AI's Role in College Admissions: Progress or Pitfall?

Fri Dec 05 2025 06:39:23 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Colleges are increasingly using AI technology to evaluate student applications, raising ethical questions and concerns about the integrity of the admissions process.

As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes more integrated into college admissions processes, institutions like Virginia Tech and Caltech are utilizing AI tools to streamline application review. While some colleges see benefits in efficiency and consistency, concerns about ethics and the potential dehumanization of admissions persist. Institutions must navigate these challenges to use AI responsibly, ensuring it aligns with values of fairness and student respect.

Students applying to college know they can’t — or at least shouldn’t — use AI chatbots to write their essays and personal statements. Surprisingly, some schools are now using artificial intelligence to read these applications.

AI tools are rapidly being integrated into the screening and analysis of student applications, according to admissions directors. Although the use of AI is a delicate topic, many colleges are quietly using it to enhance their evaluation processes. They tout its potential to expedite reviews, shorten processing times, and perform certain tasks better than humans.

Humans get tired; some days are better than others. The AI does not get tired. It’s consistent, states Juan Espinoza, vice provost for enrollment management at Virginia Tech.

This fall, Virginia Tech is unveiling an AI-powered essay reader that could inform students of admissions decisions a month earlier than usual, aiding in the evaluation of tens of thousands of applications.

Colleges assert that they are not outsourcing admissions decisions to AI but using it primarily to review transcripts and streamline processes. However, some selective schools utilize AI tools to vet increasingly curated applications developed with the help of expensive admissions consultants.

The California Institute of Technology is also launching an AI tool designed to assess 'authenticity' in student research submissions. Students can upload their projects to an AI chatbot, pitching their work via video interviews reviewed by faculty.

This trend's prevalence is hard to gauge, but the National Association for College Admission Counseling has recognized the need for ethical guidelines concerning AI use in admissions. As this technological shift takes place, feedback indicates hesitation among colleges about potential backlash.

Critics have begun to emerge, with institutions like the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill facing backlash after reports indicated they had been using AI to evaluate applicants' writing. Following criticism, schools have taken steps to clarify their positions and usage of AI in admissions.

Like many colleges, Virginia Tech has experienced a substantial increase in applications, exacerbating the demand for a more effective evaluation process. AI can scan an impressive volume of essays quickly, allowing schools to save thousands of hours.

Georgia Tech plans to implement an AI tool to automate the review of college transcripts for transfer students, aiming to enhance efficiency and reduce wait times. Similarly, Stony Brook University has begun utilizing AI to analyze applicants' transcripts and recommend critical information from essays and letters of recommendation.

While AI tools enhance efficiency, colleges are cognizant of the delicate messaging required regarding their use, ensuring they do not compromise student integrity. The integration of AI and human interaction remains a focal point of discussion in shaping future admissions practices.