Last year, Write the World researched whether colleges allowed prospective students to use AI tools in their college essays. This blog post contains updates on AI policies, trends in the college essay and admissions process, and general guidelines that students should follow to adhere to admissions policies.
We surveyed the AI policies of the 15 most popular colleges among students in our College Essay Program, and even in a small sample, colleges vary widely in how they regulate AI in applications.
2 out of the 15 colleges explicitly ban the use of AI in the college application process. Harvard University states that “a student's essay should reflect their own content, writing style, and English proficiency.” The University of Michigan expects applicants to adhere to the Common Application Fraud Policy, which states that “the substantive content or output of an artificial intelligence platform, technology, or algorithm” constitutes fraud.
5 out of the 15 colleges allow the use of AI tools to a degree. Yale University adheres to the Common Application Fraud Policy; however, they note that using AI tools 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.”
Boston University states that if students use AI tools in the college application process, they should use AI only to support their ideas rather than to write their essays for them. Similarly, New York University permits the use of AI but maintains students should submit “their authentic creation.”
The University of Connecticut allows AI tools in the brainstorming stage. The university states that “AI-based programs may help generate ideas for your admission application essay and be useful as you consider how to construct your resume in the activities portion. In addition, they can be a helpful collaborator, particularly when you do not have access to other assistance to help complete your application. However, your ultimate submission should be your own.”
The University of California considers “a completely AI-generated answer” to be equivalent to academic dishonesty, and applications that are found to be AI-generated could disqualify students from UC admissions. Executive Director of Undergraduate Admissions Robert Penman says, “We’re trying to hear your voice. Without you providing all of the detail to an AI tool, it’s not going to be a very good response. By the time you’ve provided all that input, you might as well have just written it yourself because you’ve basically done all the hard work already. That said, an AI tool can help you with structure and readability, but use it with caution.”
Duke University requires students to reflect on “a situation in which they would or would not choose to use AI and provide some context for their decision.” According to Interim Dean of Undergraduate Admissions Kathy Phillips, “AI can only write about what the students put into it,” and Duke University is more interested in an essay’s content rather than its presentation. Furthermore, Duke University allows teachers and counselors to use AI to write recommendation letters.
Most of the colleges researched do not have an explicit policy on using AI in the college application process. This list includes schools such as the University of Pennsylvania, Columbia University, the University of Massachusetts Amherst, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the University of Massachusetts Lowell, Northeastern University, and the University of Massachusetts Boston.
The University of Pennsylvania requires that students’ submissions reflect their own ideas, writing, and editing, but does not mention AI. Columbia University states: “Regardless of the tools and support you may have used, we expect that all submitted application materials are your own original work and reflect your authentic voice. We encourage you to familiarize yourself with Columbia’s Honor Pledge & Honor Code and Generative AI Policy.” However, the Generative AI Policy only covers the use of AI in classrooms.
Without clear guidance, students should err on the side of caution and assume their essays should be entirely original.
Of the 15 schools, only Harvard University became stricter about AI use. Meanwhile, other schools without an AI policy last year developed guidelines for this year’s admission cycle, such as Boston University and New York University, which now allow limited AI use.
Although Duke University had a strict ban last year, the school seems to have acknowledged that students are likely using AI anyway, hence the prompt asking students to reflect on their AI use.
The University of Connecticut continues to allow students to use AI for brainstorming. Colleges such as the University of Pennsylvania, Northeastern University, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst still have not developed an explicit policy outlining whether students can use AI in the college application process.
At Virginia Tech, essays are scored by one human reviewer and one AI reviewer. If the reviewers’ scores differ by more than two points on a 12-point scale, another human reviewer evaluates the essay. Virginia Tech emphasizes that human admissions professionals still make final admissions decisions.
Stony Brook University uses AI to review applicants’ transcripts and is testing if AI can summarize student essays and letters of recommendation. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill uses AI to provide data points on the writing style and grammar of a student’s essay and the rigor of a student’s coursework. However, a human evaluator makes the final admissions decision.
The University of California does not use AI in the application review process, but they run applications through plagiarism detection software. Other colleges that explicitly state that they do not use AI in the application review process include Duke University, the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and New York University. Notably, the University of Wisconsin–Madison states that it will not disqualify applicants who have found or are suspected of using AI, nor will it run essays through AI-detection software.
Essay review service GradPilot coined the term “flagxiety” to describe students’ anxieties about having their writing flagged by AI detection tools, regardless of whether they used AI. While scrolling through subreddits like r/ApplyingToCollege and r/premed, GradPilot noticed students deliberately swapping complex words for simpler vocabulary, adding grammatical or spelling mistakes, and shortening complex sentences—all to avoid triggering AI detection tools. However, as GradPilot notes, “Artificially simplified writing can create uneven quality that actually increases detection risk, because the inconsistency signals that something is off.”
AI detectors flag statistical patterns associated with AI-generated text, such as predictable word choices, uniform sentence length, formulaic structures (e.g., “It’s not X. It’s Y.”), overusing transition phrases, and making abstract transformation claims ("This experience profoundly shaped my perspective").
What makes a good college essay—specific and personal writing—is therefore unlikely to be flagged by AI detection tools. Don’t let the fear of AI detectors change the way you tell your story.
If you are submitting through the Common App, you are bound by both the Common Application Fraud Policy and the school’s AI policy. If the policies conflict, follow the stricter one. Schools can make their AI policies stricter, but they cannot override the Common App policy by making the rules looser.
At Write the World, we strongly encourage students to write their essays independently. This not only helps avoid potential issues with college policies but also allows students to strengthen their personal voice and storytelling skills. We encourage students to check out Write the World’s blog posts for resources, such as the difference between human and AI-generated writing and tips for starting, writing, and revising a Common App Essay.
Learning to write your college essay without relying on AI tools hones essential college skills such as idea generation and clear communication. And as stated by Yale’s AI Policy, “AI tools are inevitably ignorant of the foundation of a successful application: the unique person applying.”
About the author
As a College Essay Advisor at Write the World, Vivian Zhi supports high school students through their college application journey. Vivian looks forward to helping young writers find themselves through their writing.