Does AI Belong in Canadian University Applications?

Let’s face it, content that talks about AI needs a time stamp.

This post was written in August of 2023, less than a year after the launch of Chat GPT. Over the last nine months, opinions have ebbed and flowed about the capabilities of Chat GPT and other AI tools.

But one thing is clear: we can’t ignore it.

Many have poked holes in what Chat GPT is able to do. Others are blown away by its speed and the usefulness of the content it produces.

But, be warned: if you’re tempted to use AI in the written component of your university applications, this is not the time.

What universities want

As you prepare to write a Personal Profile, Personal Statement, supp app or other essay on your university applications, you are almost guaranteed to have one question on your mind:

”What do universities want to see in my essay?”

Rest assured, admission officers are not expecting you to have won a Nobel Peace Prize in your free time. Nor to they expect you to have the highest marks in your province. They want to know about you—what interests you to the point that you’ve been proactive about taking things to the next level.

They want to know how you’ve overcome challenges in your life, how you’ve taken risks and learned to solve problems. Maybe you’ve seen a need and reached out to help others. In short, they want to know about you (and not in a resume kind of way). They want to hear your voice.

Why AI can’t help

If you’re thinking of using AI to help you write your university application essays, please don’t! Even if you spoon feed Chat GPT a list of your interests and accomplishments, there is no way for the tool to capture your voice and personality.

Not only is AI is too limited to help you craft a meaningful, authentic answer, but you also run the risk that your essays won’t do you justice.

The scramble to get it right

Of course, university admissions officers will be working hard to make sure they can tell if AI is part of your essay application. They may use software to help them detect AI-driven essays, they may develop a keen eye for content created by artificial intelligence.

In short: they’ll be on the lookout for students who are trying to take AI shortcuts.

It’s fair to say, at the moment, that universities don’t want to hear about you through the filter of AI. They want to hear your voice and your personal interpretation of the experiences you’ve had in life.

They want to know about you and how you’ll thrive at their university.

Things are changing

Back to the need for a time stamp... it’s August, 2023.

In a year or two, university admission officers may expect you to use AI for some portion of your university application. Or, maybe they will have such strong detection software that students won’t think of using AI to help them write a personal statement or other application essays.

The truth is - if you’re applying for university in Canada this year, you only have a few months to worry about the state of AI. And for now, it’s best to stay away.

Right now, nothing can match your voice. Especially not AI.

Not worth the risk

Surely, there will be some students across the country that a) leave their university application essays until the last minute and b) turn to AI to help them craft something quickly.

Not a great plan, especially with all of the unknowns surrounding artificial intelligence, its shortcomings around personal experience and the potential that using AI will be seen as cheating.

In other words — it’s currently not worth the risk of using AI on your university applications. Don’t throw away your hard work to secure good marks and impressive extracurriculars, only to have an admissions officer toss your application to the ‘No’ file for suspected cheating.

Just-right help for university applications

If you’re interested in finding the right level of support for your university application essays — including planning and editing help for personal statements, personal profiles, supp app essays and more, we can help.

At On Your Mark, we’ve helped Canadian students to map out and edit their application essays for Engineering, Life Sciences and Psychology programs at top Canadian schools. We’ve also helped students prepare and practice for on-the-spot essays and interviews, as part of the supp app Health Sciences at Queen’s University.

We look forward to helping you find your voice for the written or video components of your university applications. Let’s do this.