AI May Be Scoring Your College Essay: Welcome to the New Era of Admissions


A stylized visual showing a college application essay page with glowing red marks and scores being assigned by a disembodied robotic hand emerging from a digital screen, symbolizing the automated and impersonal nature of AI-driven admissions scoring. Image (and typos) generated by Nano Banana.
The gatekeepers go digital: Welcome to the new era of college admissions, where artificial intelligence is increasingly being used to evaluate student essays, fundamentally changing the application process. Image (and typos) generated by Nano Banana.

Source

AP News

Summary

This article explores the expanding use of AI systems in U.S. university admissions processes. As applicant numbers rise and timelines tighten, institutions are increasingly turning to AI tools to assist in reviewing essays, evaluating transcripts and identifying key indicators of academic readiness. Supporters of AI-assisted admissions argue that the tools offer efficiency gains, help standardise evaluation criteria and reduce human workload. Critics raise concerns about fairness, particularly regarding students whose writing styles or backgrounds may not align with the patterns AI systems are trained to recognise. Additionally, the article notes a lack of transparency from some institutions about how heavily they rely on AI in decision-making, prompting public scrutiny and calls for clearer communication. The broader significance lies in AI’s movement beyond teaching and assessment into high-stakes decision processes that affect students’ educational and career trajectories. The piece concludes that institutions adopting AI must implement strong auditing mechanisms and maintain human oversight to ensure integrity and trust.

Key Points

  • AI now used in admissions decision-making.
  • Faster processing of applications.
  • Concerns about bias and fairness.
  • Public criticism where transparency lacking.
  • Indicates AI entering core institutional processes.

Keywords

URL

https://apnews.com/article/87802788683ca4831bf1390078147a6f

Summary generated by ChatGPT 5.1


AI in School Affects Pupils’ Ability to Create Original Work, Report Finds


A dimly lit, futuristic classroom with rows of young students, predominantly girls, seated at individual desks, each intensely focused on an open laptop. Above each student's head, a clear, transparent bubble contains glowing digital circuitry and data, symbolizing ideas or creativity. These bubbles are connected by glowing blue lines that lead back to a large, imposing, glowing blue eye or orb on a dark monolith at the front of the classroom, suggesting a central AI influence. The students appear subdued and uniform. Image (and typos) generated by Nano Banana.
A concerning new report indicates that the increasing integration of AI in schools may be diminishing students’ capacity for original thought and creative work. This image visualizes the potential impact, raising questions about how technology might inadvertently hinder the development of essential human skills. Image (and typos) generated by Nano Banana.

Source

The Stage

Summary

A new Oxford University Press report warns that secondary school students in the UK fear artificial intelligence is limiting their creativity and originality. The study found that 80 per cent of pupils aged 13 to 18 use AI regularly for schoolwork, and while 90 per cent said it has helped them develop at least one skill, many expressed concern that it encourages imitation rather than innovation. Sixty per cent reported that AI makes them more likely to copy existing content, while 12 per cent said it hinders creative thinking and writing. Over half also feared AI tools reinforce biased or inaccurate stereotypes. The Writers’ Guild of Great Britain has called on schools and government to protect young people’s creative development and critical independence in the classroom.

Key Points

  • 80 per cent of pupils regularly use AI for schoolwork; only 2 per cent have never used it.
  • 60 per cent say AI encourages imitation and reduces originality.
  • 12 per cent believe AI negatively affects their creative thinking and writing.
  • 51 per cent worry AI tools reinforce bias and untrue stereotypes.
  • The Writers’ Guild urges policies to safeguard creativity and human-centred learning.

Keywords

URL

https://www.thestage.co.uk/news/ai-in-school-affects-pupils-ability-to-create-original-work-report

Summary generated by ChatGPT 5