Article
The Landscape of AI Use in U.S. College Applications (2025)
Findings and suggestions on how much AI in a college application is too much
Sep 9, 2025
Introduction: A Changing Admissions Landscape
Picture this: a high school senior, stressed out and staring at a blinking cursor on a blank screen. They open up ChatGPT and type, “Can you help me think of ideas for my college essay?” These kinds of scenes are happening more and more. Generative AI is no longer a futuristic tool for techies; it’s something everyday students are using to try to make sense of the college admissions maze. But here’s the question at the heart of all this: Are colleges okay with that?