While for some, October signals the arrival of fall and the holiday season, for high school seniors, it indicates something else: college application season. This process has historically been the subject of overwhelming controversy. From major admissions scandals to ongoing debates on affirmative action, the application cycle continues to be riddled with issues.
With the introduction of artificial intelligence chatbots and the upsurge in AI technologies in recent months, it appears that the application process is about to become more complex. An increasing amount of students are utilizing AI softwares to complete homework and draft essays, causing many universities to question the extent to which AI will impact admissions.
Admissions officers have already started discouraging the use of chatbots, with two senior admissions officers at Yale University devoting an entire episode of their podcast series to the matter. Aside from maintaining that chatbot generated essays would result in a violation of Yale’s admissions policy, they also argued that content generated by AI lacks the same quality as unique, personalized responses.
Despite these concerns, certain applications of these technologies could help combat inequalities in the admissions process — a long standing drawback of how universities have evaluated applicants. One of the most common criticisms of the admissions process has revolved around the fact that it disproportionately favors the wealthy. According to an article released by CNBC, fewer than one in five Americans currently believe the college admissions process is fair. However, AI could be a key contributor in efforts to correct these disparities.
Juan Espinoza, director of undergraduate admissions at Virginia Tech, expressed these sentiments in an interview with The New York Times. Rather than viewing the technologies in a negative light, he shared anticipations that AI could assist in simplifying such a complex admissions process.
“If there’s a way this tool can help those that have a different starting point catch up, or narrow those discrepancies, I think that shows a lot of promise,” Espinoza said.
And indeed, for students of lower socioeconomic backgrounds, the presence of these technologies could offer access to previously inaccessible resources.
Companies such as Khan Academy have already begun to probe this new arena, with their recent announcement of Khanmigo, an artificially intelligent tutor. Khanmigo comes equipped with a college admission and financial aid function, offering students advice similar to what college counselors would normally provide. With the average college counselor typically charging between $150 to $200 per hour, the high costs of these services have traditionally given wealthier students a competitive edge in the application process. The numbers serve as a testament to this reality: Students with college admissions counselors have been shown to be 4.5 times more likely to be accepted by their target schools, suggesting that the ability to visit a counselor makes a significant difference.
In light of these discrepancies, this addition to Khan Academy’s website will offer a free and effective way to offset these economic disadvantages.
Sal Khan, the founder of Khan Academy, argues that universities ought to begin recognizing the constructive power of AI. He asserts that the use of AI tools like Khanmigo does not constitute cheating, but rather can streamline the admissions cycle for students. Rather than hindering the college process, these platforms offer the potential for a transformative shift in the way we approach college admissions. These low-cost resources will likely level out the playing field among applicants, allowing future admissions to be determined more by academic merit and less by financial means.
Despite these benefits, however, there is lingering uncertainty about the extent that AI should play a role in admissions. As some admissions offices have begun using AI to automate application reviews, public opinion remains split on whether this will reduce or reinforce biases. Algorithms are not neutral, and the possibility for coded bias to affect decisions remains.
Ultimately, as colleges continue to navigate these emerging technologies, it is becoming less a question of if these technologies should be used, but rather how they should be used in a way that is ethical. The impact of AI is highly contextual, offering varied results depending on each situation. Learning to navigate this system, especially in the realm of academia, is going to take time. In the meantime, I encourage admissions officers to remain open-minded about the possibilities of this technology. Although far from perfect, it has the potential to revolutionize higher education and its application cycle.
Tate Moyer is an Opinion Columnist from Los Angeles, California. She writes about the influence of digital culture and technology, and can be reached at moyert@umich.edu.