Reply to YCBK Podcast Episode re College Admissions' use of AI Detection Programs

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Starting a new thread to discuss the following post from an earlier thread:

"YCBK is doing a podcast this week (th?) on how Slate has Turnitin/Originality/Pangram AI detection built in now.
So, schools will see all "red" on the screen for the essays when any AI is used.
Automatic rejection?
Tell your kids!!"

FWIW I'm eager to listen to the podcast episode, in part because I'm skeptical.

First, these programs are notoriously in accurate, with both false positives and false negatives. To the point where it seems absurd (irresponsible?) for an AO to draw a conclusion based on the results of running an essay through this software.

And second, at this point, anyone with half a brain should know not to straight up cut-and-paste essays drafted by AI. Not only do AI-drafted essays not capture the applicant's voice, they're notoriously inaccurate and can hallucinate details (ex. fake case citations in legal filings).

[b]To me, the real question for 2025 is what to do about students who use AI in smaller ways. For example, on the front end as a brainstorming partner to consider and develop different essay ideas? Or in the editing phase to help wordsmith specific sentences. Or at the very end to help shrink an essay or short answer to fit the word count (or character count for the Common App's EC descriptions.)

Are those uses of AI appropriate or are they "cheating"? [/b]

Do all colleges have the same opinion on that, or does it depend on the school?

And what do these AI detection programs do with these more subtle uses of AI? It's hard to imagine how effective they could possibly be, especially with all the iterations and editing involved.

Thoughts?
[/quote]

It depends on the school.

Members of the Yale Admissions Committee review the written components of an application to better understand an individual’s unique perspective, background, and insights related to their experiences and aspirations. Successful applications showcase a prospective student’s mind and character, demonstrating much more than merely fluent or cogent writing.

To protect the integrity of the selection process, the Yale Office of Undergraduate Admissions adheres to the Common Application’s Policy on Application Fraud(link is external), and applicants confirm several affirmation statements(link is external), including that all information submitted is the applicant’s “own work, factually true, and honestly presented.”

As detailed in the above statements, it is Yale’s policy that submitting “the substantive content or output of an artificial intelligence platform, technology, or algorithm” constitutes application fraud. Submitting personal statements or other written application responses composed by text-generating software may result in admission revocation or expulsion.

[b]Using an AI platform to review one’s grammar or spelling, or to seek general advice or topic suggestions at the start of the writing process does not constitute application fraud. [/b]Some applicants may find AI tools useful in these ways; others may not.

For more insights on artificial intelligence and college applications, listen to the “Inside the Yale Admissions Office” podcast episode linked below.

https://admissions.yale.edu/ai-policy-statement

[/quote]

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