ChatGPT and the college application essay

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just out of curiosity I started using the ChatGTP bot to write some personal essays, A la common app.

Here was my first request:

Write a 500 word college application essay connecting my love for Legos with my interest in bicycle transportation.

Here was the answer - within 60 seconds

As a child, I was always drawn to the bright colors and endless possibilities of Legos. I would spend hours lost in my own imagination, building elaborate structures and cities with the small plastic bricks. Little did I know at the time, this love for Legos would shape my future interests and passions in a way I could have never predicted.

While I still enjoy the occasional Lego set, my interests have evolved over the years. As I grew older, I became increasingly interested in sustainable transportation and the ways in which we can reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. It was around this time that I discovered the world of cycling.

At first, my interest in cycling was simply a way to stay active and have fun. But as I delved deeper into the world of bike culture, I began to see the many benefits of bicycle transportation. From the health benefits of regular exercise to the environmental benefits of reducing emissions, it was clear that cycling was a win-win for both individuals and society as a whole.

As I continued to explore the world of cycling, I couldn't help but draw comparisons to my childhood love of Legos. Both cycling and Legos are all about creativity, problem-solving, and finding new and innovative ways to approach challenges. Whether it's building a new bike trail or constructing a intricate Lego model, the process of creation is both rewarding and stimulating.

But beyond the personal enjoyment and fulfillment that both Legos and cycling bring, there is a larger societal impact at play. Legos have long been a tool for educational development, teaching children skills such as spatial reasoning and creativity. Similarly, cycling has the potential to be a powerful force for change in the world. By promoting sustainable transportation, we can work towards reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and combating climate change.

As I look towards my future, I am excited to continue exploring the intersection of my two passions: Legos and cycling. Whether it's through the design and creation of innovative cycling infrastructure or the use of Legos as a tool for educational development, I am eager to make a positive impact on the world.

In conclusion, my love for Legos and my interest in bicycle transportation may seem like unrelated passions, but they are actually deeply interconnected. Both allow for creativity, problem-solving, and personal fulfillment, and both have the potential to make a positive impact on the world. It is this combination of interests that makes me a unique and passionate candidate for college, and I am excited to see where my passions will take me in the future.

I'm pretty impressed but... I wanted it to be better.

I refined it with these two requests:

add more details about bike transportation and building things efficiently

and

More details about Legos and efficient problem solving

and got back THIS:

As a child, I was always drawn to the endless possibilities of Legos. With just a few bricks, I could create almost anything my imagination could conjure up. This early exposure to building and problem-solving with Legos helped to shape my analytical and creative thinking skills, and I have continued to turn to Legos as a source of inspiration and challenge throughout my life.

One aspect of Legos that particularly interests me is the way in which they can be used to teach efficient problem-solving and design principles. For example, when building with Legos, it is often necessary to use a limited number of bricks to construct a functional and aesthetically pleasing model. This requires careful planning and the ability to think creatively in order to find the most efficient solution.

This concept of efficient problem-solving is something that I have found to be applicable in many areas of my life, including my interest in cycling. Whether it's designing a bike-friendly city or creating a maintenance plan for a fleet of bikes, finding the most efficient and effective solution requires careful planning and the ability to think outside the box.

In addition to teaching problem-solving skills, Legos also encourage creativity and the ability to think in three dimensions. As a child, I would often spend hours lost in my own imagination, building elaborate structures and cities with the small plastic bricks. This early exposure to spatial reasoning has proved invaluable in my studies and future career goals.

Overall, my love for Legos has had a lasting impact on my personal and professional development. From teaching me the value of efficient problem-solving to fostering my creativity and spatial reasoning skills, Legos have played a vital role in shaping the person I am today. I am confident that this passion will continue to guide me in my college studies and beyond, and I am excited to see where it will take me next.

This was written in less than 5 minutes, start to finish. What do you think?

I teach gifted 10 and 11 year olds. I wasn’t that impressed. However, May this is spectacular for ungifted 18 year olds.

I would not be impressed that a teen or adult wrote any of these essays.

I would be impressed if they wrote them as fast as the bot did (1 minute or less, for 500 words.). Yeah, that's impressive for a human.

I am EXTRAORDINARILY impressed than a non-human entity was able to write this, in a minutes, and then apply feedback, and mostly get everything right. Artificial intelligence, not a person.

You aren't? Did you think AI had this capacity already?

Do you think this capacity is new this year? The capacity has existed for several years, but it wasn’t available to the general public. You had to apply to use GPT3.

Meanwhile, if this essay is considered impressive when submitted to a college admissions office, that’s pretty depressing.

Well, OK, the capacity has been around for a few years, but it's pretty recent. Don't you think it is impressive that it could write an essay?

No, the essays themselves are not super impressive, but most student written essays aren't either! The impressive part is that they were not written by a human.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hope this makes colleges drop the stupid essays that rich parents already buy with college essay coaches. Standardized tests and gpa and done. (ECs are already gamed by the rich).

Absolutely! Countries with much larger populations (China and India) have figured it out and do exactly this. Of course, throw in some set-asides for first gen+poor, true African Americans, Native Americans, etc. We did the ethical, proper route for Kid 1. He did not get into an ivy but a top 20 and watched idiots who gamed the system get into Ivies. For kids 2 and 3, we WILL be gaming the system, lying and leveraging anything we can.

Jesus help us.

[Anonymous]

This is interesting. But now that the functionality is out in the open and accessible to everyone, colleges should assume that everyone has had the opportunity to use it. In a very different way, I think essays was one area where the privileged were able to get good essay coaches and editing help. Now it looks like anyone can generate a basic outline of what they want and edit it from there. In that sense it is an equalizer.

Maybe colleges will force College Board to reinstate the SAT Essay?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just out of curiosity I started using the ChatGTP bot to write some personal essays, A la common app.

Here was my first request:

Write a 500 word college application essay connecting my love for Legos with my interest in bicycle transportation.

Here was the answer - within 60 seconds

As a child, I was always drawn to the bright colors and endless possibilities of Legos. I would spend hours lost in my own imagination, building elaborate structures and cities with the small plastic bricks. Little did I know at the time, this love for Legos would shape my future interests and passions in a way I could have never predicted.

While I still enjoy the occasional Lego set, my interests have evolved over the years. As I grew older, I became increasingly interested in sustainable transportation and the ways in which we can reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. It was around this time that I discovered the world of cycling.

At first, my interest in cycling was simply a way to stay active and have fun. But as I delved deeper into the world of bike culture, I began to see the many benefits of bicycle transportation. From the health benefits of regular exercise to the environmental benefits of reducing emissions, it was clear that cycling was a win-win for both individuals and society as a whole.

As I continued to explore the world of cycling, I couldn't help but draw comparisons to my childhood love of Legos. Both cycling and Legos are all about creativity, problem-solving, and finding new and innovative ways to approach challenges. Whether it's building a new bike trail or constructing a intricate Lego model, the process of creation is both rewarding and stimulating.

But beyond the personal enjoyment and fulfillment that both Legos and cycling bring, there is a larger societal impact at play. Legos have long been a tool for educational development, teaching children skills such as spatial reasoning and creativity. Similarly, cycling has the potential to be a powerful force for change in the world. By promoting sustainable transportation, we can work towards reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and combating climate change.

As I look towards my future, I am excited to continue exploring the intersection of my two passions: Legos and cycling. Whether it's through the design and creation of innovative cycling infrastructure or the use of Legos as a tool for educational development, I am eager to make a positive impact on the world.

In conclusion, my love for Legos and my interest in bicycle transportation may seem like unrelated passions, but they are actually deeply interconnected. Both allow for creativity, problem-solving, and personal fulfillment, and both have the potential to make a positive impact on the world. It is this combination of interests that makes me a unique and passionate candidate for college, and I am excited to see where my passions will take me in the future.

I'm pretty impressed but... I wanted it to be better.

I refined it with these two requests:

add more details about bike transportation and building things efficiently

and

More details about Legos and efficient problem solving

and got back THIS:

As a child, I was always drawn to the endless possibilities of Legos. With just a few bricks, I could create almost anything my imagination could conjure up. This early exposure to building and problem-solving with Legos helped to shape my analytical and creative thinking skills, and I have continued to turn to Legos as a source of inspiration and challenge throughout my life.

One aspect of Legos that particularly interests me is the way in which they can be used to teach efficient problem-solving and design principles. For example, when building with Legos, it is often necessary to use a limited number of bricks to construct a functional and aesthetically pleasing model. This requires careful planning and the ability to think creatively in order to find the most efficient solution.

This concept of efficient problem-solving is something that I have found to be applicable in many areas of my life, including my interest in cycling. Whether it's designing a bike-friendly city or creating a maintenance plan for a fleet of bikes, finding the most efficient and effective solution requires careful planning and the ability to think outside the box.

In addition to teaching problem-solving skills, Legos also encourage creativity and the ability to think in three dimensions. As a child, I would often spend hours lost in my own imagination, building elaborate structures and cities with the small plastic bricks. This early exposure to spatial reasoning has proved invaluable in my studies and future career goals.

Overall, my love for Legos has had a lasting impact on my personal and professional development. From teaching me the value of efficient problem-solving to fostering my creativity and spatial reasoning skills, Legos have played a vital role in shaping the person I am today. I am confident that this passion will continue to guide me in my college studies and beyond, and I am excited to see where it will take me next.

This was written in less than 5 minutes, start to finish. What do you think?

I teach gifted 10 and 11 year olds. I wasn’t that impressed. However, May this is spectacular for ungifted 18 year olds.

I would not be impressed that a teen or adult wrote any of these essays.

I would be impressed if they wrote them as fast as the bot did (1 minute or less, for 500 words.). Yeah, that's impressive for a human.

I am EXTRAORDINARILY impressed than a non-human entity was able to write this, in a minutes, and then apply feedback, and mostly get everything right. Artificial intelligence, not a person.

You aren't? Did you think AI had this capacity already?

Do you think this capacity is new this year? The capacity has existed for several years, but it wasn’t available to the general public. You had to apply to use GPT3.

Meanwhile, if this essay is considered impressive when submitted to a college admissions office, that’s pretty depressing.

And not everyone that applied got it. They were very selective handing out user ids and it cost a lot of money after that.

[Anonymous]

Can the bot write me a grant that scores 10 at the NIH study section 🤣

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread has gone quiet. Are parents busy getting their children to generate new essays?

This thread makes me sad. My kid spent weeks on her essay(s), refining and editing. And now authentic essays will mean nothing.
NP

Your kid will be a better writer for the effort, which will be useful wherever she ends up. Granted, it’s nothing like a lot of the stuff she’ll be asked to write, but being able to edit your own work is an important skill to have.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Holy sh*t, that freaks me out. My kid spent countless hours writing his essays and at first felt shady asking Quillbot to paraphrase parts to try to get under word limits (he's verbose).

Why a bot at all? Using that gor any part IS shady. If he put in all tgat efgort, he should have just put in a little more to edit down. Having a bit paraphrase for you is not writing yourself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I hope admission offices will become acutely aware of these systems. It should become common practice for offices to take the themes of an admitted student’s essay and run it through these bots to ensure something very similar doesn’t spit out. In fact, the next evolution of the technology should be to compare two writing samples - the student’s and the bot’s - for percent similarity. Another approach would be for students to sit for a timed, proctored essay. Of course, we’re now headed back to tests and the inequity around them, but the integrity of the admissions process is important.

We don't even require tests anymore and there is serious grade inflation in this country...why require essays, right ?

Nothing is sacred anymore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread has gone quiet. Are parents busy getting their children to generate new essays?

This thread makes me sad. My kid spent weeks on her essay(s), refining and editing. And now authentic essays will mean nothing.
NP

Your kid will be a better writer for the effort, which will be useful wherever she ends up. Granted, it’s nothing like a lot of the stuff she’ll be asked to write, but being able to edit your own work is an important skill to have.

What your child wrote is hopefully better than what OP got from the bot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just out of curiosity I started using the ChatGTP bot to write some personal essays, A la common app.

Here was my first request:

Write a 500 word college application essay connecting my love for Legos with my interest in bicycle transportation.

Here was the answer - within 60 seconds

As a child, I was always drawn to the bright colors and endless possibilities of Legos. I would spend hours lost in my own imagination, building elaborate structures and cities with the small plastic bricks. Little did I know at the time, this love for Legos would shape my future interests and passions in a way I could have never predicted.

While I still enjoy the occasional Lego set, my interests have evolved over the years. As I grew older, I became increasingly interested in sustainable transportation and the ways in which we can reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. It was around this time that I discovered the world of cycling.

At first, my interest in cycling was simply a way to stay active and have fun. But as I delved deeper into the world of bike culture, I began to see the many benefits of bicycle transportation. From the health benefits of regular exercise to the environmental benefits of reducing emissions, it was clear that cycling was a win-win for both individuals and society as a whole.

As I continued to explore the world of cycling, I couldn't help but draw comparisons to my childhood love of Legos. Both cycling and Legos are all about creativity, problem-solving, and finding new and innovative ways to approach challenges. Whether it's building a new bike trail or constructing a intricate Lego model, the process of creation is both rewarding and stimulating.

But beyond the personal enjoyment and fulfillment that both Legos and cycling bring, there is a larger societal impact at play. Legos have long been a tool for educational development, teaching children skills such as spatial reasoning and creativity. Similarly, cycling has the potential to be a powerful force for change in the world. By promoting sustainable transportation, we can work towards reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and combating climate change.

As I look towards my future, I am excited to continue exploring the intersection of my two passions: Legos and cycling. Whether it's through the design and creation of innovative cycling infrastructure or the use of Legos as a tool for educational development, I am eager to make a positive impact on the world.

In conclusion, my love for Legos and my interest in bicycle transportation may seem like unrelated passions, but they are actually deeply interconnected. Both allow for creativity, problem-solving, and personal fulfillment, and both have the potential to make a positive impact on the world. It is this combination of interests that makes me a unique and passionate candidate for college, and I am excited to see where my passions will take me in the future.

I'm pretty impressed but... I wanted it to be better.

I refined it with these two requests:

add more details about bike transportation and building things efficiently

and

More details about Legos and efficient problem solving

and got back THIS:

As a child, I was always drawn to the endless possibilities of Legos. With just a few bricks, I could create almost anything my imagination could conjure up. This early exposure to building and problem-solving with Legos helped to shape my analytical and creative thinking skills, and I have continued to turn to Legos as a source of inspiration and challenge throughout my life.

One aspect of Legos that particularly interests me is the way in which they can be used to teach efficient problem-solving and design principles. For example, when building with Legos, it is often necessary to use a limited number of bricks to construct a functional and aesthetically pleasing model. This requires careful planning and the ability to think creatively in order to find the most efficient solution.

This concept of efficient problem-solving is something that I have found to be applicable in many areas of my life, including my interest in cycling. Whether it's designing a bike-friendly city or creating a maintenance plan for a fleet of bikes, finding the most efficient and effective solution requires careful planning and the ability to think outside the box.

In addition to teaching problem-solving skills, Legos also encourage creativity and the ability to think in three dimensions. As a child, I would often spend hours lost in my own imagination, building elaborate structures and cities with the small plastic bricks. This early exposure to spatial reasoning has proved invaluable in my studies and future career goals.

Overall, my love for Legos has had a lasting impact on my personal and professional development. From teaching me the value of efficient problem-solving to fostering my creativity and spatial reasoning skills, Legos have played a vital role in shaping the person I am today. I am confident that this passion will continue to guide me in my college studies and beyond, and I am excited to see where it will take me next.

This was written in less than 5 minutes, start to finish. What do you think?

I teach gifted 10 and 11 year olds. I wasn’t that impressed. However, May this is spectacular for ungifted 18 year olds.

I would not be impressed that a teen or adult wrote any of these essays.

I would be impressed if they wrote them as fast as the bot did (1 minute or less, for 500 words.). Yeah, that's impressive for a human.

I am EXTRAORDINARILY impressed than a non-human entity was able to write this, in a minutes, and then apply feedback, and mostly get everything right. Artificial intelligence, not a person.

You aren't? Did you think AI had this capacity already?

Do you think this capacity is new this year? The capacity has existed for several years, but it wasn’t available to the general public. You had to apply to use GPT3.

Meanwhile, if this essay is considered impressive when submitted to a college admissions office, that’s pretty depressing.

Well, OK, the capacity has been around for a few years, but it's pretty recent. Don't you think it is impressive that it could write an essay?

No, the essays themselves are not super impressive, but most student written essays aren't either! The impressive part is that they were not written by a human.

Impressive in the way that we are impressed when elephants paint?

[Anonymous]

I saw a post of drawings of superheroes in retro style. They were drawn by an AI. Specifically remember Ben Affleck Batman and IronMan. Anyone have a link?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is interesting. But now that the functionality is out in the open and accessible to everyone, colleges should assume that everyone has had the opportunity to use it. In a very different way, I think essays was one area where the privileged were able to get good essay coaches and editing help. Now it looks like anyone can generate a basic outline of what they want and edit it from there. In that sense it is an equalizer.

Maybe colleges will force College Board to reinstate the SAT Essay?

I like that idea. I don’t even think they have to grade it. An essay under proctored conditions would go a long way for colleges in assessing a student’s writing.

The could do a similar thing with math where you are permitted to take it once. That would cut down on some of the re-take insanity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hope this makes colleges drop the stupid essays that rich parents already buy with college essay coaches. Standardized tests and gpa and done. (ECs are already gamed by the rich).

Absolutely! Countries with much larger populations (China and India) have figured it out and do exactly this. Of course, throw in some set-asides for first gen+poor, true African Americans, Native Americans, etc. We did the ethical, proper route for Kid 1. He did not get into an ivy but a top 20 and watched idiots who gamed the system get into Ivies. For kids 2 and 3, we WILL be gaming the system, lying and leveraging anything we can.

Don't forget to buy your fake diagnosis so that you can get extra time for SAT and ACT, high school/college exams and projects and homework etc to inflate the std test scores and inflate gpa.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So for all of you parents pushing CS majors, it also writes code. Oh no!

Coders are at risk but software engineers are not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hope admission offices will become acutely aware of these systems. It should become common practice for offices to take the themes of an admitted student’s essay and run it through these bots to ensure something very similar doesn’t spit out. In fact, the next evolution of the technology should be to compare two writing samples - the student’s and the bot’s - for percent similarity. Another approach would be for students to sit for a timed, proctored essay. Of course, we’re now headed back to tests and the inequity around them, but the integrity of the admissions process is important.

So pretty soon, we are going to have to prove what we wrote was not written by a bot?

But the bot gets trained by looking at everything that humans write... so... this is just going to become a literary arms race, isn't it?

So glad I won't have to listen to the fake statement 'Scientists and engineers should learn to write'.