are crucial components of the college application process. These components provide admissions officers with a comprehensive view of the student's achievements, extracurricular activities, and leadership roles. With the help of AI, students can refine their resumes and highlight their most relevant experiences.
AI can analyze the content of the resume and suggest improvements in formatting, organization, and language. These platforms can also provide insights on how to tailor the resume to specific colleges or majors. By utilizing AI-powered tools, students can ensure that their resumes are concise, clear, and impactful.
AI can also help students deal with tricky word counts. The Common App activities section only gives students 150 characters to describe their activities, so it’s important to make every word count. Using AI in college admissions can help students summarize longer descriptions into a length that fits the word count.
There are many strategies to writing the Common App activities section, like:
Using numbers to demonstrate impact
Moving the activity name and the leadership position to other fields on the Common App
Not explaining obvious concepts (ie, saying “we learned about science” for the Science Club activity)
Using obvious abbreviations (ie, “+” instead of “and” can save 2 characters)
In just one click, AI can automatically apply these tips to your Common App activities section.
Understanding what colleges are the best fit, with help from AI
The first and, often, most important part of the college admissions process is building a college list. Finding the right college can be a challenging and overwhelming process. AI-powered platforms can provide students with personalized recommendations based on their preferences, academic strengths, and career aspirations.
By using AI in college admissions, students can get a recommendation, informed by all the factors:
academic transcript
extracurricular activities
personal preferences
location
campus culture
academic programs
financial aid opportunities
and more
Additionally, AI can act as a conversation partner to students as they consider what they want from college. With thousands of options to choose from, the best way to narrow down a college list is to know what you’re looking for. AI can help students understand what factors to look for in a college.
For instance, the easiest way to narrow down a college list is by deciding whether you want to go to a big or small school. Big schools will often have more opportunities, especially in niche areas. They may also have stronger sports cultures. On the other hand, small institutions give a feeling of a smaller community and have a tight-knit culture. AI can help students decide which is the best fit for them.
In addition to personalized recommendations, AI-powered platforms can also provide students with valuable insights into the admission criteria of different colleges. By analyzing historical admissions data, AI algorithms can predict a student's likelihood of acceptance at a particular college. This information can help students create a balanced college list and manage their expectations.
AI-powered platforms are not meant to replace the guidance of college counselors or the importance of visiting campuses. Instead, they serve as a valuable resource that can help students navigate the overwhelming college search process. By leveraging AI, students can make informed decisions and find colleges that align with their goals and aspirations.
AI-powered scholarship search
One of the biggest challenges of college admissions is finding ways to pay for college. With the rising cost of tuition, many students rely on scholarships to make their college dreams a reality. AI-powered platforms have transformed the scholarship search process by providing students with personalized recommendations and insights into scholarship opportunities.
However, traditional scholarship search engines surface bad recommendations. I’ve seen websites blatantly disregard demographic requirements, offering up a scholarship meant for Hispanic males to an Asian female.
AI can analyze a student's academic and extracurricular profile to identify scholarship opportunities that align with their interests and achievements. These platforms consider factors such as GPA, test scores, community service, and leadership roles. By utilizing AI-powered platforms, students can discover scholarships that they may have otherwise overlooked.
In addition to personalized recommendations, AI-powered platforms can also provide students with valuable insights into the scholarship application process. These platforms can analyze successful scholarship applications and provide guidance on how to craft a compelling application. By leveraging the power of AI, students can increase their chances of securing scholarships to fund their college education.
AI in college interview prep
After submitting their applications, students may be invited for college interviews. These interviews are an opportunity for students to showcase their personality, passion, and fit with the college. For students applying to scholarships, interviews are often very important components of the evaluation process.
AI algorithms can analyze common interview questions and provide students with tailored responses based on their personal experiences and goals. These platforms can also simulate mock interviews, allowing students to practice their interview skills and receive feedback on their performance. By utilizing AI-powered platforms, students can gain confidence and prepare effectively for their college interviews.
Of course, an AI college interview will never replace a mock interview with a coach. Dewey Smart Education is a college admissions consulting company. Its Ivy League counselors can help students prepare for interviews by helping students prepare answers to common questions and conducting mock interviews.
