Is your child cheating if they’re turning to AI for help with college applications? The answer isn’t clear-cut. When used thoughtfully, AI can save time, help with organization, and spark creativity. But if misused, it can easily backfire and risk your child’s college dreams.
Kevin Krebs
Founder & Managing Director, HelloCollege
Most people are familiar with ChatGPT, but there are a host of tools to support the admissions process, including platforms to explore colleges aligned with specific interests (AdmitYogi), keep application tasks organized (Trello), and find scholarships based on career aspirations (BigFuture).
The biggest risk? Relying on AI to write application essays. These essays are your student’s opportunity to demonstrate something about their values, perspective, and character — things that grades and test scores can’t capture.
Bottom line — don’t ask a machine to write a human story.
Originality is key, and no matter how advanced generative AI gets, it will never capture the quiet pride of walking away from a captain position on the robotics team to pursue a true passion for journalism — or the growth that came from navigating the space between your Indian heritage and Western traditions.
Most colleges are aware of AI-generated writing and have started using tools like GPTZero and Turnitin to spot it, so over-relying on technology is a good way to have an application flagged or even disqualified. Bottom line — don’t ask a machine to write a human story.
Instead, it’s best to use AI at the beginning and end of the process for idea generation, as a sounding board or for minor edits — never for writing full paragraphs, sentences, or even phrases. Your child might try prompts like: “Generate a list of questions to help me explore my values,” “Scan my essay for places where I could add more specific details,” or “Is it clear how I grew as a person from this experience?”
While there’s no replacement for the human touch of an expert, AI tools can help students refine their ideas and polish their writing.
AI can be a powerful tool in college admissions, but only when the student stays firmly in the driver’s seat. The best applications come from creativity, originality, and personal perspective — things no algorithm can replicate.
To learn more, visit sayhellocollege.com
