Webinar overview
AI is now part of how students apply to college, and part of how colleges read those applications. In this webinar, former UC Berkeley admissions reader Sam Luby breaks down what colleges have actually changed in response to AI and how students at any stage of high school should be using it. He'll share:
- Whether using AI on your application can get you rejected, and what colleges have actually said about it
- The risks of using AI on your applications, and how to use it to your advantage
- Which schools added AI disclosure questions and supplemental prompts, and how to answer them
- How to write an authentic essay that stands out against generic AI writing
- Answers to your specific questions during a live Q&A
Meet your webinar host: Sam Luby
Sam has 13 years of admissions experience and has reviewed more than 12,000 college applications, so he knows what sets a strong application apart at highly selective schools. His students have been admitted to the University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern University, the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of California, Los Angeles.
Meet your webinar host:
Sam has 13 years of admissions experience and has reviewed more than 12,000 college applications, so he knows what sets a strong application apart at highly selective schools. His students have been admitted to the University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern University, the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of California, Los Angeles.
Frequently asked questions about AI and college admissions
It can, but only in specific situations. Colleges aren't scanning every essay for AI and rejecting students on sight. The risk comes from submitting writing that sounds generic, doesn't match your voice elsewhere in the application, or misrepresents your own thinking when a school has asked you to disclose AI use. Admissions officers read thousands of essays a year, so they notice when a personal statement lacks any personal detail. Used to brainstorm or edit, AI is generally fine. Used to write the essay for you, it becomes a real liability.
Policies vary widely, and that's part of the problem for families trying to do the right thing. Some schools have added explicit questions asking students to disclose whether and how they used AI tools in their application. Others have said nothing official but have made clear through info sessions or supplemental prompts that they value original, reflective writing. A growing number of supplemental essay questions this cycle are actually designed to be difficult for AI to answer well, which tells you where admissions offices stand even without a formal policy.
Start with specific, lived detail that only you could supply: a real conversation, a precise memory, an odd habit or opinion. AI-generated writing tends to default to broad statements and tidy conclusions, so the fastest way to sound human is to resist wrapping things up too neatly. The same principle applies to your activities list and short answers, not just the personal statement. Admissions officers read your file as a whole, and a distinctive voice in one part that disappears elsewhere raises questions. Write a rough draft yourself first, then revise.
Yes, and probably more than you'd expect. Even if your student hasn't touched an AI tool, many schools now include AI disclosure questions or new supplemental prompts written specifically to address this shift, and you'll want to know how to answer them well. Admissions offices are also reading every essay differently this cycle, with more attention to authenticity and voice across the whole application. Understanding how AI has changed the landscape helps you put together a stronger file, whether or not AI is part of your process.
