Is it a good idea to use AI tools to review my college essays?
I'm working on my Common App essay, and I keep seeing ads for AI-powered essay reviewers. Honestly, I’m really torn about using them. On the one hand, I know they can catch grammar mistakes and maybe help organize my thoughts, but on the other, I’m worried that my writing will end up sounding too generic or not like myself.
Has anyone here used one of these tools? Did it actually help, or was it more confusing than a real human giving feedback? My school counselor is super busy, so I don’t always get a lot of feedback from them. I’d love to know if AI can actually make a difference, or if I should try to find someone else to read my essays instead.
Would really appreciate any advice or experiences people have had, especially if you tried it for more than just a grammar check!
Has anyone here used one of these tools? Did it actually help, or was it more confusing than a real human giving feedback? My school counselor is super busy, so I don’t always get a lot of feedback from them. I’d love to know if AI can actually make a difference, or if I should try to find someone else to read my essays instead.
Would really appreciate any advice or experiences people have had, especially if you tried it for more than just a grammar check!
6 months ago
•
34 views
Camille Luong
• 6 months ago
Advisor
Using AI tools to review your college essays can be helpful, but it’s important to know their strengths and limitations so you can get the most out of them.
AI can be great for catching grammar and spelling mistakes, pointing out awkward sentences, and sometimes suggesting ways to make your essay more clear or organized. For quick, basic feedback, especially if you don’t have someone readily available to proofread, AI reviewers are genuinely useful. For example, if you upload your draft and get feedback that some sentences are too long or confusing, you can clean them up and improve your essay’s readability pretty quickly.
However, AI tools can be hit or miss with deeper, more subjective aspects like tone, authenticity, or story impact. Since they work by identifying patterns and optimizing for general writing quality, there’s a risk your essays could start to sound formulaic or lose your unique voice if you rely on them too much. One student I worked with tried using an AI tool for their ‘overcoming adversity’ essay. The tool suggested changing a heartfelt anecdote to sound more like a traditional conclusion, but the student’s original version captured her personality better and was more compelling. In that case, human feedback from a teacher helped her decide what to keep and what to cut.
If you’re concerned about your writing losing its personality, the best approach is to use AI for line-level edits (grammar, spelling, clarity), but have humans—teachers, family, friends, or someone who knows you—help you review the core content, voice, and ideas. If your counselor is super busy, try trusted adults or even peers who are good writers. You’d be surprised how helpful even a friend from another class can be if they’re honest.
Ultimately, AI can be a valuable first-pass tool, but don’t let it replace real, human feedback, especially for something as personal as a college essay. Get the best of both worlds and your writing will stay true to you—and be as strong as it can be.
AI can be great for catching grammar and spelling mistakes, pointing out awkward sentences, and sometimes suggesting ways to make your essay more clear or organized. For quick, basic feedback, especially if you don’t have someone readily available to proofread, AI reviewers are genuinely useful. For example, if you upload your draft and get feedback that some sentences are too long or confusing, you can clean them up and improve your essay’s readability pretty quickly.
However, AI tools can be hit or miss with deeper, more subjective aspects like tone, authenticity, or story impact. Since they work by identifying patterns and optimizing for general writing quality, there’s a risk your essays could start to sound formulaic or lose your unique voice if you rely on them too much. One student I worked with tried using an AI tool for their ‘overcoming adversity’ essay. The tool suggested changing a heartfelt anecdote to sound more like a traditional conclusion, but the student’s original version captured her personality better and was more compelling. In that case, human feedback from a teacher helped her decide what to keep and what to cut.
If you’re concerned about your writing losing its personality, the best approach is to use AI for line-level edits (grammar, spelling, clarity), but have humans—teachers, family, friends, or someone who knows you—help you review the core content, voice, and ideas. If your counselor is super busy, try trusted adults or even peers who are good writers. You’d be surprised how helpful even a friend from another class can be if they’re honest.
Ultimately, AI can be a valuable first-pass tool, but don’t let it replace real, human feedback, especially for something as personal as a college essay. Get the best of both worlds and your writing will stay true to you—and be as strong as it can be.
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Camille Luong
Nomadic
Stanford University, BAH in Urban Studies
Experience
5 years
Rating
5.0 (5 reviews)