What Colleges Actually Say
The Common App's Position: "Students should be the authors of their own work." This means the ideas, stories, and voice must be genuinely yours—but using tools for editing, grammar checking, and brainstorming is generally accepted.
Generally Acceptable
- • Grammar and spell checking
- • Brainstorming and outlining help
- • Getting feedback on your own writing
- • Research assistance
Not Acceptable
- • Having AI write your essay
- • Submitting AI-generated content as your own
- • Using AI to create fake experiences
- • Having AI answer supplemental questions
Safe Ways to Use AI Tools
Brainstorming Partner
Use AI to generate questions or prompts that help you think. "What moments from high school were most meaningful to me?" Let AI suggest angles you might not have considered—then write about YOUR experiences.
Grammar and Proofreading
Tools like Grammarly are widely accepted. Use them to catch typos, grammar errors, and awkward phrasing—but don't let them rewrite your sentences.
Getting Feedback
Asking AI "What's the main thing you learned about me from this essay?" can reveal if your message is clear. Use it as a reader, not a writer.
What to Avoid
The Real Risk
Even if you don't get caught, AI-generated essays are generic and forgettable. They lack the specific details and authentic voice that make admissions officers remember you.
Don't: Ask AI to write any part of your essay
Don't: Use AI to "polish" your writing into something unrecognizable
Don't: Copy AI's phrases or sentence structures
Don't: Let AI answer "Why This School" questions
The Bottom Line
Your college essay is supposed to reveal who you are. AI can help you think and edit—but the words, stories, and insights must be genuinely yours. That's not just an ethics rule; it's what makes essays work.