Why ChatGPT Will Never Write a Great College Essay
ChatGPT can write a good college essay, it just can’t write a great one. Before explaining, I need you to check out these examples of a ChatGPT-generated essay and supplemental question. Go ahead — I’ll be here when you get back!
Ok now that you’ve read them, they’re not bad, right? Generic, a little formulaic, but not horrible. These essays might not not keep an applicant out of their top-choice college, but it certainly will not convince the admissions officer to stop and pay attention.
Let’s start with the essay which fails to hit each of my criteria for a great essay.
It’s not authentic. In my sophomore year, I suffered a major setback when I broke my shoulder in a swimming accident. Despite this injury, I was determined to return to the pool and continue competing. I have no reason to believe the author is not just telling me what they think I want to hear. Also, I’m bored.
It’s not honest. My hard work and determination paid off, and I helped lead my team to a second-place finish. This cliché is just a snoozefest. If I had a dollar for every sports injury a student wanted to write about overcoming…
It’s not humble. From a young age, I learned the importance of hard work, dedication, and customer service, and I have come to appreciate the challenges and rewards of owning and operating a small business. If this were a real kid and not a bot, we’d identify a specific event that tells the story but also illustrates something personal and vulnerable.… This “je ne sais quoi” comes out over one-on-one conversations. Since it’s unique to the student, neither I, nor a bot, can make it up.
And the essay is certainly not simple. In conclusion, my background as a competitive swimmer, the son of Indian immigrants, and a member of a thriving business community has given me a unique perspective and a strong set of skills and interests. What’s the through-line here? What’s the “thesis?” This reads more like a 5-paragraph essay than a personal statement.
I have read many versions of essays like this,. I usually scuttle the essay and start fresh, identifying a story with more zing and flair. Bland, formulaic, and cliché is not our objective.
If you’ve read my guidance about writing a great supplement, you’ll know that the ChatGPT piece hits a lot of flat notes. In our holistic approach, each portion of the application tells part of a student’s story. Therefore, reiterating the same biography is a wasted opportunity to illuminate a different aspect of the applicant. Furthermore, no one wants you at their school because you are a fan of the sports team. They want to understand the specific connection between the student’s values, academic interests, activities and the school’s offerings.
Click here to see some examples of our students’ college essays and here to see some supplements. These could never have been written by an AI because they are authentic, honest, humble, simple… and they each have a true voice.
