Do colleges check applications for AI-generated content?
I’ve been working on my college essays for a while now, and I know that there’s a ton of talk about AI tools like ChatGPT helping people write them. I wrote my essays myself, but I’m still worried about colleges using some kind of checker to flag anything that might seem AI-written. Does anyone know if admissions officers actually use AI detection software?
I’m really stressed because I don’t want to get in trouble by accident, especially if something just sounds too formal or a little weird but it’s still my own writing. Are there stories of people being accused of using AI when they didn’t? Just trying to be safe and clear before I submit everything.
I’m really stressed because I don’t want to get in trouble by accident, especially if something just sounds too formal or a little weird but it’s still my own writing. Are there stories of people being accused of using AI when they didn’t? Just trying to be safe and clear before I submit everything.
4 months ago
•
37 views
Kathy Jayanth
• 4 months ago
Advisor
Your concern is understandable, especially as AI tools get more common and there's a lot of discussion about how they might be used (or misused) in the admissions process. As of 2024, the vast majority of colleges do not systematically run applications or essays through AI detection software.
Admissions officers are focused on getting an authentic sense of each applicant, and they usually spot essays that feel generic, overly formal, or disconnected from the rest of the application. But they do this through reading experience and by comparing essays to other parts of your application, not with automated tech. AI-detection tools are still fairly unreliable, often generating false positives—meaning someone could write an essay themselves and still be flagged as "AI-generated." Because of this, colleges are hesitant to rely on them.
Right now, there aren’t any widespread reports of students being wrongly accused of using AI simply because their writing style was formal or unusual. If anything, admissions officers encourage clear, direct writing that sounds like you, even if that means it's a bit different from how you usually write in class.
A good example: If your main essay is heartfelt and personal, and your supplement suddenly sounds stiff or packed with big words, an admissions officer might wonder if you had extra help or used a tool. But this usually results in skepticism about authenticity—not a formal accusation or investigation. As long as your essays reflect your voice and fit with the rest of your application (like your activities or teacher recommendations), you’re safe.
If you're still worried, you can try reading your essays aloud or asking a teacher or counselor to review them and confirm that they sound like you. Trust your instincts and focus on writing honestly—admissions teams want to get to know the real you, not catch you out. If you wrote your essays yourself, you have nothing to fear.
Admissions officers are focused on getting an authentic sense of each applicant, and they usually spot essays that feel generic, overly formal, or disconnected from the rest of the application. But they do this through reading experience and by comparing essays to other parts of your application, not with automated tech. AI-detection tools are still fairly unreliable, often generating false positives—meaning someone could write an essay themselves and still be flagged as "AI-generated." Because of this, colleges are hesitant to rely on them.
Right now, there aren’t any widespread reports of students being wrongly accused of using AI simply because their writing style was formal or unusual. If anything, admissions officers encourage clear, direct writing that sounds like you, even if that means it's a bit different from how you usually write in class.
A good example: If your main essay is heartfelt and personal, and your supplement suddenly sounds stiff or packed with big words, an admissions officer might wonder if you had extra help or used a tool. But this usually results in skepticism about authenticity—not a formal accusation or investigation. As long as your essays reflect your voice and fit with the rest of your application (like your activities or teacher recommendations), you’re safe.
If you're still worried, you can try reading your essays aloud or asking a teacher or counselor to review them and confirm that they sound like you. Trust your instincts and focus on writing honestly—admissions teams want to get to know the real you, not catch you out. If you wrote your essays yourself, you have nothing to fear.
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Kathy Jayanth
Berkeley, CA
UC Berkeley | Economics & Slavic Studies
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5 years
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