college essays using chat gpt

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College Admissions , College Essays

ChatGPT has become a popular topic of conversation since its official launch in November 2022. The artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot can be used for all sorts of things, like having conversations, answering questions, and even crafting complete pieces of writing.

If you’re applying for college, you might be wondering about ChatGPT college admissions’ potential.  Should you use a ChatGPT college essay in your application ? 

By the time you finish reading this article, you’ll know much more about ChatGPT, including how students can use it responsibly and if it’s a good idea to use ChatGPT on college essays . We’ll answer all your questions, like:

• What is ChatGPT and why are schools talking about it?
• What are the good and bad aspects of ChatGPT?
• Should you use ChatGPT for college essays and applications?
• Can colleges detect ChatGPT?
• Are there other tools and strategies that students can use, instead?

We’ve got a lot to cover, so let’s get started!

Schools and colleges are worried about how new AI technology affects how students learn. (Don't worry. Robots aren't replacing your teachers...yet.)

What Is ChatGPT and Why Are Schools Talking About It?

ChatGPT (short for “Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer”) is a chatbot created by OpenAI , an artificial intelligence research company. ChatGPT can be used for various tasks, like having human-like conversations, answering questions, giving recommendations, translating words and phrases—and writing things like essays. 

In order to do this, ChatGPT uses a neural network that’s been trained on thousands of resources to predict relationships between words. When you give ChatGPT a task, it uses that knowledge base to interpret your input or query. It then analyzes its data banks to predict the combinations of words that will best answer your question. 

So while ChatGPT might seem like it’s thinking, it’s actually pulling information from hundreds of thousands of resources , then answering your questions by looking for patterns in that data and predicting which words come next.  

Why Schools Are Concerned About ChatGPT

Unsurprisingly, schools are worried about ChatGPT and its misuse, especially in terms of academic dishonesty and plagiarism . Most schools, including colleges, require students’ work to be 100% their own. That’s because taking someone else’s ideas and passing them off as your own is stealing someone else’s intellectual property and misrepresenting your skills. 

The problem with ChatGPT from schools’ perspective is that it does the writing and research for you, then gives you the final product. In other words, you’re not doing the work it takes to complete an assignment when you’re using ChatGPT , which falls under schools’ plagiarism and dishonesty policies.  

Colleges are also concerned with how ChatGPT will negatively affect students’ critical thinking, research, and writing skills . Essays and other writing assignments are used to measure students’ mastery of the material, and if students submit ChatGPT college essays, teachers will just be giving feedback on an AI’s writing…which doesn’t help the student learn and grow. 

Beyond that, knowing how to write well is an important skill people need to be successful throughout life. Schools believe that if students rely on ChatGPT to write their essays, they’re doing more than just plagiarizing—they’re impacting their ability to succeed in their future careers. 

Many Schools Have Already Banned ChatGPT

Schools have responded surprisingly quickly to AI use, including ChatGPT. Worries about academic dishonesty, plagiarism, and mis/disinformation have led many high schools and colleges to ban the use of ChatGPT . Some schools have begun using AI-detection software for assignment submissions, and some have gone so far as to block students from using ChatGPT on their internet networks. 

It’s likely that schools will begin revising their academic honesty and plagiarism policies to address the use of AI tools like ChatGPT. You’ll want to stay up-to-date with your schools’ policies. 

ChatGPT is pretty amazing...but it's not a great tool for writing college essays. Here's why.

ChatGPT: College Admissions and Entrance Essays

College admissions essays—also called personal statements—ask students to explore important events, experiences, and ideas from their lives. A great entrance essay will explain what makes you you !  

ChatGPT is a machine that doesn’t know and can’t understand your experiences. That means using ChatGPT to write your admissions essays isn’t just unethical. It actually puts you at a disadvantage because ChatGPT can’t adequately showcase what it means to be you. 

Let’s take a look at four ways ChatGPT negatively impacts college admissions essays.

#1: ChatGPT Lacks Insight

We recommend students use u nexpected or slightly unusual topics because they help admissions committees learn more about you and what makes you unique. The chat bot doesn’t know any of that, so nothing ChatGPT writes can’t accurately reflect your experience, passions, or goals for the future. 

Because ChatGPT will make guesses about who you are, it won’t be able to share what makes you unique in a way that resonates with readers. And since that’s what admissions counselors care about, a ChatGPT college essay could negatively impact an otherwise strong application.  

#2: ChatGPT Might Plagiarize 

Writing about experiences that many other people have had isn’t a very strong approach to take for entrance essays . After all, you don’t want to blend in—you want to stand out! 

If you write your essay yourself and include key details about your past experiences and future goals, there’s little risk that you’ll write the same essay as someone else. But if you use ChatGPT—who’s to say someone else won’t, too? Since ChatGPT uses predictive guesses to write essays, there’s a good chance the text it uses in your essay already appeared in someone else’s.  

Additionally, ChatGPT learns from every single interaction it has. So even if your essay isn’t plagiarized, it’s now in the system. That means the next person who uses ChatGPT to write their essay may end up with yours. You’ll still be on the hook for submitting a ChatGPT college essay, and someone else will be in trouble, too.

#3: ChatGPT Doesn’t Understand Emotion 

Keep in mind that ChatGPT can’t experience or imitate emotions, and so its writing samples lack, well, a human touch ! 

A great entrance essay will explore experiences or topics you’re genuinely excited about or proud of . This is your chance to show your chosen schools what you’ve accomplished and how you’ll continue growing and learning, and an essay without emotion would be odd considering that these should be real, lived experiences and passions you have!

#4: ChatGPT Produced Mediocre Results

If you’re still curious what would happen if you submitted a ChatGPT college essay with your application, you’re in luck. Both Business Insider and Forbes asked ChatGPT to write a couple of college entrance essays, and then they sent them to college admissions readers to get their thoughts. 

The readers agreed that the essays would probably pass as being written by real students—assuming admissions committees didn’t use AI detection software—but that they both were about what a “very mediocre, perhaps even a middle school, student would produce.” The admissions professionals agreed that the essays probably wouldn’t perform very well with entrance committees, especially at more selective schools.  

That’s not exactly the reaction you want when an admission committee reads your application materials! So, when it comes to ChatGPT college admissions, it’s best to steer clear and write your admission materials by yourself. 

Can Colleges Detect ChatGPT?

We’ve already explained why it’s not a great idea to use ChatGPT to write your college essays and applications , but you may still be wondering: can colleges detect ChatGPT? 

In short, yes, they can! 

Software Can Detect ChatGPT

As technology improves and increases the risk of academic dishonesty, plagiarism, and mis/disinformation, software that can detect such technology is improving, too. For instance, OpenAI, the same company that built ChatGPT, is working on a text classifier that can tell the difference between AI-written text and human-written text .  

Turnitin, one of the most popular plagiarism detectors used by high schools and universities, also recently developed the AI Innovation Lab —a detection software designed to flag submissions that have used AI tools like ChatGPT. Turnitin says that this tool works with 98% confidence in detecting AI writing. 

Plagiarism and AI companies aren’t the only ones interested in AI-detection software. A 22-year old computer science student at Princeton created an app to detect ChatGPT writing, called Zero GPT. This software works by measuring the complexity of ideas and variety of sentence structures.  

Human Readers Can Detect ChatGPT 

It’s also worth keeping in mind that teachers can spot the use of ChatGPT themselves , even if it isn’t confirmed by a software detector. For example, if you’ve turned in one or two essays to your teacher already, they’re probably familiar with your unique writing style. If you submit a college essay draft essay that uses totally different vocabulary, sentence structures, and figures of speech, your teacher will likely take note.

Additionally , admissions committees and readers may be able to spot ChatGPT writing, too. ChatGPT (and AI writing, in general) uses more simplistic sentence structures with less variation, so that could make it easier to tell if you’ve submitted a ChatGPT college essay. These professionals also read thousands of essays every year, which means they know what a typical essay reads like. You want your college essay to catch their attention…but not because you used AI software! 

If you use ChatGPT responsibly, you can be as happy as these kids.

Pros and Cons of ChatGPT: College Admissions Edition

ChatGPT is a brand new technology, which means we’re still learning about the ways it can benefit us. It’s important to think about the pros and the cons to any new tool …and that includes artificial intelligence!

Let’s look at some of the good—and not-so-good—aspects of ChatGPT below. 

ChatGPT: The Good

It may seem like we’re focused on just the negatives of using ChatGPT in this article, but we’re willing to admit that the chatbot isn’t all bad. In fact, it can be a very useful tool for learning if used responsibly !

Like we already mentioned, students shouldn’t use ChatGPT to write entire essays or assignments. They can use it, though, as a learning tool alongside their own critical thinking and writing skills.

Students can use ChatGPT responsibly to:

• Learn more about a topic . It’s a great place to get started for general knowledge and ideas about most subjects.
• Find reputable and relevant sources on a topic. Students can ask ChatGPT for names and information about leading scholars, relevant websites and databases, and more. 
• Brainstorm ideas for assignments. Students can share the ideas they already have with ChatGPT, and in return, the chatbot can suggest ideas for further exploration and even organization of their points.
• Check work (that they’ve written themselves!) for errors or cla rity. This is similar to how spell- and grammar-checking software is used. ChatGPT may be even better than some competitors for this, because students can actually ask ChatGPT to explain the errors and their solutions—not just to fix them. 

Before you use ChatGPT—even for the tasks mentioned above—you should talk to your teacher or school about their AI and academic dishonesty policies. It’s also a good idea to include an acknowledgement that you used ChatGPT with an explanation of its use. 

This guy made some bad decisions using ChatGPT. Don't be this guy.

ChatGPT: The Bad

The first model of ChatGPT (GPT-3.5) was formally introduced to the public in November 2022, and the newer model (GPT-4) in March 2023. So, it’s still very new and there’s a lot of room for improvement .  

There are many misconceptions about ChatGPT. One of the most extreme is that the AI is all-knowing and can make its own decisions. Another is that ChatGPT is a search engine that, when asked a question, can just surf the web for timely, relevant resources and give you all of that information. Both of these beliefs are incorrect because ChatGPT is limited to the information it’s been given by OpenAI . 

Remember how the ‘PT’ in ChatGPT stands for “Pre-trained”? That means that every time OpenAI gives ChatGPT an update, it’s given more information to work with (and so it has more information to share with you). In other words, it’s “trained” on information so it can give you the most accurate and relevant responses possible—but that information can be limited and biased . Ultimately, humans at OpenAI decide what pieces of information to share with ChatGPT, so it’s only as accurate and reliable as the sources it has access to.

For example, if you were to ask ChatGPT-3.5 what notable headlines made the news last week, it would respond that it doesn’t have access to that information because its most recent update was in September 2021!

You’re probably already familiar with how easy it can be to come across misinformation, misleading and untrue information on the internet. Since ChatGPT can’t tell the difference between what is true and what isn’t, it’s up to the humans at OpenAI to make sure only accurate and true information is given to the chatbot . This leaves room for human error , and users of ChatGPT have to keep that in mind when using and learning from the chatbot.

These are just the most obvious problems with ChatGPT. Some other problems with the chatbot include:

• A lack of common sense. ChatGPT can create seemingly sensical responses to many questions and topics, but it doesn’t have common sense or complete background knowledge.
• A lack of empathy. ChatGPT doesn’t have emotions, so it can’t understand them, either. 
• An inability to make decisions or problem solve . While the chatbot can complete basic tasks like answering questions or giving recommendations, it can’t solve complex tasks. 

While there are some great uses for ChatGPT, it’s certainly not without its flaws.

Our bootcamp can help you put together amazing college essays that help you get into your dream schools—no AI necessary.

What Other Tools and Strategies Can Help Students Besides ChatGPT?

While it’s not a good idea to use ChatGPT for college admissions materials, it’s not the only tool available to help students with college essays and assignments. 

One of the best strategies students can use to write good essays is to make sure they give themselves plenty of time for the assignment. The writing process includes much more than just drafting! Having time to brainstorm ideas, write out a draft, revise it for clarity and completeness, and polish it makes for a much stronger essay. 

Teachers are another great resource students can use, especially for college application essays. Asking a teacher (or two!) for feedback can really help students improve the focus, clarity, and correctness of an essay. It’s also a more interactive way to learn—being able to sit down with a teacher to talk about their feedback can be much more engaging than using other tools. 

Using expert resources during the essay writing process can make a big difference, too. Our article outlines a complete list of strategies for students writing college admission essays. It breaks down what the Common Application essay is, gives tips for choosing the best essay topic, offers strategies for staying focused and being specific, and more.  

You can also get help from people who know the college admissions process best, like former admissions counselors. PrepScholar’s Admissions Bootcamp guides you through the entire application process , and you’ll get insider tips and tricks from real-life admissions counselors that’ll make your applications stand out. Even better, our bootcamp includes step-by-step essay writing guidance , so you can get the help you need to make sure your essay is perfect.  

If you’re hoping for more technological help, Grammarly is another AI tool that can check writing for correctness. It can correct things like misused and misspelled words and grammar mistakes, and it can improve your tone and style. 

It’s also widely available across multiple platforms through a Windows desktop app, an Android and iOS app, and a Google Chrome extension. And since Grammarly just checks your writing without doing any of the work for you, it’s totally safe to use on your college essays. 

The Bottom Line: ChatGPT College Admissions and Essays

ChatGPT will continue to be a popular discussion topic as it continues evolving. You can expect your chosen schools to address ChatGPT and other AI tools in their academic honesty and plagiarism policies in the near future—and maybe even to restrict or ban the use of the chatbot for school admissions and assignments.

As AI continues transforming, so will AI-detection. The goal is to make sure that AI is used responsibly by students so that they’re avoiding plagiarism and building their research, writing, and critical thinking skills. There are some great uses for ChatGPT when used responsibly, but you should always check with your teachers and schools beforehand.

ChatGPT’s “bad” aspects still need improving, and that’s going to take some time.Be aware that the chatbot isn’t even close to perfect, and it needs to be fact-checked just like other sources of information.

Similarly to other school assignments, don’t submit a ChatGPT college essay for college applications, either. College entrance essays should outline unique and interesting personal experiences and ideas, and those can only come from you.  

Just because ChatGPT isn’t a good idea doesn’t mean there aren’t resources to help you put together a great college essay. There are many other tools and strategies you can use instead of ChatGPT , many of which have been around for longer and offer better feedback. 

What’s Next?

Ready to write your college essays the old-fashioned way? Start here with our comprehensive guide to the admissions essays. 

Most students have to submit essays as part of their Common Application . Here's a complete breakdown of the Common App prompts —and how to answer them. 

The most common type of essay answers the "why this college?" prompt. We've got an expert breakdown that shows you how to write a killer response , step by step. 

Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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Should I Use ChatGPT to Write My Essays?

Everything high school and college students need to know about using — and not using — ChatGPT for writing essays.

Jessica A. Kent

ChatGPT is one of the most buzzworthy technologies today.

In addition to other generative artificial intelligence (AI) models, it is expected to change the world. In academia, students and professors are preparing for the ways that ChatGPT will shape education, and especially how it will impact a fundamental element of any course: the academic essay.

Students can use ChatGPT to generate full essays based on a few simple prompts. But can AI actually produce high quality work, or is the technology just not there yet to deliver on its promise? Students may also be asking themselves if they should use AI to write their essays for them and what they might be losing out on if they did.

AI is here to stay, and it can either be a help or a hindrance depending on how you use it. Read on to become better informed about what ChatGPT can and can’t do, how to use it responsibly to support your academic assignments, and the benefits of writing your own essays.

What is Generative AI?

Artificial intelligence isn’t a twenty-first century invention. Beginning in the 1950s, data scientists started programming computers to solve problems and understand spoken language. AI’s capabilities grew as computer speeds increased and today we use AI for data analysis, finding patterns, and providing insights on the data it collects.

But why the sudden popularity in recent applications like ChatGPT? This new generation of AI goes further than just data analysis. Instead, generative AI creates new content. It does this by analyzing large amounts of data — GPT-3 was trained on 45 terabytes of data, or a quarter of the Library of Congress — and then generating new content based on the patterns it sees in the original data.

It’s like the predictive text feature on your phone; as you start typing a new message, predictive text makes suggestions of what should come next based on data from past conversations. Similarly, ChatGPT creates new text based on past data. With the right prompts, ChatGPT can write marketing content, code, business forecasts, and even entire academic essays on any subject within seconds.

But is generative AI as revolutionary as people think it is, or is it lacking in real intelligence?

The Drawbacks of Generative AI

It seems simple. You’ve been assigned an essay to write for class. You go to ChatGPT and ask it to write a five-paragraph academic essay on the topic you’ve been assigned. You wait a few seconds and it generates the essay for you!

But ChatGPT is still in its early stages of development, and that essay is likely not as accurate or well-written as you’d expect it to be. Be aware of the drawbacks of having ChatGPT complete your assignments.

It’s not intelligence, it’s statistics

One of the misconceptions about AI is that it has a degree of human intelligence. However, its intelligence is actually statistical analysis, as it can only generate “original” content based on the patterns it sees in already existing data and work.

It “hallucinates”

Generative AI models often provide false information — so much so that there’s a term for it: “AI hallucination.” OpenAI even has a warning on its home screen , saying that “ChatGPT may produce inaccurate information about people, places, or facts.” This may be due to gaps in its data, or because it lacks the ability to verify what it’s generating. 

It doesn’t do research  

If you ask ChatGPT to find and cite sources for you, it will do so, but they could be inaccurate or even made up.

This is because AI doesn’t know how to look for relevant research that can be applied to your thesis. Instead, it generates content based on past content, so if a number of papers cite certain sources, it will generate new content that sounds like it’s a credible source — except it likely may not be.

There are data privacy concerns

When you input your data into a public generative AI model like ChatGPT, where does that data go and who has access to it? 

Prompting ChatGPT with original research should be a cause for concern — especially if you’re inputting study participants’ personal information into the third-party, public application. 

JPMorgan has restricted use of ChatGPT due to privacy concerns, Italy temporarily blocked ChatGPT in March 2023 after a data breach, and Security Intelligence advises that “if [a user’s] notes include sensitive data … it enters the chatbot library. The user no longer has control over the information.”

It is important to be aware of these issues and take steps to ensure that you’re using the technology responsibly and ethically. 

It skirts the plagiarism issue

AI creates content by drawing on a large library of information that’s already been created, but is it plagiarizing? Could there be instances where ChatGPT “borrows” from previous work and places it into your work without citing it? Schools and universities today are wrestling with this question of what’s plagiarism and what’s not when it comes to AI-generated work.

To demonstrate this, one Elon University professor gave his class an assignment: Ask ChatGPT to write an essay for you, and then grade it yourself. 

“Many students expressed shock and dismay upon learning the AI could fabricate bogus information,” he writes, adding that he expected some essays to contain errors, but all of them did. 

His students were disappointed that “major tech companies had pushed out AI technology without ensuring that the general population understands its drawbacks” and were concerned about how many embraced such a flawed tool.

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How to Use AI as a Tool to Support Your Work

As more students are discovering, generative AI models like ChatGPT just aren’t as advanced or intelligent as they may believe. While AI may be a poor option for writing your essay, it can be a great tool to support your work.

Generate ideas for essays

Have ChatGPT help you come up with ideas for essays. For example, input specific prompts, such as, “Please give me five ideas for essays I can write on topics related to WWII,” or “Please give me five ideas for essays I can write comparing characters in twentieth century novels.” Then, use what it provides as a starting point for your original research.

Generate outlines

You can also use ChatGPT to help you create an outline for an essay. Ask it, “Can you create an outline for a five paragraph essay based on the following topic” and it will create an outline with an introduction, body paragraphs, conclusion, and a suggested thesis statement. Then, you can expand upon the outline with your own research and original thought.

Generate titles for your essays

Titles should draw a reader into your essay, yet they’re often hard to get right. Have ChatGPT help you by prompting it with, “Can you suggest five titles that would be good for a college essay about [topic]?”

The Benefits of Writing Your Essays Yourself

Asking a robot to write your essays for you may seem like an easy way to get ahead in your studies or save some time on assignments. But, outsourcing your work to ChatGPT can negatively impact not just your grades, but your ability to communicate and think critically as well. It’s always the best approach to write your essays yourself.

Create your own ideas

Writing an essay yourself means that you’re developing your own thoughts, opinions, and questions about the subject matter, then testing, proving, and defending those thoughts. 

When you complete school and start your career, projects aren’t simply about getting a good grade or checking a box, but can instead affect the company you’re working for — or even impact society. Being able to think for yourself is necessary to create change and not just cross work off your to-do list.

Building a foundation of original thinking and ideas now will help you carve your unique career path in the future.

Develop your critical thinking and analysis skills

In order to test or examine your opinions or questions about a subject matter, you need to analyze a problem or text, and then use your critical thinking skills to determine the argument you want to make to support your thesis. Critical thinking and analysis skills aren’t just necessary in school — they’re skills you’ll apply throughout your career and your life.

Improve your research skills

Writing your own essays will train you in how to conduct research, including where to find sources, how to determine if they’re credible, and their relevance in supporting or refuting your argument. Knowing how to do research is another key skill required throughout a wide variety of professional fields.

Learn to be a great communicator

Writing an essay involves communicating an idea clearly to your audience, structuring an argument that a reader can follow, and making a conclusion that challenges them to think differently about a subject. Effective and clear communication is necessary in every industry.

Be impacted by what you’re learning about : 

Engaging with the topic, conducting your own research, and developing original arguments allows you to really learn about a subject you may not have encountered before. Maybe a simple essay assignment around a work of literature, historical time period, or scientific study will spark a passion that can lead you to a new major or career.

Resources to Improve Your Essay Writing Skills

While there are many rewards to writing your essays yourself, the act of writing an essay can still be challenging, and the process may come easier for some students than others. But essay writing is a skill that you can hone, and students at Harvard Summer School have access to a number of on-campus and online resources to assist them.

Students can start with the Harvard Summer School Writing Center , where writing tutors can offer you help and guidance on any writing assignment in one-on-one meetings. Tutors can help you strengthen your argument, clarify your ideas, improve the essay’s structure, and lead you through revisions. 

The Harvard libraries are a great place to conduct your research, and its librarians can help you define your essay topic, plan and execute a research strategy, and locate sources. 

Finally, review the “ The Harvard Guide to Using Sources ,” which can guide you on what to cite in your essay and how to do it. Be sure to review the “Tips For Avoiding Plagiarism” on the “ Resources to Support Academic Integrity ” webpage as well to help ensure your success.

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The Future of AI in the Classroom

ChatGPT and other generative AI models are here to stay, so it’s worthwhile to learn how you can leverage the technology responsibly and wisely so that it can be a tool to support your academic pursuits. However, nothing can replace the experience and achievement gained from communicating your own ideas and research in your own academic essays.

About the Author

Jessica A. Kent is a freelance writer based in Boston, Mass. and a Harvard Extension School alum. Her digital marketing content has been featured on Fast Company, Forbes, Nasdaq, and other industry websites; her essays and short stories have been featured in North American Review, Emerson Review, Writer’s Bone, and others.

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Can ChatGPT get into Harvard? We tested its admissions essay.

ChatGPT’s release a year ago triggered a wave of panic among educators. Now, universities are in the midst of college application season, concerned that students might use the artificial intelligence tool to forge admissions essays.

But is a chatbot-created essay good enough to fool college admissions counselors?

To find out, The Washington Post asked a prompt engineer — an expert at directing AI chatbots — to create college essays using ChatGPT. The chatbot produced two essays: one responding to a question from the Common Application, which thousands of colleges use for admissions, and one answering a prompt used solely for applicants to Harvard University.

We presented these essays to a former Ivy League college admissions counselor, Adam Nguyen, who previously advised students at Harvard University and read admissions essays at Columbia University. We presented Nguyen with a control: a set of real college admissions essays penned by Jasmine Green, a Post intern who used them to get into Harvard University, where she is currently a senior.

We asked Nguyen to read the essays and spot which ones were produced by AI. The results were illuminating.

Can you figure out which one was written by a human?

Who wrote this?

Since kindergarten, I have evaluated myself from the reflection of my teachers. I was the clever, gifted child. I was a pleasure to have in class. I was driven and tenacious - but lazy? Unmotivated? No instructor had ever directed those harsh words at me. My identity as a stellar student had been stripped of its luster; I was destroyed.

Computer science and college admissions experts say that AI-created essays have some easy tells — helpful for admissions officers who are prepping for an uptick in ChatGPT-written essays.

Responses written by ChatGPT often lack specific details, leading to essays that lack supporting evidence for their points. The writing is trite and uses platitudes to explain situations, rather than delving into the emotional experience of the author. The essays are often repetitive and predictable, leaving readers without surprise or a sense of the writer’s journey. If chatbots produce content on issues of race, sex or socioeconomic status, they often employ stereotypes.

At first, Nguyen was impressed by the AI-generated essays: They were readable and mostly free of grammatical errors. But if he was reviewing the essay as part of an application package, he would’ve stopped reading.

“The essay is such a mediocre essay that it would not help the candidate’s application or chances,” he said in an interview. “In fact, it would probably diminish it.”

Here is how Nguyen evaluated ChatGPT’s essay.

Nguyen said that while AI may be sufficient to use for everyday writing, it is particularly unhelpful in creating college admissions essays. To start, he said, admissions offices are using AI screening tools to filter out computer-generated essays. (This technology can be inaccurate and falsely implicate students, a Post analysis found .)

But more importantly, admissions essays are a unique type of writing, he said. They require students to reflect on their life and craft their experiences into a compelling narrative that quickly provides college admissions counselors with a sense of why that person is unique.

“ChatGPT is not there,” he said.

Nguyen understands why AI might be appealing. College application deadlines often fall around the busiest time of the year, near winter holidays and end-of-semester exams. “Students are overwhelmed,” Nguyen said.

But Nguyen isn’t entirely opposed to using AI in the application process. In his current business, Ivy Link, he helps students craft college applications. For those who are weak in writing, he sometimes suggests they use AI chatbots to start the brainstorming process, he said.

For those who can’t resist the urge to use AI for more than just inspiration, there may be consequences.

“Their essays will be terrible,” he said, “and might not even reflect who they are.”

About this story

Jasmine Green contributed to this report.

The Washington Post worked with Benjamin Breen, an associate professor of history at the University of California in Santa Cruz who studies the impact of technological change, to create the AI-generated essays.

Editing by Karly Domb Sadof, Betty Chavarria and Alexis Sobel Fitts.

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Student Opinion

Should Students Let ChatGPT Help Them Write Their College Essays?

If so, how? Tell us what you are thinking, and what practical and ethical questions these new A.I. tools raise for you.

Natasha Singer

Hey, ChatGPT, can you help me write my college admissions essays?

Absolutely! Please provide me with the essay prompts and any relevant information about yourself, your experiences, and your goals.

By Katherine Schulten

Teachers: We also have a lesson plan that accompanies this Student Opinion forum.

Are you working on a college application essay? Have you sought help from an adult? How about from an A.I. chatbot like ChatGPT or Bard? Were either useful? If so, how?

The New York Times recently published two articles about the questions these new tools are raising for the college process. One explores how A.I. chatbots are upending essay-writing. The other details what happened when a reporter fed application questions from Harvard, Yale, Princeton and Dartmouth to different bots.

Here’s how the first article, “ Ban or Embrace? Colleges Wrestle With A.I.-Generated Admissions Essays ,” explains what’s going on:

The personal essay has long been a staple of the application process at elite colleges, not to mention a bane for generations of high school students. Admissions officers have often employed applicants’ essays as a lens into their unique character, pluck, potential and ability to handle adversity. As a result, some former students say they felt tremendous pressure to develop, or at least concoct, a singular personal writing voice. But new A.I. tools threaten to recast the college application essay as a kind of generic cake mix, which high school students may simply lard or spice up to reflect their own tastes, interests and experiences — casting doubt on the legitimacy of applicants’ writing samples as authentic, individualized admissions yardsticks.

The piece continues:

Some teachers said they were troubled by the idea of students using A.I. tools to produce college essay themes and texts for deeper reasons: Outsourcing writing to bots could hinder students from developing important critical thinking and storytelling skills. “Part of the process of the college essay is finding your writing voice through all of that drafting and revising,” said Susan Barber, an Advanced Placement English literature teacher at Midtown High School, a public school in Atlanta. “And I think that’s something that ChatGPT would be robbing them of.” In August, Ms. Barber assigned her 12th-grade students to write college essays. This week, she held class discussions about ChatGPT, cautioning students that using A.I. chatbots to generate ideas or writing could make their college essays sound too generic. She advised them to focus more on their personal views and voices. Other educators said they hoped the A.I. tools might have a democratizing effect. Wealthier high school students, these experts noted, often have access to resources — alumni parents, family friends, paid writing coaches — to help them brainstorm, draft and edit their college admissions essays. ChatGPT could play a similar role for students who lack such resources, they said, especially those at large high schools where overworked college counselors have little time for individualized essay coaching.

The second article, “ We Used A.I. to Write Essays for Harvard, Yale and Princeton. Here’s How It Went ,” includes this example:

Dartmouth requires applicants to explain why they want to attend the college. I primed the A.I. chatbots by asking them to write in the voice of a high school senior who was hoping to double major at Dartmouth in computer science and biology. HuggingChat churned out text with trite words and phrases — “passion,” “meaningful impact,” “rigorous academic programs” — that seemed to me like the kind of stilted formal language a high school student might imagine a college admissions reviewer would want to read.

I asked Bard to minimize the clichés and add more specific details about Dartmouth’s computing department. But it still produced some of the same standard college application language — “renowned,” “impact” — as HuggingChat. Bard also wrote that I was hoping to study with Leslie Kaelbling, whom the chatbot described as an A.I. researcher at Dartmouth. That could have caused problems if I were a high school senior and had submitted the essay Bard had fabricated as part of my Dartmouth application. Professor Kaelbling , you see, teaches at M.I.T. My takeaway: high school seniors hoping to stand out may need to do wholesale rewrites of the texts they prompt A.I. chatbots to generate. Or they could just write their own — chatbot-free — admissions essays from scratch.

Students, read both articles, and then tell us:

Do you think you would use a chatbot to help you write your personal essay for college? If so, how? For example, would you ask it to suggest topics? Help structure your writing? Generate a rough draft? Edit?

If you have already used A.I. to write or edit a personal essay, what did you think of the result? Was the experience useful to you? To what extent did you, like the Times reporter, find the output generic and clichéd? Did the bot make any errors? How, if at all, did you use the results?

Some, like the teacher quoted in the first article, worry that letting A.I. help with your essays robs you of the chance to develop your personal voice. Do you agree? Why or why not?

Do you think there is value in drafting and revising writing without help? What has that process been like for you in the past? What have you learned from it?

Some people believe that these tools will help students who don’t have easy access to college counselors or writing coaches. Do you agree? Do these chatbots make the application process more fair for students with fewer resources?

Do any of the colleges you are applying to have a policy on the use of these tools? If so, what do you think of those guidelines?

What do you think is, or should be, the purpose of a college essay? Can it really show colleges who you are? If so, is it ethical to let a bot — or even another human — help?

Now, return to the questions we started with: Should students let ChatGPT help them write their college essays? If so, how? Did your answers change as you read the related articles or looked at other students’ responses? Are you left with any questions — whether practical or ethical — about the role of this new technology?

Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.

Find more Student Opinion questions here. Teachers, check out this guide to learn how you can incorporate these prompts into your classroom.

Katherine Schulten has been a Learning Network editor since 2006. Before that, she spent 19 years in New York City public schools as an English teacher, school-newspaper adviser and literacy coach. More about Katherine Schulten

The College Essay Is Dead

Nobody is prepared for how AI will transform academia.

Suppose you are a professor of pedagogy, and you assign an essay on learning styles. A student hands in an essay with the following opening paragraph:

The construct of “learning styles” is problematic because it fails to account for the processes through which learning styles are shaped. Some students might develop a particular learning style because they have had particular experiences. Others might develop a particular learning style by trying to accommodate to a learning environment that was not well suited to their learning needs. Ultimately, we need to understand the interactions among learning styles and environmental and personal factors, and how these shape how we learn and the kinds of learning we experience.

Pass or fail? A- or B+? And how would your grade change if you knew a human student hadn’t written it at all? Because Mike Sharples, a professor in the U.K., used GPT-3, a large language model from OpenAI that automatically generates text from a prompt, to write it. (The whole essay, which Sharples considered graduate-level, is available, complete with references, here .) Personally, I lean toward a B+. The passage reads like filler, but so do most student essays.

Sharples’s intent was to urge educators to “rethink teaching and assessment” in light of the technology, which he said “could become a gift for student cheats, or a powerful teaching assistant, or a tool for creativity.” Essay generation is neither theoretical nor futuristic at this point. In May, a student in New Zealand confessed to using AI to write their papers, justifying it as a tool like Grammarly or spell-check: ​​“I have the knowledge, I have the lived experience, I’m a good student, I go to all the tutorials and I go to all the lectures and I read everything we have to read but I kind of felt I was being penalised because I don’t write eloquently and I didn’t feel that was right,” they told a student paper in Christchurch. They don’t feel like they’re cheating, because the student guidelines at their university state only that you’re not allowed to get somebody else to do your work for you. GPT-3 isn’t “somebody else”—it’s a program.

The world of generative AI is progressing furiously. Last week, OpenAI released an advanced chatbot named ChatGPT that has spawned a new wave of marveling and hand-wringing , plus an upgrade to GPT-3 that allows for complex rhyming poetry; Google previewed new applications last month that will allow people to describe concepts in text and see them rendered as images; and the creative-AI firm Jasper received a $1.5 billion valuation in October. It still takes a little initiative for a kid to find a text generator, but not for long.

The essay, in particular the undergraduate essay, has been the center of humanistic pedagogy for generations. It is the way we teach children how to research, think, and write. That entire tradition is about to be disrupted from the ground up. Kevin Bryan, an associate professor at the University of Toronto, tweeted in astonishment about OpenAI’s new chatbot last week: “You can no longer give take-home exams/homework … Even on specific questions that involve combining knowledge across domains, the OpenAI chat is frankly better than the average MBA at this point. It is frankly amazing.” Neither the engineers building the linguistic tech nor the educators who will encounter the resulting language are prepared for the fallout.

A chasm has existed between humanists and technologists for a long time. In the 1950s, C. P. Snow gave his famous lecture, later the essay “The Two Cultures,” describing the humanistic and scientific communities as tribes losing contact with each other. “Literary intellectuals at one pole—at the other scientists,” Snow wrote. “Between the two a gulf of mutual incomprehension—sometimes (particularly among the young) hostility and dislike, but most of all lack of understanding. They have a curious distorted image of each other.” Snow’s argument was a plea for a kind of intellectual cosmopolitanism: Literary people were missing the essential insights of the laws of thermodynamics, and scientific people were ignoring the glories of Shakespeare and Dickens.

The rupture that Snow identified has only deepened. In the modern tech world, the value of a humanistic education shows up in evidence of its absence. Sam Bankman-Fried, the disgraced founder of the crypto exchange FTX who recently lost his $16 billion fortune in a few days , is a famously proud illiterate. “I would never read a book,” he once told an interviewer . “I don’t want to say no book is ever worth reading, but I actually do believe something pretty close to that.” Elon Musk and Twitter are another excellent case in point. It’s painful and extraordinary to watch the ham-fisted way a brilliant engineering mind like Musk deals with even relatively simple literary concepts such as parody and satire. He obviously has never thought about them before. He probably didn’t imagine there was much to think about.

The extraordinary ignorance on questions of society and history displayed by the men and women reshaping society and history has been the defining feature of the social-media era. Apparently, Mark Zuckerberg has read a great deal about Caesar Augustus , but I wish he’d read about the regulation of the pamphlet press in 17th-century Europe. It might have spared America the annihilation of social trust .

These failures don’t derive from mean-spiritedness or even greed, but from a willful obliviousness. The engineers do not recognize that humanistic questions—like, say, hermeneutics or the historical contingency of freedom of speech or the genealogy of morality—are real questions with real consequences. Everybody is entitled to their opinion about politics and culture, it’s true, but an opinion is different from a grounded understanding. The most direct path to catastrophe is to treat complex problems as if they’re obvious to everyone. You can lose billions of dollars pretty quickly that way.

As the technologists have ignored humanistic questions to their peril, the humanists have greeted the technological revolutions of the past 50 years by committing soft suicide. As of 2017, the number of English majors had nearly halved since the 1990s. History enrollments have declined by 45 percent since 2007 alone. Needless to say, humanists’ understanding of technology is partial at best. The state of digital humanities is always several categories of obsolescence behind, which is inevitable. (Nobody expects them to teach via Instagram Stories.) But more crucially, the humanities have not fundamentally changed their approach in decades, despite technology altering the entire world around them. They are still exploding meta-narratives like it’s 1979, an exercise in self-defeat.

Read: The humanities are in crisis

Contemporary academia engages, more or less permanently, in self-critique on any and every front it can imagine. In a tech-centered world, language matters, voice and style matter, the study of eloquence matters, history matters, ethical systems matter. But the situation requires humanists to explain why they matter, not constantly undermine their own intellectual foundations. The humanities promise students a journey to an irrelevant, self-consuming future; then they wonder why their enrollments are collapsing. Is it any surprise that nearly half of humanities graduates regret their choice of major ?

The case for the value of humanities in a technologically determined world has been made before. Steve Jobs always credited a significant part of Apple’s success to his time as a dropout hanger-on at Reed College, where he fooled around with Shakespeare and modern dance, along with the famous calligraphy class that provided the aesthetic basis for the Mac’s design. “A lot of people in our industry haven’t had very diverse experiences. So they don’t have enough dots to connect, and they end up with very linear solutions without a broad perspective on the problem,” Jobs said . “The broader one’s understanding of the human experience, the better design we will have.” Apple is a humanistic tech company. It’s also the largest company in the world.

Despite the clear value of a humanistic education, its decline continues. Over the past 10 years, STEM has triumphed, and the humanities have collapsed . The number of students enrolled in computer science is now nearly the same as the number of students enrolled in all of the humanities combined.

And now there’s GPT-3. Natural-language processing presents the academic humanities with a whole series of unprecedented problems. Practical matters are at stake: Humanities departments judge their undergraduate students on the basis of their essays. They give Ph.D.s on the basis of a dissertation’s composition. What happens when both processes can be significantly automated? Going by my experience as a former Shakespeare professor, I figure it will take 10 years for academia to face this new reality: two years for the students to figure out the tech, three more years for the professors to recognize that students are using the tech, and then five years for university administrators to decide what, if anything, to do about it. Teachers are already some of the most overworked, underpaid people in the world. They are already dealing with a humanities in crisis. And now this. I feel for them.

And yet, despite the drastic divide of the moment, natural-language processing is going to force engineers and humanists together. They are going to need each other despite everything. Computer scientists will require basic, systematic education in general humanism: The philosophy of language, sociology, history, and ethics are not amusing questions of theoretical speculation anymore. They will be essential in determining the ethical and creative use of chatbots, to take only an obvious example.

The humanists will need to understand natural-language processing because it’s the future of language, but also because there is more than just the possibility of disruption here. Natural-language processing can throw light on a huge number of scholarly problems. It is going to clarify matters of attribution and literary dating that no system ever devised will approach; the parameters in large language models are much more sophisticated than the current systems used to determine which plays Shakespeare wrote, for example . It may even allow for certain types of restorations, filling the gaps in damaged texts by means of text-prediction models. It will reformulate questions of literary style and philology; if you can teach a machine to write like Samuel Taylor Coleridge, that machine must be able to inform you, in some way, about how Samuel Taylor Coleridge wrote.

The connection between humanism and technology will require people and institutions with a breadth of vision and a commitment to interests that transcend their field. Before that space for collaboration can exist, both sides will have to take the most difficult leaps for highly educated people: Understand that they need the other side, and admit their basic ignorance. But that’s always been the beginning of wisdom, no matter what technological era we happen to inhabit.

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Chatgpt on campus: assessing its effects on college writing — and teaching.

Image generated by AI from a text prompt (Michael S. Helfenbein)

Since its public launch in November, the platform ChatGPT has generated a tsunami of news analyses and online discussions about how it and similar artificial intelligence (AI) technologies might upend the world as we know it.

Given the app’s ability to quickly produce cogent summaries of knowledge and comparisons of different viewpoints — the kinds of tasks commonly assigned in introductory college courses — many university professors and scholars have wondered what its evolution might mean for college writing.

At Yale, instructors looking for advice about this and other AI-related topics have been coming to the Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning, where Alfred Guy has taken a lead role in developing faculty guidance in response to ChatGPT . Guy has directed writing programs at major universities for 30 years, including two decades at Yale. At Yale College, he is assistant dean of academic affairs and the R.W.B. Lewis Director of Writing, overseeing courses across 40 academic departments and programs.

Guy, whose own research explores the link between writing and intellectual development for undergraduate students, is also director of undergraduate writing and tutoring at the Poorvu Center. In that role he manages more than 100 undergraduate, graduate, and professional tutors who consult with students by appointment or during drop-in hours. Last year, these tutors worked with more than one-third of the students in Yale College in nearly 10,000 tutoring sessions.

In an interview, Guy discusses the potential dangers and opportunities presented by ChatGPT and how educators can utilize the platform and other AI technologies to improve student writing.

It sounds like many educators have reached out to you about ChatGPT. What kinds of questions are they asking? And how do they expect it will affect their work?

Alfred Guy: It is very exciting to see a technological development that is, so far, generating talk about teaching and not just talk about preventing the use of this tool. When Wikipedia first came out, many college teachers banned it, and as it became easier for students to find sources on the internet, many teachers clamored for better plagiarism detectors. With time, it became a common assignment to write or revise a Wikipedia entry about a topic from the course.

So far, the conversation at Yale around AI writing has focused not on demands that the software be banned or that we find a foolproof detector but rather on the opportunities for new assignments and new ways to engage our students more deeply in their work.

In a recent panel discussion about ChatGPT , some Yale faculty members pointed out that AI could help a student for whom English is not their primary language. It might help them communicate with their professors more effectively while preserving their time and energy for academic work. Do you see this technology as an equalizer?

Guy: Ever since the pandemic pushed us into remote teaching, we’ve been understanding more and more deeply how equity issues impact learning. Access to a quiet workspace, or the chance to take a walk, or decent Wi-Fi, or a large enough monitor to read lecture slides — all of these differences in students’ at-home learning environments helped us see something we should have seen before — that accommodations, some of them quite minor, can have a huge impact on making learning more equitable.

So yes, I’m sure AI writing can equalize some otherwise fairly minor differences in student language use and so eliminate bias and reduce the impact of privilege. There are many occasions for writing that are essentially bureaucratic — rather than designed to facilitate learning — and I see mostly upside for students being able to use tools to make these writing occasions easier and fairer.

Media literacy — the ability to assess the credibility of information — is an ever-growing concern. Many observers have pointed out ChatGPT’s frequent factual errors, and others have worried that its answers may be prone to bias. Is there anything we can do?

Guy: We already know that people publish things with mistakes on the internet, that many websites suffer from ideological bias, and that the need to make money through “click baiting” means that thousands of websites deliberately distort the facts to make topics more sensational. Because it summarizes what’s already been written about, ChatGPT often reproduces these same problems, releasing error-laden or biased answers.

But these very limitations can provide an opportunity for teaching critical literacy. Some of the best assignments I’ve seen using the tool so far have asked students to review ChatGPT’s answers to questions that the students are researching, separating out things that sound likely from things that are actually true . Practicing this skill was valuable before ChatGPT — we all could use more practice and expertise critiquing information from the internet. But ChatGPT can produce even shorter and, in some cases, more cogent forms of what is nonetheless baloney, providing a rich opportunity to practice critical analysis.

Your expertise is in helping students strengthen their writing skills at a particular moment in their intellectual development. What is the connection between writing and learning?

Guy: People can learn in many different ways, but there’s a kind of learning that happens best through writing. When you review notes or re-read course texts, you have some new ideas about the material, but those ideas can get crowded out by your goal to commit the facts to memory. When you talk aloud about what you’re learning, you develop even more of your own ideas — and, as you phrase things in your own words, that synthesis helps you remember both the facts and the connections you’re making.

In writing, because you can see and easily review the past few things you’ve written down, you can make even stronger and more personal connections. You can synthesize five or six ideas that you’ve recalled, versus the two or three you can hold in your mind when speaking aloud. So it’s well established that people who write about what they’re learning develop more new ideas about the material and remember those ideas for longer.

That said, students at any age have enormous demands on their time, and they might be tempted to take a shortcut, like asking an AI app to write their first draft. How can teachers keep learners motivated and engaged?

Guy: Based on research about when students plagiarize (whether from published sources, commercial services, or each other), we know that students are less likely to cheat when they are pursuing questions they feel connected to; understand how the assignment will support their longer-term learning goals; have produced preliminary work before the deadline; and have discussed their preliminary work with others. Getting a head start on the paper and feeling connected to it through conversation are two ways that students can stay motivated for the hard work of writing.

In the long run, this tool will keep getting better and will get harder to detect. I don’t mean technologically — right now I can spot an AI text about almost anything I know something about — but those limitations will become less glaring.

When ChatGPT can write something good enough, the only reason students will have for not using it will be their own motivation to learn. So we better focus on and explain how that learning works, and how our specific assignments will help students learn to solve problems they really care about.

You were a contestant on “Jeopardy!” last year, an honor once shared by the Watson computer [a form of AI] in 2011. In the battle of AI vs. Human Cognition, who’s ahead?

Guy: Ha! I don’t know if Watson cognizes, but it can come up with most “Jeopardy!” answers faster than anyone — that’s why it could beat the GOAT, Ken Jennings. Besides, Watson is way faster at buzzing in.

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Two professors who say they caught students cheating on essays with ChatGPT explain why AI plagiarism can be hard to prove

• Two philosopher professors said they caught their students submitting essays written by ChatGPT.
• They said certain red flags alerted them to the use of AI.
• If students don't confess to using the program, professors say it can be hard to prove.

A few weeks after the launch of the AI chatbot ChatGPT , Darren Hick, a philosophy professor at Furman University, said he caught a student turning in an AI-generated essay . 

Hick said he grew suspicious when the student turned in an on-topic essay that included some well-written misinformation.

After running it through Open AI's ChatGPT detector , the results said it was 99% likely the essay had been AI-generated. 

Antony Aumann, a religious studies and philosophy professor at Northern Michigan University, told Insider he had caught two students submitting essays written by ChatGPT .

After the writing style set off alarm bells, Aumann submitted them back to the chatbot asking how likely it was that they were written by the program. When the chatbot said it was 99% sure the essays were written by ChatGPT, he forwarded the results to the students.

Both Hick and Aumann said they confronted their students, all of whom eventually confessed to the infraction. Hick's student failed the class and Aumann had his students rewrite the essays from scratch.

'It was really well-written wrong'

There were certain red flags in the essays that alerted the professors to the use of AI. Hick said the essay he found referenced several facts not mentioned in class, and made one nonsensical claim. 

"Word by word it was a well-written essay," he said, but on closer inspection, one claim about the prolific philosopher, David Hume "made no sense" and was "just flatly wrong."

"Really well-written wrong was the biggest red flag," he said.

Related stories

For Aumann, the chatbot just wrote too perfectly. "I think the chat writes better than 95% of my students could ever," he said. 

"All of a sudden you have someone who does not demonstrate the ability to think or write at that level, writing something that follows all the requirements perfectly with sophisticated grammar and complicated thoughts that are directly related to the prompt for the essay," he said.

Christopher Bartel, a professor of philosophy at Appalachian State University, said that while the grammar in AI-generated essays is almost perfect, the substance tends to lack detail.

He said: "They are really fluffy. There's no context, there's no depth or insight."

Hard-to-prove plagiarism  

If students don't confess to using AI for essays, it can leave academics in a tough spot.

Bartel said that some institutions' rules haven't evolved to combat this kind of cheating. If a student decided to dig their heels in and deny the use of AI, it can be difficult to prove. 

Bartel said the AI detectors on offer were "good but not perfect." 

"They give a statistical analysis of how likely the text is to be AI-generated, so that leaves us in a difficult position if our policies are designed so that we have to have definitive and demonstrable proof that the essay is a fake," he said. "If it comes back with a 95% likelihood that the essay is AI generated, there's still a 5% chance that it wasn't." 

In Hick's case, although the detection site said it was "99% certain" the essay had been generated by an AI, he said it wasn't enough for him without a confession.

"The confession was important because everything else looks like circumstantial evidence," he said. "With AI-generated content, there is no material evidence, and material evidence has a lot more weight to it than circumstantial evidence."

Aumann said although he thought the analysis by the chatbot would be good enough proof for disciplinary action, AI plagiarism was still a new challenge for colleges.

He said: "Unlike plagiarism cases of old where you can just say, 'hey, here's the paragraph from Wikipedia.' There is no knockdown proof that you can provide other than the chat says that's the statistical likelihood."

Axel Springer, Business Insider's parent company, has a global deal to allow OpenAI to train its models on its media brands' reporting.

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Will ChatGPT Affect the College Application Essay?

The new AI-based writing tool, ChatGPT, has taken the world by storm. The New York Times calls it “the best artificial intelligence chatbot ever released to the general public.” More than one million people signed up to test it in the first five days after its release. But will this tool change the landscape of college admissions as students start using it to write their college essays? And should you be using it?

ChatGPT, a large language model developed by OpenAI, has the potential to assist students in writing college essays. However, it is important to note that the model should not be used as a substitute for a student's own writing and critical thinking skills.

Every publication out there has weighed in on what this new tool will mean for college-going students. Forbes got the service to write two different college essays in just 20 minutes!

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Some History Around AI

John McCarthy, Professor Emeritus at Stanford University, explains that AI is the science and engineering of making intelligent machines . The forerunner to these smart machines was built in 1951 by Marvin Minsky, Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.

You’ll already have seen AI in action: search engines, GPS navigators and self-driving cars are all AI-managed. More and more schools and universities are adopting the technology to enhance teaching and learning, too.

Modern-day AI displays some of the behaviours you’d usually associate with human intelligence – planning, learning, reasoning, problem-solving, perception and social intelligence. It combines these behaviours with the capacity to process vast amounts of data far faster and with less error than a human brain. This gives it the power to help solve problems in almost every area of daily life.

The Benefits of ChatGPT

ChatGPT is a machine learning model that is trained on a large dataset of text, allowing it to generate human-like responses to prompts. This technology has many potential applications, including writing. With the ability to generate coherent and grammatically correct sentences, ChatGPT could be used to assist students in writing college essays.

One of the key benefits of using ChatGPT for essay writing is its ability to generate ideas and potential topic sentences. This can be particularly helpful for students who struggle with writer's block or are unsure of what to write about. By providing a prompt to the model, such as the prompt for an essay, ChatGPT can generate a list of potential topic sentences or ideas for the student to consider.

Another potential benefit of using ChatGPT for essay writing is its ability to generate coherent and grammatically correct sentences . This can be beneficial for students who struggle with grammar and sentence structure. ChatGPT can provide a starting point for the student, who can then edit and revise the generated text to suit their own writing style and voice. Tools such as Grammarly and Google Docs’ Smart Compose already provide these services and are other examples of AI-based edtech tools that have already entered the classroom.

Too Early To Tell

However, it is important to note that ChatGPT is not a substitute for a student's own writing and critical thinking skills. While the model can assist with generating ideas and providing grammatically correct sentences, it cannot replace a student's own creativity and understanding of the topic. Additionally, ChatGPT's output is based on the data it has been trained on, which may not always align with the student's own perspective or understanding of the topic.

Jim Jump, the academic dean and director of college counseling at St. Christopher’s School in Richmond, Va., told Inside Higher Ed that he does not see the tool taking over basic writing skills. He read the Forbes essays and said that both essays “resemble cliché essays, with neither answering the prompt in a convincing way.”

The most important aspect of a student’s college essay is the personal details that are added in there. That is what helps admissions officers better understand the student and whether they will thrive at a certain university. Like Jump says, “Great essays have a spark to them that is not about the ability to write but rather the ability to think. Great personal essays are clever and insightful, with an authenticity and a sincerity that’s—well, personal.”

It's also important to note that many institutions have strict policies against plagiarism, which includes using AI generated content. It's highly recommended to check the policies of your university or college before using AI generated content in any work submitted.

Additionally, it's important to understand the ethical implications of using AI generated content. Even though ChatGPT may assist in generating grammatically correct sentences, it does not have the ability to understand the context of the essay or the ethical implications of the content it generates. It's the responsibility of the student to ensure that the content generated is ethical and appropriate.

At this point, many are approaching ChatGPT the saw way society approached any new invention – with trepidation and amazement. The calculator in its time probably met the same kind of discussions about whether it was the “death of math”. Several educators believe that while the bot can aggregate knowledge, it can not actually synthesize a unique theory or idea, the Brookings Institution reported.

Many people argue that tools will be invented that will help professors determine whether a student has used AI in their essays. A Princeton University graduate has just created an app that can tell whether an essay has been written by ChatGPT, NPR has reported. GPTZero uses two indicators – perplexity and burstiness – to determine whether a piece of writing has been generated by a bot. "For so long, AI has been a black box where we really don't know what's going on inside," said the app’s inventor Edward Tian. "And with GPTZero, I wanted to start pushing back and fighting against that."

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, ChatGPT has the potential to assist students in writing college essays. However, it is important to remember that the model should not be used as a substitute for a student's own writing and critical thinking skills. For the time being it does not seem that the college essay is going anywhere. Additionally, it's important to check the policies of the university or college before using AI generated content and to be mindful of the ethical implications of the content generated.

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Can Chat GPT Write your College Essay?

Can chatgpt write your college essay.

Bonus Material: PrepMaven’s 30 College Essays that Worked

If you’re getting ready to start the college application process, you might already be dreading all the admissions essays you’ll have to write. Between the Common App essay and additional supplementals, college essay writing ends up being a lot of work. 

Naturally, some students wonder whether ChatGPT can help them write their college admissions essay. But there are a lot of questions: is it plagiarism? Can admissions committees tell if you use ChatGPT? Is ChatGPT actually helpful?

At PrepMaven, we’ve coached students in test prep, academics, and college applications for over two decades, and we know what works to get students into selective universities. In fact, our co-founder Kevin Wong was actually interviewed by Business Insider about ChatGPT-generated application essays!

In this guide, we’ll use those decades of experience to break down the benefits and risks of using ChatGPT to help with your college application essays. Plus, we had ChatGPT draft a sample college essay that we then break down. 

Below, you can download our collection of 30 College Essays That Worked, getting students into top schools like Princeton. In the meantime, read on to learn about what ChatGPT can do in the college application process. 

Download 30 College Essays that Worked

Jump to section: Is Having ChatGPT Write Your College Essays Plagiarism? Can Colleges Detect If You Used ChatGPT? Sample ChatGPT Common App Essay and Analysis 4 Good Uses of Chat GPT Next steps

Is Having ChatGPT Write Your College Essays Plagiarism?

First thing’s first: if you submit a finished product that you didn’t write yourself, then that would typically be considered plagiarism. 

So, if you simply go into ChatGPT and have it write you an essay that you then submit, you’d be passing off something you didn’t write as your original work. 

The lines can get a bit blurry (more on that below), but generally here’s a good rule of thumb: if entire sentences in your college application essay weren’t written by you, you’ve probably crossed the line into plagiarism. 

Can Colleges Detect If You Used ChatGPT?

Admissions departments can indeed tell when AI is used in writing assignments–to some extent. If you want to read more about the science of AI-detection, you can check out a detailed analysis from PC-Guide here , but we’ll give you the key information you need to know below. 

Different tools exist to analyze text and suggest the likelihood that it was generated by AI. Even though ChatGPT is fairly new technology, universities already have the technology to detect ChatGPT-generated text. The most prominent of these is probably GPTZero , a tool specifically created to detect ChatGPT. 

For the most part, these tools can’t give a 100% certain determination that your essay was written by AI, especially if you’ve made your own edits and changes to it. But it is certainly the case that if you have large AI-generated sections of text in your college application essays, university admissions committees will be able to tell . 

Ultimately, this is as good a reason as any to avoid having ChatGPT write your entire college application essay for you. It might save you some work, but it also risks immediately flagging your application as plagiarized, sinking your chances of admission. 

For examples of real–non-ChatGPT–college essays, click the button below. These are the kinds of essays that helped get students into top colleges like Ivies. Take a look, and then compare them with the AI-generated essay we analyze in the next section. 

Sample ChatGPT Common App Essay and Analysis

I asked ChatGPT to write a 600-word essay in response to the first Common App Prompt. To make it more specific, I gave GPT directions about style and content. Below, you can read the essay in its entirety–lower down, we’ll briefly analyze whether this essay would work and what the drawbacks of ChatGPT are. 

In the vast tapestry of my life, one thread stands out prominently – the intricate game of chess. From the moment I first laid eyes on the checkered board, I was captivated by its allure. Little did I know that this simple board game would evolve into a profound journey, shaping my identity and character in profound ways. Chess is more than just a game; it is a reflection of life itself. Each piece represents a facet of human existence – the king, a symbol of power and vulnerability; the queen, embodying strength and versatility; the pawns, the foot soldiers of our ambitions; the knights, rooks, and bishops, the allies and adversaries we encounter on our path. Every move carries consequences, every decision a ripple effect that reverberates throughout the game. My journey with chess began at a young age, in the quiet corners of my childhood home. I remember the first time my father introduced me to the game, his eyes alight with anticipation as he laid out the pieces on the board. With each match, he imparted not only the rules of the game but also valuable lessons about strategy, foresight, and perseverance. As I delved deeper into the world of chess, I discovered that it was not just about outmaneuvering my opponent on the board but also about understanding the subtle nuances of human psychology. The game taught me to anticipate my opponent’s moves, to think several steps ahead, and to remain calm under pressure – skills that have proven invaluable both on and off the chessboard. Playing chess became my sanctuary, a place where I could escape the chaos of the world and immerse myself in a realm of logic and order. It taught me the importance of discipline and dedication, as mastering the game required countless hours of practice and study. But more than that, it instilled in me a sense of humility, as I learned to accept defeat graciously and to glean wisdom from my mistakes. One of the most profound lessons I learned from chess is the concept of sacrifice. In order to gain an advantage on the board, one must sometimes be willing to sacrifice a piece – a pawn, a knight, even the queen – for the greater good. This principle extends beyond the confines of the game, teaching me to prioritize long-term goals over short-term gains and to make difficult decisions with courage and conviction. But perhaps the most meaningful aspect of my journey with chess has been the sense of community it has provided. Through local tournaments and online forums, I have connected with fellow enthusiasts from all walks of life, forging friendships that transcend language and cultural barriers. In the company of fellow chess players, I have found a sense of belonging and camaraderie that has enriched my life in countless ways. In the end, chess is not just a game; it is a metaphor for life itself – a complex tapestry of choices, challenges, and triumphs. It has taught me to approach every situation with a strategic mind and a resilient spirit, to embrace adversity as an opportunity for growth, and to always strive for excellence in all that I do. As I embark on the next chapter of my journey, I carry with me the lessons of the chessboard – a timeless reminder of the beauty and complexity of the human experience.

We’ve already talked about why using ChatGPT to write your college application essays is so risky, but here we’d like to briefly break down why it’s just not going to get you very good writing. Let’s take a look at the problems with this AI-generated essay. 

We can give ChatGPT points for grammar and spelling, but certainly not for style! While AI, naturally, does well with the mechanics of the English language, it struggles to sound like a real, believable person–especially a high schooler! 

One key aspect of the college admissions essay is that it needs to be written in your own voice. This gives the admissions committee a sense of your personality, which is a major factor in admissions! But the language here is stiff, formal, and–well–robotic!

Real high schoolers don’t use phrases like “the vast tapestry of my life” or “the foot soldiers of our ambitions.” At best, this essay makes you sound like you’re pretending to be older than you are. At worst, like you’ve gotten someone else to write your essay for you. 

Another main aspect of your Common App essay should be that it conveys your emotions and feelings. That’s what makes a personal statement personal! 

In this sample AI essay, we get a lot of discussion of the chessboard and its lessons, but we never see what the writer actually feels. This will always be a major failing of AI-generated essays: at best, they can mimic some of the emotional language used by real people, but they can’t get at the raw feelings the way a person can. 

• Generic Takeaways

Although this essay isn’t bad and uses some specific language, its lessons are generic. A great college essay combines personal experiences with unique insights that show how you’ve learned and grown as a person.

This essay mimics that: it talks about “the lessons of the chessboard” and “shaping my identity in profound ways.” But these lessons remain generic, the kind of things that anyone could say: “striving for excellence” and “embracing adversity” are the exact kinds of phrases a good college essay tutor would tell you to avoid.

Why? Because university admissions committees have read these phrases again and again and again! They’re cliche, they’re boring, and they’ll make it seem like you’re both of those things as well.

It’s the last thing you want, especially if your college application is getting sent to competitive schools!

Take a look at this collection of real sample essays written by successful college applicants and notice the differences: they have a distinct voice, passion, and unique lessons!

4 Good Uses of ChatGPT for College Essays

Although you absolutely shouldn’t use ChatGPT to write the actual substance of your essay, there are ways you can use ChatGPt to aid in the writing process. 

Below, we’ll list some good ways to use ChatGPT–ones that won’t run the risk of being flagged as plagiarism. 

• Of course, a Common App personal statement should be personal: it should draw on the things from your life that matter to you. Still, using ChatGPT to generate a large list of possible college essay topics isn’t a terrible idea, so long as you make sure to pick a topic that actually connects with your life. (You can read more about good college essay topics here !)
• Starting is often the hardest part of writing a college essay–that’s why we have a whole guide on it here. In addition to the advice we offer in that guide, you can use ChatGPT to draft up some free writing exercises to get you started. 
• While most college application essays are all about you, some– like the “Why us?” essay –require you to do research. ChatGPT can be quite helpful when it comes to finding specific information on a university you’re applying to. Just be sure to always double check what you find–ChatGPT can make mistakes.
• ChatGPT might not be able to understand the emotional stakes of your essay, but it’s excellent at catching grammar, spelling, and other mistakes. You can also ask ChatGPT to analyze your essay for any unclear or confusing sentences. 

Of course, while ChatGPT can help you with all of the above when it comes to your college application essays, it’ll never really be personal. If you think you need help writing your college essays–and our experience has shown us that most students do –then there’s nothing better than personalized essay help from a real human being. 

We’ve done the research (ourselves, without AI) to rank the 14 best college essay services for students applying to college, depending on exactly what kind of support you need. 

Our own tutors–most of whom come from Ivy League colleges–bring an unmatched dedication and expertise. They’ll get to know you, help you brainstorm, and walk you through every step of the college essay writing process. All you have to do is contact us to get started. 

Writing your college application essays can be tough, and it can be hard to know where to start. Sadly, ChatGPT isn’t going to be the solution if you want compelling college essays. 

But, fortunately, we’ve put together all the information you could need to get started. Below, check out our related college essay posts, covering everything from college essay formats to winning application essay conclusions to real sample essays. 

In the meantime, if you’re looking for inspiration, there’s no better resource than PrepMaven’s 30 College Essays that Worked: a real collection of 30 Common App essays that got students admitted to schools like Princeton. 

When you’re ready to start writing, contact us to get paired with a college essay coach and see why we have a perfect track record of 5-star reviews!

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ChatGPT: Can AI Write College Admissions Essays?

By Jacky Gilchrist

November 9, 2023

Ever since our early human ancestors first developed stone tools, we’ve turned to technology as a means of making daily life a little easier. (You can probably recall at least a few commercials for smartphones or other high-tech gadgets that purport to make life more convenient, less stressful, or more organized.)

Yet, is it possible for some technological innovations to actually make life more complicated? Consider ChatGPT, for example. This artificial intelligence (AI) tool is available to do your writing for you. But just because it can write for you, does that mean that it should? Specifically, should colleges accept students who use ChatGPT to write their college essays? And how do ChatGPT essays compete in a vast pool of applications at top colleges at the U.S.?

“ChatGPT will revolutionize many industries and fields. AI is a worthy educational and professional focus for many. Using it inappropriately during a college application process and potentially jeopardizing future college acceptance, college graduation, or career goals is NOT a wise decision,” says David Dillard , CEO of KD College Prep.

In this post, we explain what ChatGPT is, how it works, and the reasoning behind why it ought not be used to write your college application essays.

A Brief Overview of ChatGPT

Before considering the ethical implications of ChatGPT college essays, as well as the practical reasons why you shouldn’t go this route, it’s necessary to take a quick look at how ChatGPT works. Since its release in November 2022, ChatGPT has taken the world by storm. You’ve undoubtedly heard of this AI tool by now. But what is it, exactly, and how does it work?

What Is ChatGPT?

ChatGPT is an AI tool developed by OpenAI. (There are other AI tools similar to ChatGPT developed by other companies.) AI is any type of technology that can simulate or mimic human intelligence. Without further assistance from humans, AI technology is capable of learning from and adjusting to new information. ChatGPT is specifically trained to provide content based on writing prompts “fed” into it. The content takes many forms, from brief answers to long-form articles.

However, AI’s output is limited by its input. That is, ChatGPT and other AI tools can only provide information based on the datasets it has access to. ChatGPT and other AI tools can’t tell you what the meaning of life is, nor could it answer a question like, “What did I have for dinner last night?” or “What’s my Aunt Sally’s favorite color?”

How Does It Work?

ChatGPT wouldn’t be possible without the Internet. It relies on a mind-bogglingly large volume of data scraped from online publications. Any document or other type of content that is openly available is fair game for this AI tool—from scholarly journal articles to digitized books and beyond. Using this massive dataset, ChatGPT quickly combs through relevant sources to produce a response based on the prompt that a user types into it.

The tool can even mimic a certain style of writing, with limitations. For example, you could ask ChatGPT to describe being late to class in the style of a steakhouse menu. You might not receive the same response every time, even if you type in exactly the same prompt. ChatGPT doesn’t use pre-determined stock answers; rather, it combs through its continually growing dataset every time.

Can You Use ChatGPT for College Application Essays?

This question is perhaps best answered with another question: Can you (or should you) pay another human being to write your college application essay for you? Similarly, should you pay another human being to write an essay assignment for a class for you? It’s probably a safe bet that any student who is asked these questions would already know that doing so is typically considered highly unethical.

Not only are ChatGPT college essays unethical, but it’s a safe bet that if a college admissions officer identifies an application essay as having been written by ChatGPT, that student would be denied admission. Furthermore, one could argue that ChatGPT college essays are a two-fold form of cheating. That is, it’s a way of cheating the college admissions process, and it’s a way of cheating yourself.

Consider this: If you don’t do the work for your classes, have you really learned anything? Similarly, if you rely on AI for college admissions, have you earned the enrollment yourself? Or have you cheated yourself out of an opportunity to overcome obstacles and achieve your dreams?

What does ChatGPT have to say about the ethical implications of using it for college admissions essays? Take a look at its response:

“As an AI language model, I cannot make ethical judgments, but I can provide some information to help you make an informed decision. Using ChatGPT to generate content for your college admissions essay could be seen as unethical if it involves misrepresenting your own abilities and accomplishments. Admissions committees are interested in hearing about your unique perspectives and experiences, and they expect the essays to be written by the applicants themselves.”

We’ll explore this response further later on.

Can Admissions Officers Tell That You Used ChatGPT?

The short answer is yes, it’s possible for college admissions officers to determine if a piece of writing is a ChatGPT college essay. There are multiple tools available to detect AI-generated content, and many of them are surprisingly accurate (although false positives and false negatives can occur). OpenAI, the creators of ChatGPT, are unveiling their own AI-detection tool .

Humans can also sometimes determine whether something was written by AI or another human being. This is because AI-generated writing is typically generic and vague, with little variation in sentence structure. Furthermore, ChatGPT is not immune to what data researchers are calling “hallucinations.” In other words, the AI tool tends to fabricate information and make mistakes in other ways. Its error rate has been estimated at 15% to 20%. It’s also incapable of determining the difference between fiction and reality. Because of these shortcomings and limitations, it’s not all that difficult for college admissions officers to identify an AI-generated essay.

7 Reasons You Shouldn’t Rely on ChatGPT for College Application Essays

There is a slew of compelling reasons why it’s best to do your own work instead of turning in a ChatGPT college essay. Explore them below, and as you do so, ask yourself, “Do I really want my future to depend on a robot? Do I really want to risk my reputation for the sake of saving a little time?”

1. Essays Are an Important Opportunity

You may share most of the same DNA with every other human on the planet, but there’s still only one you. Only you have had your unique experiences, dreams, hopes, and passions. Everything that you’ve experienced since you were quite young has shaped your identity.

Much of your college application is comprised of raw data—your test scores and GPA, for instance. Your admissions essay is your main opportunity to demonstrate to the admissions committee who you truly are as a person, what your personality is like, what inspires you, and what your dreams are for the future. (And with the increasing popularity of test-optional admissions, the essay is gaining even more weight for admissions decisions.) It’s simply not possible for an AI tool to fully demonstrate who you are as a person—only you can do that.

2. AI-Generated Essays Sound Robotic

If you read a sampling of ChatGPT college essays, you’ll quickly realize that they sound robotic (probably because a robot wrote them). What exactly does this mean? It means that the writing is formulaic and generic. There is a distinct lack of imagery—the writing “tells,” rather than “shows.” There is a lack of unique words and sentence structure/length, as well. Furthermore, ChatGPT college essays tend to overuse first-person pronouns like “I” and “my.” Not only does this mean that it’s likely college admissions officers will identify these essays as AI-generated, but it also means that the content isn’t enabling you to put your best foot forward.

3. Only You Can Tell Your Story

College application essays are an opportunity for you to share your own personal story, including your background, experiences, and hopes for the future. As an essay generator, ChatGPT has significant limitations. It cannot take a dive inside your mind and unearth those seemingly minute, yet significant details that can lead to a highly compelling essay.

Hypothetically, for instance, the AI tool wouldn’t know that, as an aspiring art major, you worked after school every day at your uncle’s print shop so you could purchase art supplies. Sometimes, the most compelling college essays are the ones that draw on little details to paint a picture of the whole student.

4. Not a Strong Starting Point

Earlier, we asked ChatGPT whether it would be ethical to use the tool to write a college admissions essay. ChatGPT responded that using it would be a misrepresentation of the student’s abilities and accomplishments, and ChatGPT implied that AI-generated content would be misleading to the admissions committee. Although we didn’t include this portion of the response, ChatGPT went on to suggest that students use the tool to generate ideas or to improve their own writing skills.

Is this really a good idea? Consider this: College admissions officers want to experience each student’s unique, authentic voice. Every person writes with a unique voice and style, and that voice is often influenced by external factors. For example, if you spend two weeks in London, you’re apt to subconsciously begin mimicking a British accent and using words like “lorry” and “lift” instead of “truck” and “elevator.” Humans are hardwired to absorb external stimuli and learn from them.

In the same way, it’s quite likely that using ChatGPT to generate ideas or to provide a starting point for your college essay will compromise your own unique voice. For the same reason, we here at KD College Prep advise students against looking at essay samples. We find that students who do so begin modeling other people’s work, whether intentional or not. Kimberly, an advisor and college essay editor at KD College Prep, explains this more in her blog about college essay writing tips .

5. Generic Is Not the Goal

Yet another reason why ChatGPT college essays are not a good idea is their generic nature. ChatGPT is vague and generic by design. Consider this snippet of an AI-generated college essay :

“Growing up in a culturally diverse and economically vibrant community has given me a unique perspective on life and a desire to explore and understand different cultures and industries.”

At first glance, this might seem acceptable. But it doesn’t actually say much of anything; it conveys very little authentic meaning. An admissions officer reading this would likely do little more than scan it quickly and move on to the next application. Your college essay should offer specific details about your unique story, not generic summations.

6. Some Tools Can Detect ChatGPT

There is a growing number of high-tech tools that are designed specifically to detect ChatGPT-generated content, and content developed by other AI content tools. College admissions officers are not blind to recent tech developments; therefore, they know very well that some students are using ChatGPT to generate their college essays. It’s quite likely that it will become standard practice for admissions officers to run submitted essays through AI detectors, if it hasn’t already.

7. Authenticity Matters to Colleges

Your authentic voice is what counts in college admissions. Submitting a ChatGPT college essay is akin to providing fabricated application materials, and admissions officers are on high alert for anything that looks fabricated. Trying to game the system rarely works for students. Consider the long list of college admissions cheating and bribery scandals in recent memory, such as the Harvard fencing coach scandal or the Operation Varsity Blues scandal. In short, it’s best not to risk it.

How Will ChatGPT Affect College Admissions?

ChatGPT was released in November 2022. It’s too early to say for sure exactly how it will affect college admissions. One issue that may concern students is the possibility that they’ll be falsely accused of submitting a ChatGPT college essay. Although this could potentially happen, it shouldn’t concern students who have strong creative writing skills, which ChatGPT lacks.

However, this might be problematic for students whose strengths lie elsewhere. It may be more difficult for admissions officers to tell the difference between a ChatGPT college essay and one written by a student whose strength isn’t creative writing. If you’re worried that your writing skills might not be up to the task, consider working with a college admissions essay coach, who can help you improve your writing.

ChatGPT is capable of learning not only from the vast (and still growing) volume of content available on the Internet, but also from its experiences interacting with users. As its programmers and the users themselves continue to fine-tune ChatGPT, it’s entirely possible that it will begin developing more human-like responses. This can create new difficulties when determining the difference between AI content and human-generated content.

“No doubt, change is coming. College admissions departments have continuously evolved since inception to identify truly quality students to come to their institutions and learn how to solve the world’s problems. It’s a constant striving to find the authentic student candidate. That changing landscape is why there is no magic formula for college admission,” says Dillard.

It’s quite possible that admissions officers will need to adjust their evaluation criteria in order to make admissions decisions. Time will tell how the admissions processes evolve.

Need Help Preparing for College?

Writing an authentic college admissions essay that emulates your unique voice and shares your story effectively isn’t always easy. Sign up today for college admissions essay help from the college counseling team at KD College Prep. We’ll help you with everything from choosing the right topic to providing honest feedback and improvement suggestions. For comprehensive, concierge-style college counseling, sign up for our full-service Pinnacle™ Program . We look forward to helping you plan and prepare for your future.

Jacky Gilchrist is a blog writer for KD College Prep.

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“Overall, it was a good experience. It instilled the discipline to focus on test preparation through workshops and assignments. The review of each test was also very helpful.”

Sajitha N. – Daughter, Class of 2023

“Honestly, was really, really solid. Doing the program the summer before junior year — and I only did the one — actually got me a lot of experience and review of technical skills needed for the SAT® test. I only had to do it once because I got to relearn those pesky algebra skills that I forgot through the program.”

“Honestly, was really, really solid. Doing the program the summer before junior year — and I only did the one — actually got me a lot of experience and review of technical skills needed for the SAT®... Read more...

Katya G. – Class of 2023

“Working with KD was incredible! I truly enjoyed how experienced the counselors were and how deeply they cared about their students. I would recommend KD and especially their college prep plan to everyone who is looking to get professional college admissions advice!”

“Working with KD was incredible! I truly enjoyed how experienced the counselors were and how deeply they cared about their students. I would recommend KD and especially their college prep plan to everyone who is looking to get professional college admissions... Read more...

Ananya A. – Class of 2023

“Our son, Joseph, is our fifth child to go through the KD College Prep program and our fourth National Merit Finalist. He had another test prep program available to him through his private high school but chose KD because he felt like it made the biggest difference in his scores in the least amount of time. He found the program easy to follow and adapt to his strengths and weaknesses. As parents, we cannot say enough good things about the KD program and would recommend it to anyone looking to improve their scores and earn scholarship dollars!”

“Our son, Joseph, is our fifth child to go through the KD College Prep program and our fourth National Merit Finalist. He had another test prep program available to him through his private high school but chose KD because he felt... Read more...

Ellyn A. – Parent of 5 KD Students

“My daughter completed your program in the Plano location. In the fall, she is headed to Colorado School of Mines to study engineering. I asked her if KD had helped her with the SAT® and ACT® tests. She said they helped her know how to manage her time while taking the test as that is a huge aspect to the test.”

“My daughter completed your program in the Plano location. In the fall, she is headed to Colorado School of Mines to study engineering. I asked her if KD had helped her with the SAT® and ACT® tests. She said they helped... Read more...

Julie M. – Daughter, Class of 2022

“(I wanted) help with writing essays and getting into my dream colleges. (I was most concerned with) keeping up with everything I have to do and meeting all the deadlines. The constant and honest feedback about my essays regardless is what I really appreciated. There was a time that writing essays just clicked, and it was much easier after that.”

“(I wanted) help with writing essays and getting into my dream colleges. (I was most concerned with) keeping up with everything I have to do and meeting all the deadlines. The constant and honest feedback about my essays regardless is what... Read more...

Neha C. – Class of 2022

“It’s hard to believe we are finally done at KD Prep with our three children. We are incredibly grateful to you for all of your support over the years, which undoubtedly helped each of our children realize their college dreams. All three were accepted to colleges with single digit admission rates. Our eldest was selected as a National Merit® Finalist and was able to apply to colleges with a perfect SAT® score. Our other two were both named National African American Recognition Scholars and National Merit Commended Scholar. One of them applied to college in 2020 with an SAT score of 1520 (780 math and 740 verbal) and the youngest scored 1500 on the October 2021 SAT test (720 verbal and 780 math). Our... Read more...

“It’s hard to believe we are finally done at KD Prep with our three children. We are incredibly grateful to you for all of your support over the years, which undoubtedly helped each of our children realize their college dreams. All... Read more...

Nike A. – Parent of 3 KD Students

“Obviously SAT® test prep was NOT fun. The experience was difficult and exhausting, but learning through KD definitely made the experience much less stressful and definitely easier. It's a great system with tons of resources all aimed to give you what you need and more to reach whatever score range you set as your goal (I was able to get a 1540). My favorite part though, specifically with the Coppell campus, was the people! Everyone was so incredibly nice and always in impossibly good moods. It was a great environment to learn and improve in!”

“Obviously SAT® test prep was NOT fun. The experience was difficult and exhausting, but learning through KD definitely made the experience much less stressful and definitely easier. It's a great system with tons of resources all aimed to give you what... Read more...

Alex N. – Class of 2023

“I want to thank KD College Prep for helping me get the score I needed to receive over $464,000 in scholarships, including two full rides. I started the program the summer going into my junior year. I had an excellent GPA but struggled on standardized tests. Taking the test prep classes throughout junior year and taking practice tests got me more prepared each time I took the test. I achieved my best score the summer going into my senior year. That score allowed me to apply to my top schools as soon as early decision opened. I am so grateful to Karen Dillard and the extra practice and proctored exams! My parents are grateful too—for the small investment they got a great return.”

“I want to thank KD College Prep for helping me get the score I needed to receive over $464,000 in scholarships, including two full rides. I started the program the summer going into my junior year. I had an excellent GPA... Read more...

Saadia P. – Class of 2022

“I really enjoyed KD because the teachers helped me look at the SAT® test in a whole new angle. I really began analyzing the test and learned how to work math and reading problems in a smarter way, which was really helpful. I also really appreciated all the varied practice and detailed breakdowns from instructors, helping me see not just what answer was correct but why those answers were correct.”

“I really enjoyed KD because the teachers helped me look at the SAT® test in a whole new angle. I really began analyzing the test and learned how to work math and reading problems in a smarter way, which was really... Read more...

Pranathi P. – Class of 2022

“KD had a very streamlined process of learning the ins and outs of the reading and grammar part of the SAT® test as well as a very well-structured mathematics process that went through the subjects of algebra, geometry, and pre-calculus in depth. Another great part of the KD experience was the wonderful staff giving me so many useful tips and strategies for the areas that I was specifically struggling with. The staff understands students have different strengths and weaknesses, and the fact that they tailor the info they give to each student is very useful. Overall, KD has helped me not only with SAT preparation but also with my normal school work.”

“KD had a very streamlined process of learning the ins and outs of the reading and grammar part of the SAT® test as well as a very well-structured mathematics process that went through the subjects of algebra, geometry, and pre-calculus in... Read more...

Armaan C. – Class of 2023

“I am very grateful that KD was able to offer so many resources and guides for the SAT® and PSAT tests. They really helped me get a good grasp on the types of questions that the SAT exam tested on, and I was able to get a really good score the first time I took it! Once again, thank you KD, and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking to earn a high SAT score.”

“I am very grateful that KD was able to offer so many resources and guides for the SAT® and PSAT tests. They really helped me get a good grasp on the types of questions that the SAT exam tested on, and... Read more...

Sri Vamsi Krishna Putti – Class of 2023, Frisco ISD

“My husband and I are so impressed with your course and the quality of guidance that you provide. It feels like you really want our son to succeed. Thank you!”

Debra H. – Son, Class of 2023

“KD taught me so many useful strategies for the SAT® & PSAT/NMSQT® tests. They helped me improve my SAT score by over 400 points, and I got done with the SAT test at the beginning of 11th grade! I would recommend KD to anyone who wants a highly competitive SAT score. ”

“KD taught me so many useful strategies for the SAT® & PSAT/NMSQT® tests. They helped me improve my SAT score by over 400 points, and I got done with the SAT test... Read more...

Praneel S. – Class of 2023

“My time and experiences at KD College Prep have efficiently guided and prepared me for my future educational career as a college student. Not only did KD help me with college entrance exams but also provided numerous informational seminars that helped me with the various steps required for college admissions. At KD I enjoyed learning from amazing teachers, who cared for each of their students individually and were ready to help wherever it was needed. Being a student at KD has also helped me figure out which learning techniques work best for me. The opportunity to engage in different learning methods such as small group interactive learning, larger group discussions, or individual practice are all ways that helped me come up with a learning... Read more...

“My time and experiences at KD College Prep have efficiently guided and prepared me for my future educational career as a college student. Not only did KD help me with college entrance exams but also provided numerous informational seminars that helped... Read more...

Tanisha P. – Class of 2020

“ My feedback can only be positive, given how much you helped me get ahead with my application process. I really appreciated how much work both of you put into helping me write the best essay possible, especially reviewing my essays twice to polish them completely. In addition, I have noticed that writing my resume has released a lot of stress off my shoulder when it comes to making sure I have all the things necessary to apply to schools. ”

“ My feedback can only be positive, given how much you helped me get ahead with my application process. I really appreciated how much work both of you put into... Read more...

Claudia A. – Class of 2020

“My favorite things about KD were the mirroring it had to actual test questions, the availability, and the relationships you built with all the teachers and advisors who made the process of learning easier. I think that after you started going to a good amount of classes and the workshops, you knew every teacher, and they were always available to answer any questions that you had...Everyone was just so welcoming and made learning more engaging for the students, especially with the workshops. All of had their own unique style of teaching which never made a class boring.”

“My favorite things about KD were the mirroring it had to actual test questions, the availability, and the relationships you built with all the teachers and advisors who made the process of... Read more...

Rishab P. – Class of 2021

“I want to thank both of you so very much for making this dream come true. When I first came to KD, I wanted to get a score of 1520 or above... So many people told me it would be impossible to reach my desired score. After months of using KD's methods my scores definitely improved but hovered around 1350—still not near the score I needed but closer. After finally working with both of you during one on ones, my scores started to see heavy improvement and while I didn't get a score of 1520 or above as a single score, I got it as a  superscore ... Read more...

“I want to thank both of you so very much for making this dream come true. When I first came to KD, I wanted to get a score of 1520 or... Read more...

David P. – Class of 2022

“It takes a village to raise a child—this is so true. KD College Prep staff have been nothing but uplifting to my child and to us parents through their eager attitudes to assist, in-depth guidance and unparalleled wisdom. I am in awe at the consistent level of professionalism yet genuine concern for each and every person that walks through their doors. Thank you KD staff for being great mentors for our children!”

“It takes a village to raise a child—this is so true. KD College Prep staff have been nothing but uplifting to my child and to us parents through their eager attitudes to assist, in-depth guidance and unparalleled wisdom. I am in... Read more...

Gloria D. – Daughter, Class of 2021

“I attended KD for the last 3 years, and I was blessed with the opportunity to take the SAT ® test one last time last month. I got a 1430 on the test. I wanted to take the time to say I have finished college applications, and I would love to thank all the teachers and aides at KD for giving me the score that I got on the test. Without the extra practice, I wouldn't have been able to get through to the score I got. These past 3 years went by so fast, and it is so fun to look back at where I started and how much I have come out with flying colors. Thank you so much!”

“I attended KD for the last 3 years, and I was blessed with the opportunity to take the SAT ® test one last time last month. I got a 1430 on the test. I wanted to take the time to say I... Read more...

Kareena A. – Class of 2021

“I just wanted to say thank you to KD for all the help and support you’ve given over the past couple years! I was able to get the scores I wanted for the PSAT, SAT ® , and ACT ® tests. The resources were very helpful, and the individualized assistance I received from teachers were what really supported my learning. Special thanks to Ms. Barwick and Mr. Hoffman!”

“I just wanted to say thank you to KD for all the help and support you’ve given over the past couple years! I was able to get the scores I wanted for the PSAT, SAT ® , and ACT ® tests. The resources were... Read more...

Advika R. – Class of 2022

“I shifted toward taking practice tests and going to workshops because I felt those were the best ways to apply the concepts (I was) learning in class. I started applying the tips and tricks that the teachers were showing me in class. In conjunction, those two things helped me raise my score a lot because I was not a math kid before KD or high school. The repetition and being able to practice in a non-stressful environment and simulating that testing experience is something that was very beneficial for me... “The college counseling team was super patient and honest about the work I was submitting. I know for a lot of kids, it’s hard to articulate who you are through 250-300 words. It was definitely... Read more...

“I shifted toward taking practice tests and going to workshops because I felt those were the best ways to apply the concepts (I was) learning in class. I started applying the tips and tricks that the teachers were showing me in... Read more...

Blaine W. – Class of 2021

“Both of my sons have been guided by KD College Prep counselor Steve Peifer on their journey to finding the right college for them, and we could not have had a better experience and outcome. My oldest son is now a rising junior at the University of Miami, and my youngest son is an incoming freshman at Vanderbilt University. Steve’s help in navigating the complicated college landscape and finding the BEST FIT for my two sons is what has made this resource invaluable. “What made the biggest difference for my two sons was the depth and breadth of knowledge Steve has of the many universities and colleges in the U.S. First, by getting to know my kids on a one-on-one basis, he was able to... Read more...

“Both of my sons have been guided by KD College Prep counselor Steve Peifer on their journey to finding the right college for them, and we could not have had a better experience and outcome. My oldest son is now a... Read more...

Julio M. – Parent

“My daughter loved the program—the program materials and the teachers both online and in person. She participated in a year of online and a year of in person. It was incredible enrichment and helped her keep her skills sharp over the summer. She liked being challenged academically, and she loved taking classes with high school students who were focused on their college goals. These students were also excellent role models! The lessons were especially important during the pandemic when it wasn’t a typical middle school experience.”

“My daughter loved the program—the program materials and the teachers both online and in person. She participated in a year of online and a year of in person. It was incredible enrichment and helped her keep her skills sharp over the... Read more...

Beth L. – Advanced Start™ Parent

“I wanted to say thank you to all of the teachers and directors at KD for helping me get a great score on the SAT ® test. I started with a 1250 on the first KD test I took, and I got a 1530 on the December 5th SAT test. KD played a huge role in this, and I just wanted to say thanks to everyone there for helping me achieve this.”

“I wanted to say thank you to all of the teachers and directors at KD for helping me get a great score on the SAT ® test. I started with a 1250 on the first KD test I took, and I got... Read more...

Vyom S. – Class of 2022

"Our twin 16-year-old boys used KD College Prep to study/practice for the PSAT test, and we believe the classes and coaching were invaluable. Very professional and concise. Worth every penny!"

Jerry – Sons, Class of 2022

“I'm writing to thank the KD team for all the help and guidance over the last couple of years! All the resources provided were very useful to me and helped me achieve the scores I was aiming for on the PSAT, SAT ® , and ACT ® tests (1520, 1580, and 34). I really appreciate everyone's willingness to be flexible and accommodate my requests!”

“I'm writing to thank the KD team for all the help and guidance over the last couple of years! All the resources provided were very useful to me and helped me achieve the scores I was aiming for on the PSAT,... Read more...

Mithra A. – Class of 2022

"The resources that KD offers have greatly prepared me for the college admissions process. Without KD, I would not have been this prepared and confident... I am a rising senior, and I ended up receiving a 1570 on my SAT ® test (third time) and a 35 on my ACT® test (first time). I remember the first ever practice test I took for the SAT test was a 1230 (about 1.5 yrs ago) and the first ever practice test I took for the ACT test was a 31 or 32 (about 6 months ago)."

"The resources that KD offers have greatly prepared me for the college admissions process. Without KD, I would not have been this prepared and confident... I am a rising senior, and I ended up receiving a 1570 on my SAT ® test... Read more...

Elise P. – Class of 2022

“I want to thank KD College Prep for helping both of my kids over the last years reach successful outcomes on their SAT ® and ACT ® scores, which helped them get into great colleges. I found the college prep class for parents very informative and helpful during the process as well.  My son (Jacob) graduated in 2018 and got a 32 on the ACT test. got accepted into Texas A&M but chose Baylor for Health Sciences.  My daughter (Morgan) graduated in 2020 and got a 1450 on the SAT test and a 32 on the ACT test. got into an Ivy League school (Cornell) for Engineering.  Both my kids say that they apply the test taking skills they learned at KD Prep to... Read more...

“I want to thank KD College Prep for helping both of my kids over the last years reach successful outcomes on their SAT ® and ACT ® scores, which helped them get into great colleges. I found the college prep class for parents... Read more...

Jon D. – Parent

“Coming into this whole process, I had absolutely no idea what anything was, and your help was invaluable—your encouraging words, strategic advice, and wholesome stories and jokes really got me through a stressful time! I'm still on the waitlist at Harvard and other schools, but I've really started to immerse into the Emory culture, especially their debate team. Not having to pay for college and still attend a private institution is really a dream come true, and it wouldn't be possible if it were not for you.”

“Coming into this whole process, I had absolutely no idea what anything was, and your help was invaluable—your encouraging words, strategic advice, and wholesome stories and jokes really got me through a stressful time! I'm still on the waitlist at Harvard... Read more...

Shreyas R. – Class of 2020

“The most beneficial guidance I received during my College Counseling experience was being taught that it's completely ok to not know what I want to do with the rest of my life at 17/18 years old. Steve told me that a good school will help me find my path. Also, Steve's knowledge about what colleges were wanting to see in potential admissions candidates was a huge help... “There was not one specific beneficial moment or turning point in my time working with Steve, there were many. He encouraged me during the entire application process and brought to my attention many colleges I wouldn't have considered or heard about without his help.”

“The most beneficial guidance I received during my College Counseling experience was being taught that it's completely ok to not know what I want to do with the rest of my life at 17/18 years old. Steve told me that a... Read more...

Jake W. – Class of 2020

"I'm very happy my daughter chose KD as her learning partner to achieve her goals. All the experiences with KD and the Directors there are fabulous. My daughter has improved significantly."

Zarni, Daughter – Class of 2021

"I took KD classes the summer before my junior year, and I was finished with my SAT ® test by December...The test prep classes also helped me earn the award of National Merit ® Finalist."

Claire I. – Class of 2020

"It's been super helpful, and I've noticed my scores go up both on my SAT ® /ACT ® scores as well as test scores in school... Overall, I believe this to be the best college prep that money can buy."

Gopi C. – Class of 2021

"KD helped me come up with a game plan for the colleges I wanted to attend, as well as any backups, and how to manage my time during this stressful period. They helped to ease the stress and made sure that I would be successful in whichever college I picked, and I am eternally grateful for all their help and hard work!"

"KD helped me come up with a game plan for the colleges I wanted to attend, as well as any backups, and how to manage my time during this stressful period. They helped to ease the stress and made... Read more...

Omar S. – Class of 2020

"My initial goals when I first started working with the KD Counseling crew was to compile a list of colleges that I would be somewhat interested in attending and fit my career goals. I think that this step I was by far the most concerned about. I didn’t know how exactly I should go about choosing which places to apply to and if I were to be accepted, if they would fit me. The team did a wonderful job considering my likes and dislikes and helped me compile a list of colleges that suited my tastes and would further my academic career. "After this integral first step, my focus turned towards time management and writing quality essays that would stand out to colleges. I got... Read more...

"My initial goals when I first started working with the KD Counseling crew was to compile a list of colleges that I would be somewhat interested in attending and fit my career goals. I think that this step I was by... Read more...

Nina H. – Class of 2020

"I was thankful for all the help I received from KD in preparing for my SAT ® and ACT ® exams. The workshops they offered, as well as the practice exams, gave me the tools I needed to do my very best."

Morgan D. – Class of 2020

"KDCP is a must for students wanting to stay a step ahead of the game for getting into college. My son has gained huge insight from the ACT ® /SAT ® practice workshops, practice tests, and essay class."

Tiffany – Son, Class of 2021

"KD helped to increase the efficiencies of how I took the national exams. I was also able to implement these efficiencies in my daily school studies within the IB program at PESH. I would (and have) recommend KD to those students wanting an edge on their national test scores!"

"KD helped to increase the efficiencies of how I took the national exams. I was also able to implement these efficiencies in my daily school studies within the IB program at PESH. I would (and have) recommend KD to those students... Read more...

Daniel J. – Class of 2020

"Not only have I been able to significantly improve my test scores, I have learned a tremendous amount of information about the college application process due to complimentary events that KD offers."

Sam H. – Class of 2020

"I came to KD the summer before my senior year with only my determination and big goals! KD provided me with the resources necessary to improve my test score to increase my chances at my dream school, Notre Dame, with the help from amazing teachers and staff. I am so grateful for KD!"

"I came to KD the summer before my senior year with only my determination and big goals! KD provided me with the resources necessary to improve my test score to increase my chances at my dream school, Notre Dame, with the... Read more...

Matt K. – Class of 2020

"I started classes at KD the summer before 9th grade. I...made a perfect score on the PSAT (earning the National Merit ® scholarship) and, after taking the SAT ® test only once (a relief!), scored a 1590/1600."

Thomas D. – Class of 2019

"In just one year, I was able to raise my score by 300 points and get into my dream school."

Piper F. – Class of 2020

"Having our recent GHS graduate attend KD was life changing. It provided our son with choices and opportunities that he might not have had otherwise."

Kathy – Son attends Mizzou

“I came to KD College Prep after already using another tutoring service which we were not seeing results with. Due to time constraints, the traditional classes were not going to be feasible for my daughter. They took the time to figure out a personal plan that would work for her and were always available for our questions and helping her reach her goals. Every employee from the managers to the students working at their locations are top notch.”

“I came to KD College Prep after already using another tutoring service which we were not seeing results with. Due to time constraints, the traditional classes were not going to be feasible for my daughter. They took the time to figure... Read more...

Tracy – Daughter, Class of 2020

"The KD College Prep course not only provided test practice but also motivated her to work hard for her college applications. It gave her the confidence to dream big!"

Prema – Daughter attends Rice

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How to use Chat GPT to Write an Essay

Florencia basavilbaso.

• Best Apps And Tools , Writing Tips

Content Writer At Gradehacker

• February, 2023

If you want to speed up the essay-writing process with AI, here you’ll learn which are the basic tips you need to know to write an essay with Chat GPT.

How to Write an Essay With Chat GPT

To write an essay with Chat GPT, these are the four basic tips you need to know:

• Edit and refine the generated text
• Write a clear and concise prompt
• Take time to learn about Chat GPT
• Add your own thoughts to make it personal

Having problems to write your essay?

If Chat GPT isn’t enough and you need help with a last-minute paper, we are here to help you!

Having problems writing?

By now, you’ve probably heard about Chat GPT; an amazing AI that can (almost) write original content as if it was a real human being. So, now you are wondering how to use Chat GPT to write an essay. 

For that, we created this blog to guide you through each step so you can take all the benefits this platform has for you and use it in your favor.

Here at Gradehacker , we’ve been years dedicated to helping and improving non-traditional student’s life in multiple ways! Besides assisting them with their classes and essays , we are the most trusted resource for valuable information and tips that can change the way you work!

And today, we introduce you to Chat GPT !

This AI can help you write a college essay quickly and efficiently. If you want to know how to use chat GPT to write an essay, learn what are its pros and cons, and incorporate the best tips to change how you approach your essays, you are in the right place! 

Let’s start!

What is Chat GPT?

First, we’ll address some basics here. Let’s talk about what this platform is and what it can do for you!

ChatGPT (Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer) is a natural language processing technology that uses artificial intelligence to generate text based on a prompt. It can be used to generate ideas, structure sentences, and even create entire essays.

This computer program was created by the artificial intelligence research laboratory OpenAI and launched on November 30, 2022. It is still a pretty new platform and has a lot to improve, but it also has several advantages that can do more good than bad for you!

It is free to the public, but we recommend taking advantage of their free service as long as you can because it was created with the intention of monetizing the service in the future.

Meaning, Chat GPT won’t continue being free for too long.

Another interesting fact is that the service works best in English but is also able to function in some other languages.

What Can You Use Chat GPT For?

So, after reading what Chat GPT is, you are probably wondering what you can use it for.

Programs like this one which can generate text based on a prompt, are good for:

• When you want to save time and don't feel inspired to write
• Don't know how to continue what you started
• Getting ideas
• Start a project

We always recommend checking and editing the text because it’s not always accurate , and the information is often wrong, especially when it comes to dates, rates, or anything very specific.

But of course, there are other ways you can use Chat GPT. 

It can help you create a title for your essay topics, text for an announcement or copywriting, an article, or what you came for: an essay!

And that leads us to the main question: how do we use it?

How to Use Chat GPT to Write an Essay

If this AI is appropriately used, it can become the saver you’ve been yearning for. 

In short, to write an essay with Chat GPT, you need to follow this process:

2) Put a command 

3) Change the command until you get the desired outcome

Now let’s see how it works.

To start, let’s go to Chat GPT website and press where it says “ Try Chat GPT “

Once we log in, at the bottom of the page you’ll find a text box where you will need to write a command. This could be the title of the essay, a topic sentence, or even a few keywords. 

After providing the prompt, Chat GPT will generate text based on it.

The text will come out as a number of items containing specific ideas about the topic we asked for.  

Then, as a new command, you can ask Chat GPT to expand on the previous information.

Because Chat GPT remembers the previous information generated, you can also ask it to write more information from a specific item. In order to do that, you can go where you wrote your first command and, this time, put something like: “write essay line (or paragraph) about (item number).” 

You can also command multiple things at once , for example: “write an essay introduction with heading about item 7,”  or you can even command to do it for every item.

You can then edit and refine the generated text to make your essay unique and give it a personal touch as it would be with human writing.

Do you need a step-by-step tutorial on how to write an essay with Chat GPT?

If you want to use Chat GPT to write an entire essay from scratch , you can read our entire experience or check out our videos!

Pros and Cons of Using Chat GPT

As with any technology, there are both advantages and disadvantages to using Chat GPT.

Pros of Chat GPT

On the plus side, we can say that:

• It is much faster than traditional writing methods, and it can save you time and effort when writing an essay
• It can help you come up with ideas to get started on a project and structure your essay in a more organized way
• Reduces the need for research , as it can generate text based on the prompt without any additional input.
• It can provide you with information that is relevant to your topic
• It can help you refine and edit your text to make it unique

Cons of Chat GPT

But we know that Chat GPT is not perfect, so on the downside, it is essential to note that:

• Sometimes it can generate text that is not accurate , has incorrect premises, and is irrelevant to the prompt
• It can be challenging to use if you are not familiar with natural language processing technology
• You may have difficulty editing and refining the generated text to make it unique and personal
• It could end up being time-consuming if you don't know how to use the platform correctly
• Because it is trained on data, it may contain inherent biases, and this can be reflected in the outputted text

It is important to be aware of the potential for bias when using Chat GPT to generate essays , as this could lead to inaccurate or offensive results.

Also, be aware of the possibility of plagiarism when using it, as this could lead to serious consequences. Taking the time to check for plagiarism before submitting a written essay is essential to ensure its originality and accuracy.

And to save yourself from falling into those situations, be sure to read our blog post on how to avoid unintentional plagiarism.

How to Avoid Plagiarism When Using Chat GPT

To avoid plagiarism when using Chat GPT to write an essay, it is critical to double-check any generated content before submitting it. Using a reliable plagiarism checker is also helpful to ensure the content is entirely original.

These are some plagiarism software you can use:

If you want to know how these platforms work, check our video, where we’ll show you what they do, why they’re useful, and why they’re better than the rest.

Chat GPT Plus

One of the biggest problems with Chat GPT is that it might not always be available to use.

Many times, when we go to the website, what can happen is that there are a lot of people using it, which will create high traffic. When that happens, it will appear on the screen a text that says:

“ChatGPT is at capacity right now. Get notified when we’re back .” 

There, you can click on get notified, put your email address, and wait until the traffic slows down.

But if you don’t want to deal with waiting to be notified, there is an alternative choice: subscribe to  Chat GPT Plus.

By subscribing, you’ll gain:

• Access to ChatGPT at all times, even during the busiest periods
• Faster response times
• Priority access to new features and improvements

The subscription has a price of $20 per month and is only available for customers in the United States.

Having doubts on how we can help you?

Get in touch with us!

Tips for Using Chat GPT

If you decide to use Chat GPT to write your essay, there are a few tips that can help you get the most out of it.

• Provide a clear and concise prompt: This will help Chat GPT generate the most accurate and relevant text.
• Edit, add your own thoughts, and refine the generated text to make it unique and personal
• If you are not familiar with natural language processing technology, take some time to learn about it before using Chat GPT

These tips will make a difference in your work, especially for those long essays where you need to do a lot of research. 

Knowing how to write a research paper or an argumentative essay is highly necessary and essential for a college student, even if you have Chat GPT helping you throughout the process, so in case you are unsure or need to refresh that, check out our video about it! 

Make Your Writing Stand Out When Using Chat GPT to Write an Essay

With our tips and guidance on how to make your essays stand out when using Chat GPT and the potential pitfalls to avoid, you’ll be in a great position to produce high-quality essays.

On the other side, you may like to know that here at Gradehacker, we offer college essays , classes and degree help services to help students like you reach their highest potential.

To check more helpful information, check our blogs:

What You Need For Your College Research Paper Outline

5 Common Essay Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Best AI to Write Essays

Write an Essay From Scratch With Chat GPT: Step-by-Step Tutorial

How Much Does it Cost to Write My Essay?

Best Apps For Writing 2024 | Boost Your Writing Skills

Florencia Basavilbaso is a content creator passioned for writing, music, films, and the arts. At Gradehacker, she helps to improve non-traditional students life’s by finding and providing the most useful information, so they can always progress. You can find her on LinkedIn .

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Here's Everything You Need to Know About Using ChatGPT

Spent all of 2023 hearing about AI and want to try it out for yourself this year? We have you covered.

Learning to use AI chatbots effectively is more important than ever. 

If 2023 was the year of AI, then  2024 will be carrying on this trend . You may not have tried out one of the many AI chatbots that hit the scene over the last year, but you've probably heard a thing or two about them. How could you not?  OpenAI's ChatGPT gained 100 million users in just two months . It took Instagram and TikTok two and a half years and nine months, respectively, to hit that same mark. 

The field of AI chatbots and other generative AI tools is expansive and growing. A short list includes Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, Claude.ai, Perplexity, Dall-E and Midjourney, and collectively they're poised to transform how you work, how you get information and how companies do business. But the chatbot craze got started with ChatGPT.

Learning to use and navigate AI chatbots will be increasingly important this year, and if one of your goals is to get more comfortable with AI, you're in the right place. Here's everything you need to know about getting started with ChatGPT. 

For more, here's an in-depth look at ChatGPT and how AI is changing the way we answer our health questions . 

What is ChatGPT?

ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence service that simulates human conversation to attempt to understand your text-based questions and requests and then respond to them. To accomplish this task, the chatbot is pretrained on large data sets (including public webpages) to look for patterns and create understandable and appropriate responses based on your requests or prompts. (The "GPT" part of the name reflects that and is short for "generative pretraining transformer.")

If you really want to dig into what ChatGPT is, we have a handy ChatGPT glossary that can help you make sense of it all.

Before your first ChatGPT prompt…

You can't start asking ChatGPT for help until you make an account with OpenAI. 

Navigate to ChatGPT's login page , and you'll be met with the options to Log In or Sign Up. Tap the Sign Up button and provide your name, email address and a valid phone number to verify your account. Note you'll have to accept a couple of disclaimers from OpenAI before you can start prompting ChatGPT. 

Tweak some ChatGPT settings

After creating your account and accepting OpenAI's disclaimers, you should do a few more things before asking all of your questions. First, I recommend tinkering with a few ChatGPT settings. There aren't too many settings, but the more familiar you are with the options, the better. 

Custom instructions let you give ChatGPT some parameters to work with when answering your prompts -- at least it's supposed to. 

The settings that I suggest adjusting are the Custom instructions , where you can give ChatGPT instructions and parameters for how to answer your prompts. These instructions can include information about you, how long or short responses should be, what your hobbies and interests are, and other specifying information. For instance, I told ChatGPT that I was a big fan of Taylor Swift and Formula 1. But when I would ask what music I should try listening to, or what sports I should try watching, this information did not seem to impact the responses I got. 

Before your first prompt, define your 'why' 

Now that you're set up, you're ready to ask your first question. Before you start typing your prompt, however, stop and think about what you really want out of your query. 

You can ask ChatGPT to do all sorts of things for you, but the more focused you are when you're drafting your prompt, the more focused your answer will be. This practice, commonly referred to as prompt engineering , is important if you want useful answers from ChatGPT. 

Ready, set, prompt

Prompting ChatGPT itself is simple. On ChatGPT's homepage, you will see a bar labeled "Message ChatGPT…" at the bottom of the page. When you have a prompt in mind, simply type it into that bar. 

After you've submitted your prompt, ChatGPT will "think" for a moment, and then return a response to your question. At the bottom of ChatGPT's response, you will see four symbols. A small clipboard, a thumbs up, a thumbs down and a circular arrow. 

The small clipboard allows you to copy ChatGPT's response, the thumbs up and thumbs down allow you to tell ChatGPT if its response is good or bad, and the circular arrow will tell ChatGPT to regenerate its response. Note: Regenerating the response will yield a different response than you got the first time. 

After you prompt…

Even after ChatGPT yields its response, your job isn't quite done. There are still a couple of best practices to consider before putting ChatGPT's response into action. 

Be aware of hallucination : Even if you have crafted a near-perfect prompt, ChatGPT may "hallucinate" in its answer. In the context of AI, hallucination refers to the chatbot returning incorrect and nonfactual information. This is not unique to ChatGPT and can affect other chatbots as well. 

It's wise to double-check any advice you receive, and that's especially true when it's coming from a chatbot such as ChatGPT. 

And that goes for questions around health and self-diagnosis . If you ask ChatGPT if women can use Rogaine (a hair-loss medication with the active ingredient minoxidil), for example, the chatbot may tell you that women can use Rogaine but only the women's formulations. But this isn't necessarily true. A 2017 study found that there is no chemical difference between men's and women's Rogaine . The only difference is the price, which can be 40% more for the women's version. When I was dealing with some hair loss, my dermatologist recommended me to opt for men's Rogaine to save a bit of money. 

Sometimes ChatGPT gets it right. Usually it's close. Once in a while, it's very wrong. Check ChatGPT's answers with a Google search at the very least and, if possible, confirm the answer with professionals. 

The answer is just… bad

I go into this much more in my guide on how to write prompts , but ChatGPT is by no means perfect. It will most likely give you an answer that you're not quite satisfied with. Luckily, it's easy to remedy this issue. 

First, make sure you're asking a detailed question: The more usable information you put in your prompt, the better chance that you get back a usable answer. (You should be willing to go back and refine your prompt if you're not getting the answers you expected.)

Second, ask clarifying follow-up questions. I've found that this produces mixed results. It can sometimes prompt ChatGPT to refine its answer, but it can also just return more garbage. 

Finally, if it feels like you're heading down the wrong path, start a new chat and ask your question again. Note that if you do start over or delete your chat history, your prompts are still on OpenAI's servers.

Does ChatGPT remember what I've asked it?

Your previous prompts will not affect the answers that ChatGPT gives you. I asked ChatGPT to help me brainstorm ideas for a birthday gift for my brother and gave information on his interests in my initial prompt. If I wanted to ask another question about my brother's birthday later, I would need to re-enter the information into ChatGPT. 

This won't be the case for long, though. On Feb. 13, OpenAI announced that it's testing ways for ChatGPT to remember details you've discussed in earlier chats when you create new prompts. OpenAI said it was rolling out the features to a "small portion of ChatGPT free and Plus users this week" and will share plans for a larger rollout soon. If you have access to this new feature and you don't want ChatGPT to remember your history, you can disable it by going to Settings , selecting the Personalization tab and then toggling Memory off. 

For more on AI, here's what to know about ChatGPT's new memory function and whether or not ChatGPT is helpful when it comes to wooing your loved one.

Editors' note: CNET is using an AI engine to help create some stories. For more, see  this post .

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10 Powerful Prompts to Use ChatGPT to Land a Great Job

• Share This: Share 10 Powerful Prompts to Use ChatGPT to Land a Great Job on Facebook Share 10 Powerful Prompts to Use ChatGPT to Land a Great Job on LinkedIn Share 10 Powerful Prompts to Use ChatGPT to Land a Great Job on X

Do you hate writing cover letters?

Or coming up with the perfect resume bullet?

Or just figuring out what to do with your life???

Good news: ChatGPT is here to help!

To learn more about using ChatGPT in your search visit Job Insiders

4 Reasons to Start Using Claude 3 Instead of ChatGPT

Quick links, claude is better at creative writing, claude offers multimodality for free, larger context window, more messages per hour.

• Claude excels at creative writing, producing engaging and natural-sounding content with less clichés.
• Claude offers free multimodal features, while ChatGPT requires upgrading for similar capabilities.
• Claude boasts a larger context window and potentially more messages per hour than ChatGPT.

In the AI chatbot space, ChatGPT has been the undisputed leader since its launch in November 2022. However, with the release of Claude 3, it is increasingly looking like ChatGPT might be losing that title. Here are four reasons you should consider switching from ChatGPT to Claude.

Besides occasional science homework, programming tasks, and fun games, one of the most popular use cases of AI chatbots is creative writing. Most users use AI chatbots to help draft an email , cover letter, resume, article, or song lyrics—basically one creative write-up or another. While ChatGPT has clearly been the favored option owing mostly to its brand name and publicity, Claude has consistently delivered top-notch results even in earlier iterations of the AI chatbots. But it's not just about providing top-notch results. Claude, especially backed by the latest Claude 3 model , outperforms ChatGPT in a wide range of creative writing tasks.

As someone who has consistently used both chatbots since their launch, Claude, although not necessarily the overall better model, is significantly better at creating write-ups that better mimic human "creativity and imperfections." Putting both chatbots to the test, ChatGPT's write-ups, although grammatically correct, were full of tell-tale signs of an AI-written piece. Claude's write-ups read more naturally and sound human. Although not perfect, they are likely to be more engaging and creative.

Too frequently, ChatGPT falls victim to the use of so many clichés and predictable word choices. Ask ChatGPT to write about some business topics, and there's a good chance you will see words like "In today's business environment," "In recent history," and "In the fast-paced digital landscape" in the starting paragraphs.

Putting our theory to the test, it was just as predicted. ChatGPT (GPT-3.5 and GPT-4) used cliché intros in five out of five trials. Here are the first three samples:

Claude, on the other hand, produced varying results four times out of five trials, avoiding the cliche on the first trial:

Besides cliché, ChatGPT, more than Claude, tends to fall victim to the sporadic use of joining words like "in conclusion," "as a result," and a tendency for unnecessary emphasis where emphatic words like "undisputed, critical, unquestionable, must" etc., are used.

But besides these flaws, how do write-ups from each chatbot sound from a holistic point of view?

To top off the comparison, I asked both chatbots to produce rhyming rap lyrics on the theme "coconut to wealth." Claude seems the better option, but I'll let you be the judge.

Here's ChatGPT's take:

And here's Claude's take:

Early adopters of ChatGPT probably have a deep-rooted preference for the AI chatbot, but when it comes to creative writing, ChatGPT has some serious catching up to do in many areas.

Besides Google's Gemini AI chatbot, there are hardly any major AI chatbots in the market that offer Claude's multimodal features for free. With the free version of ChatGPT, all you get is text generation abilities, and that's it. No file uploads for analysis, no image processing, nothing else! On the other hand, Claude offers these premium features on its free tier. So, you can use image prompting or upload files for analysis on the chatbot for free if you use the free beta version of the bot.

Context window is the limit of text data an AI chatbot can process at a go. Think of it as how many things you can keep in your memory (and be able to recall) at a time.

Depending on the version of ChatGPT you use, you should get anywhere between 4k, 8k, 16k, 32k, and 128k context windows. For clarity, a 4k context window can accommodate around 3,000 words, while a 32k window can accommodate around 24,000 words. With the ChatGPT free tier, you get the lowest limits of the context window options (4k or 8k), meaning a few pages of text. You can access the 16k and possibly 32k options on ChatGPT Plus or Team plans, while the 128k context window seems to be an exclusive reserve of the ChatGPT Enterprise plans.

Whereas Claude has a 200k context window on its free and premium plans—a significant improvement from ChatGPT's 4k or 8k window.

Why does this even matter? Well, the larger the context window, the more text data you can process at a time without the AI chatbot making things up. Claude's 200k context window is equivalent to around 150,000 words. Yep, it means you'll theoretically be able to process 150,000 words simultaneously with Claude, while ChatGPT could cap you out at 24,000 words even on its premium tier. You see? The difference is like night and day—at least in theory.

Rate limits can be a pain. You're in the middle of an interesting prompting session, you get an alert that you've reached your limit and have to wait (sometimes hours!) to get a reset. It's a huge joy killer and can set your work back hours. However, this happens both on ChatGPT and Claude, so it's an even ground on that point.

ChatGPT offers 40 messages every three hours on the Plus plan, while Claude offers 100 messages per eight hours. If you're not lost in the optics and do the math, ChatGPT's message limits are slightly better than Claude's. But there's more to it.

OpenAI dynamically throttles your usage limits. This means the limit you see isn't what you'll always get. It depends on the demand, as per OpenAI . On the other hand, despite having slightly lower usage limits, Claude can actually be more liberal with the limits depending on how much text you use per message.

So, if, for instance, you send around 2,000 words (around 200 English sentences of 15–25 words each), you should be able to get "at least" the 100 messages per 8-hour limit. Two thousand words per prompt is a generous number; only a few people get that wordy when doing basic prompting. If you use a lower number of words per prompt, you should be able to get a larger number of messages per hour theoretically.

So, while ChatGPT might seem more generous on the outside if you use both chatbots daily, Claude seems to be the more generous option, although not necessarily at all times.

While early adopters may have a sentimental attachment to ChatGPT, it's becoming increasingly clear that Claude is a force to be reckoned with. As the AI landscape continues to evolve, it will be fascinating to see how these titans of conversational AI push each other to new heights, ultimately benefiting users with ever-improving and more capable chatbots. The future of AI-powered interactions has never been more exciting.

Chat GPT Can Produce Medical Records Ten Times Faster Than Doctors

By Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, March 29, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Artificial intelligence programs could be an effective way to relieve the paperwork burden that keeps doctors from seeing more patients, a new study finds.

The AI program Chat GPT can write administrative medical notes up to ten times faster than doctors without compromising the quality of the reports, Swiss researchers report.

Human orthopedic doctors and Chat GPT separately prepared discharge papers and notes for six fake patient cases that closely mimicked real cases, researchers said.

An expert panel of 15 people unaware of the source of the documents couldn’t tell the difference between them, results show.

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What’s more, the AI program ground out the paperwork in a tenth of the time it took doctors to do the same.

“The results show that ChatGPT-4 and human-generated notes are comparable in quality overall, but ChatGPT-4 produced discharge documents ten times faster than the doctors,” said researcher Dr. Cyrus Brodén , an orthopedic physician at Uppsala University Hospital in Basel.

The new study was published recently in the journal ActaOrthopaedica .

Researchers plan to follow up this pilot study with a larger test of AI involving 1,000 authentic patient medical records.

“This will be an interesting and resource-intensive project involving many partners,” Broden said. “We are already working actively to fulfill all data management and confidentiality requirements to get the study under way.”

Paperwork has become a bane for doctors, eating away time that could be spent seeing patients and increasing doctors' stress levels, Broden said.

“For years, the debate has centered on how to improve the efficiency of healthcare,” Broden said. “Thanks to advances in generative AI and language modeling, there are now opportunities to reduce the administrative burden on healthcare professionals. This will allow doctors to spend more time with their patients.”

More information

The American Medical Association has more about AI in healthcare .

SOURCE: Uppsala University, news release, March 26, 2024

Copyright © 2024 HealthDay . All rights reserved.

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The battle for AI vibes —

“the king is dead”—claude 3 surpasses gpt-4 on chatbot arena for the first time, anthropic's claude 3 is first to unseat gpt-4 for #1 since launch of chatbot arena in may '23..

Benj Edwards - Mar 27, 2024 4:32 pm UTC

On Tuesday, Anthropic's Claude 3 Opus large language model (LLM) surpassed OpenAI's GPT-4 (which powers ChatGPT) for the first time on Chatbot Arena , a popular crowdsourced leaderboard used by AI researchers to gauge the relative capabilities of AI language models. "The king is dead," tweeted software developer Nick Dobos in a post comparing GPT-4 Turbo and Claude 3 Opus that has been making the rounds on social media. "RIP GPT-4."

Further Reading

Since GPT-4 was included in Chatbot Arena around May 10, 2023 (the leaderboard launched May 3 of that year), variations of GPT-4 have consistently been on the top of the chart until now, so its defeat in the Arena is a notable moment in the relatively short history of AI language models. One of Anthropic's smaller models, Haiku, has also been turning heads with its performance on the leaderboard.

"For the first time, the best available models—Opus for advanced tasks, Haiku for cost and efficiency—are from a vendor that isn't OpenAI," independent AI researcher Simon Willison told Ars Technica. "That's reassuring—we all benefit from a diversity of top vendors in this space. But GPT-4 is over a year old at this point, and it took that year for anyone else to catch up."

Chatbot Arena is run by Large Model Systems Organization (LMSYS ORG), a research organization dedicated to open models that operates as a collaboration between students and faculty at University of California, Berkeley, UC San Diego, and Carnegie Mellon University.

We profiled how the site works in December, but in brief, Chatbot Arena presents a user visiting the website with a chat input box and two windows showing output from two unlabeled LLMs. The user's task it to rate which output is better based on any criteria the user deems most fit. Through thousands of these subjective comparisons, Chatbot Arena calculates the "best" models in aggregate and populates the leaderboard, updating it over time.

Chatbot Arena is important to researchers because they often find frustration in trying to measure the performance of AI chatbots, whose wildly varying outputs are difficult to quantify. In fact, we wrote about how notoriously difficult it is to objectively benchmark LLMs in our news piece about the launch of Claude 3. For that story,  Willison emphasized the important role of "vibes," or subjective feelings, in determining the quality of a LLM. "Yet another case of 'vibes' as a key concept in modern AI," he said.

The "vibes" sentiment is common in the AI space, where numerical benchmarks that measure knowledge or test-taking ability are frequently cherry-picked by vendors to make their results look more favorable. "Just had a long coding session with Claude 3 opus and man does it absolutely crush gpt-4. I don’t think standard benchmarks do this model justice," tweeted AI software developer Anton Bacaj on March 19.

Claude's rise may give OpenAI pause, but as Willison mentioned, the GPT-4 family itself (although updated several times) is over a year old. Currently, the Arena lists four different versions of GPT-4, which represent incremental updates of the LLM that get frozen in time because each has a unique output style, and some developers using them with OpenAI's API need consistency so their apps built on top of GPT-4's outputs don't break.

These include GPT-4-0314 (the "original" version of GPT-4 from March 2023 ), GPT-4-0613 (a snapshot of GPT-4 from June 13, 2023, with "improved function calling support," according to OpenAI), GPT-4-1106-preview (the launch version of GPT-4 Turbo from November 2023), and GPT-4-0125-preview (the latest GPT-4 Turbo model, intended to reduce cases of "laziness" from January 2024).

Still, even with four GPT-4 models on the leaderboard, Anthropic's Claude 3 models have been creeping up the charts consistently since their release earlier this month. Claude 3's success among AI assistant users already has some LLM users replacing ChatGPT in their daily workflow, potentially eating away at ChatGPT's market share. On X, software developer Pietro Schirano wrote , "Honestly, the wildest thing about this whole Claude 3 > GPT-4 is how easy it is to just... switch??"

Google's similarly capable Gemini Advanced has been gaining traction as well in the AI assistant space. That may put OpenAI on guard for now, but in the long run, the company is prepping new models. It is expected to release a major new successor to GPT-4 Turbo (whether named GPT-4.5 or GPT-5) sometime this year, possibly in the summer. It's clear that the LLM space will be full of competition for the time being, which may make for more interesting shakeups on the Chatbot Arena leaderboard in the months and years to come.

reader comments

Channel ars technica.

Frequently asked questions

Can chatgpt feedback my college essay.

Yes, you use ChatGPT to help write your college essay by having it generate feedback on certain aspects of your work (consistency of tone, clarity of structure, etc.).

However, ChatGPT is not able to adequately judge qualities like vulnerability and authenticity. For this reason, it’s important to also ask for feedback from people who have experience with college essays and who know you well. Alternatively, you can get advice using Scribbr’s essay editing service .

Frequently asked questions: AI tools

Generative AI technology typically uses large language models (LLMs) , which are powered by neural networks —computer systems designed to mimic the structures of brains. These LLMs are trained on a huge quantity of data (e.g., text, images) to recognize patterns that they then follow in the content they produce.

For example, a chatbot like ChatGPT generally has a good idea of what word should come next in a sentence because it has been trained on billions of sentences and “learned” what words are likely to appear, in what order, in each context.

This makes generative AI applications vulnerable to the problem of hallucination —errors in their outputs such as unjustified factual claims or visual bugs in generated images. These tools essentially “guess” what a good response to the prompt would be, and they have a pretty good success rate because of the large amount of training data they have to draw on, but they can and do go wrong.

According to OpenAI’s terms of use, users have the right to use outputs from their own ChatGPT conversations for any purpose (including commercial publication).

However, users should be aware of the potential legal implications of publishing ChatGPT outputs. ChatGPT responses are not always unique: different users may receive the same response.

Furthermore, ChatGPT outputs may contain copyrighted material. Users may be liable if they reproduce such material.

ChatGPT can sometimes reproduce biases from its training data , since it draws on the text it has “seen” to create plausible responses to your prompts.

For example, users have shown that it sometimes makes sexist assumptions such as that a doctor mentioned in a prompt must be a man rather than a woman. Some have also pointed out political bias in terms of which political figures the tool is willing to write positively or negatively about and which requests it refuses.

The tool is unlikely to be consistently biased toward a particular perspective or against a particular group. Rather, its responses are based on its training data and on the way you phrase your ChatGPT prompts . It’s sensitive to phrasing, so asking it the same question in different ways will result in quite different answers.

Information extraction  refers to the process of starting from unstructured sources (e.g., text documents written in ordinary English) and automatically extracting structured information (i.e., data in a clearly defined format that’s easily understood by computers). It’s an important concept in natural language processing (NLP) .

For example, you might think of using news articles full of celebrity gossip to automatically create a database of the relationships between the celebrities mentioned (e.g., married, dating, divorced, feuding). You would end up with data in a structured format, something like MarriageBetween(celebrity 1 ,celebrity 2 ,date) .

The challenge involves developing systems that can “understand” the text well enough to extract this kind of data from it.

Knowledge representation and reasoning (KRR) is the study of how to represent information about the world in a form that can be used by a computer system to solve and reason about complex problems. It is an important field of artificial intelligence (AI) research.

An example of a KRR application is a semantic network, a way of grouping words or concepts by how closely related they are and formally defining the relationships between them so that a machine can “understand” language in something like the way people do.

A related concept is information extraction , concerned with how to get structured information from unstructured sources.

Yes, you can use ChatGPT to summarize text . This can help you understand complex information more easily, summarize the central argument of your own paper, or clarify your research question.

You can also use Scribbr’s free text summarizer , which is designed specifically for this purpose.

Yes, you can use ChatGPT to paraphrase text to help you express your ideas more clearly, explore different ways of phrasing your arguments, and avoid repetition.

However, it’s not specifically designed for this purpose. We recommend using a specialized tool like Scribbr’s free paraphrasing tool , which will provide a smoother user experience.

No, having ChatGPT write your college essay can negatively impact your application in numerous ways. ChatGPT outputs are unoriginal and lack personal insight.

Furthermore, Passing off AI-generated text as your own work is considered academically dishonest . AI detectors may be used to detect this offense, and it’s highly unlikely that any university will accept you if you are caught submitting an AI-generated admission essay.

However, you can use ChatGPT to help write your college essay during the preparation and revision stages (e.g., for brainstorming ideas and generating feedback).

Although the terms artificial intelligence and machine learning are often used interchangeably, they are distinct (but related) concepts:

• Artificial intelligence is a broad term that encompasses any process or technology aiming to build machines and computers that can perform complex tasks typically associated with human intelligence, like decision-making or translating.
• Machine learning is a subfield of artificial intelligence that uses data and algorithms to teach computers how to learn and perform specific tasks without human interference.

In other words, machine learning is a specific approach or technique used to achieve the overarching goal of AI to build intelligent systems.

Traditional programming and machine learning are essentially different approaches to problem-solving.

In traditional programming, a programmer manually provides specific instructions to the computer based on their understanding and analysis of the problem. If the data or the problem changes, the programmer needs to manually update the code.

In contrast, in machine learning the process is automated: we feed data to a computer and it comes up with a solution (i.e. a model) without being explicitly instructed on how to do this. Because the ML model learns by itself, it can handle new data or new scenarios.

Overall, traditional programming is a more fixed approach where the programmer designs the solution explicitly, while ML is a more flexible and adaptive approach where the ML model learns from data to generate a solution.

A real-life application of machine learning is an email spam filter. To create such a filter, we would collect data consisting of various email messages and features (subject line, sender information, etc.) which we would label as spam or not spam. We would then train the model to recognize which features are associated with spam emails. In this way, the ML model would be able to classify any incoming emails as either unwanted or legitimate.

ChatGPT and other AI writing tools can have unethical uses. These include:

• Reproducing biases and false information
• Using ChatGPT to cheat in academic contexts
• Violating the privacy of others by inputting personal information

However, when used correctly, AI writing tools can be helpful resources for improving your academic writing and research skills. Some ways to use ChatGPT ethically include:

• Following your institution’s guidelines
• Critically evaluating outputs
• Being transparent about how you used the tool

According to OpenAI’s terms of use, users have the right to reproduce text generated by ChatGPT during conversations.

However, publishing ChatGPT outputs may have legal implications , such as copyright infringement.

Users should be aware of such issues and use ChatGPT outputs as a source of inspiration instead.

Supervised learning should be used when your dataset consists of labeled data and your goal is to predict or classify new, unseen data based on the patterns learned from the labeled examples. 

Tasks like image classification, sentiment analysis, and predictive modeling are common in supervised learning.

Unsupervised learning should be used when your data is unlabeled and your goal is to discover the inherent structure or pattern in the data. 

This approach is helpful for tasks like clustering, association, and dimensionality reduction.

I n classification , the goal is to assign input data to specific, predefined categories. The output in classification is typically a label or a class from a set of predefined options.

In regression , the goal is to establish a relationship between input variables and the output. The output in regression is a real-valued number that can vary within a range.

In both supervised learning approaches the goal is to find patterns or relationships in the input data so we can accurately predict the desired outcomes. The difference is that classification predicts categorical classes (like spam), while regression predicts continuous numerical values (like age, income, or temperature).

Generative art  is art that has been created (generated) by some sort of autonomous system rather than directly by a human artist. Nowadays , the term is commonly used to refer to images created by generative AI tools like Midjourney and DALL-E. These tools use neural networks to create art automatically based on a prompt from the user (e.g., “an elephant painted in the style of Goya”).

However, the term has been in use since before this technology existed, and it can also refer to any technique use by an artist (or writer, musician, etc.) to create art according to a process that proceeds autonomously—i.e., outside of the artist’s direct control. Examples of generative art that does not involve AI include serialism in music and the cut-up technique in literature.

Some real-life applications of reinforcement learning include:

• Healthcare. Reinforcement learning can be used to create personalized treatment strategies, known as dynamic treatment regimes (DTRs), for patients with long-term illnesses. The input is a set of clinical observations and assessments of a patient. The outputs are the treatment options or drug dosages for every stage of the patient’s journey.
• Education. Reinforcement learning can be used to create personalized learning experiences for students. This includes tutoring systems that adapt to student needs, identify knowledge gaps, and suggest customized learning trajectories to enhance educational outcomes.
• Natural language processing (NLP) . Text summarization, question answering, machine translation, and predictive text are all NLP applications using reinforcement learning.
• Robotics. Deep learning and reinforcement learning can be used to train robots that have the ability to grasp various objects , even objects they have never encountered before. This can, for example, be used in the context of an assembly line.

Deep reinforcement learning is the combination of deep learning and reinforcement learning .

• Deep learning is a collection of techniques using artificial neural networks that mimic the structure of the human brain. With deep learning, computers can recognize complex patterns in large amounts of data, extract insights, or make predictions, without being explicitly programmed to do so. The training can consist of supervised learning , unsupervised learning , or reinforcement learning.
• Reinforcement learning (RL) is a learning mode in which a computer interacts with an environment, receives feedback and, based on that, adjusts its decision-making strategy.
• Deep reinforcement learning is a specialized form of RL that utilizes deep neural networks to solve more complex problems. In deep reinforcement learning, we combine the pattern recognition strengths of deep learning and neural networks with the feedback-based learning of RL.

A key challenge that arises in reinforcement learning (RL) is the trade-off between exploration and exploitation . This challenge is unique to RL and doesn’t arise in supervised or unsupervised learning .

Exploration is any action that lets the agent discover new features about the environment, while exploitation is capitalizing on knowledge already gained. If the agent continues to exploit only past experiences, it is likely to get stuck in a suboptimal policy. On the other hand, if it continues to explore without exploiting, it might never find a good policy.

An agent must find the right balance between the two so that it can discover the optimal policy that yields the maximum rewards.

Algorithms and computer programs are sometimes used interchangeably, but they refer to two distinct but interrelated concepts.

• An algorithm is a step-by-step instruction for solving a problem that is precise yet general.
• Computer programs are specific implementations of an algorithm in a specific programming language. In other words, the algorithm is the high-level description of an idea, while the program is the actual implementation of that idea.

Algorithms and artificial intelligence (AI) are not the same, however they are closely related.

• Artificial intelligence is a broad term describing computer systems performing tasks usually associated with human intelligence like decision-making, pattern recognition, or learning from experience.
• Algorithms are the instructions that AI uses to carry out these tasks, therefore we could say that algorithms are the building blocks of AI—even though AI involves more advanced capabilities beyond just following instructions.

In computer science, an algorithm is a list of unambiguous instructions that specify successive steps to solve a problem or perform a task. Algorithms help computers execute tasks like playing games or sorting a list of numbers. In other words, computers use algorithms to understand what to do and give you the result you need.

Algorithms are valuable to us because they:

• Form the basis of much of the technology we use in our daily lives, from mobile apps to search engines.
• Power innovations in various industries that augment our abilities (e.g., AI assistants or medical diagnosis).
• Help analyze large volumes of data, discover patterns and make informed decisions in a fast and efficient way, at a scale humans are simply not able to do.
• Automate processes. By streamlining tasks, algorithms increase efficiency, reduce errors, and save valuable time.

AI detectors aim to identify the presence of AI-generated text (e.g., from ChatGPT ) in a piece of writing, but they can’t do so with complete accuracy. In our comparison of the best AI detectors , we found that the 10 tools we tested had an average accuracy of 60%. The best free tool had 68% accuracy, the best premium tool 84%.

Because of how AI detectors work , they can never guarantee 100% accuracy, and there is always at least a small risk of false positives (human text being marked as AI-generated). Therefore, these tools should not be relied upon to provide absolute proof that a text is or isn’t AI-generated. Rather, they can provide a good indication in combination with other evidence.

No, it’s not a good idea to do so in general—first, because it’s normally considered plagiarism or academic dishonesty to represent someone else’s work as your own (even if that “someone” is an AI language model). Even if you cite ChatGPT , you’ll still be penalized unless this is specifically allowed by your university . Institutions may use AI detectors to enforce these rules.

Second, ChatGPT can recombine existing texts, but it cannot really generate new knowledge. And it lacks specialist knowledge of academic topics. Therefore, it is not possible to obtain original research results, and the text produced may contain factual errors.

However, you can usually still use ChatGPT for assignments in other ways, as a source of inspiration and feedback.

No, it is not possible to cite your sources with ChatGPT . You can ask it to create citations, but it isn’t designed for this task and tends to make up sources that don’t exist or present information in the wrong format. ChatGPT also cannot add citations to direct quotes in your text.

Instead, use a tool designed for this purpose, like the Scribbr Citation Generator .

But you can use ChatGPT for assignments in other ways, to provide inspiration, feedback, and general writing advice.

ChatGPT is a chatbot based on a large language model (LLM). These models are trained on huge datasets consisting of hundreds of billions of words of text, based on which the model learns to effectively predict natural responses to the prompts you enter.

ChatGPT was also refined through a process called reinforcement learning from human feedback (RLHF), which involves “rewarding” the model for providing useful answers and discouraging inappropriate answers—encouraging it to make fewer mistakes.

Essentially, ChatGPT’s answers are based on predicting the most likely responses to your inputs based on its training data, with a reward system on top of this to incentivize it to give you the most helpful answers possible. It’s a bit like an incredibly advanced version of predictive text. This is also one of ChatGPT’s limitations : because its answers are based on probabilities, they’re not always trustworthy .

ChatGPT is owned by OpenAI , the company that developed and released it. OpenAI is a company dedicated to AI research. It started as a nonprofit company in 2015 but transitioned to for-profit in 2019. Its current CEO is Sam Altman, who also co-founded the company.

In terms of who owns the content generated by ChatGPT , OpenAI states that it will not claim copyright on this content , and the terms of use state that “you can use Content for any purpose, including commercial purposes such as sale or publication.” This means that you effectively own any content you generate with ChatGPT and can use it for your own purposes.

Be cautious about how you use ChatGPT content in an academic context. University policies on AI writing are still developing, so even if you “own” the content, you’re often not allowed to submit it as your own work according to your university or to publish it in a journal. AI detectors may be used to detect ChatGPT content.

ChatGPT was created by OpenAI, an AI research company. It started as a nonprofit company in 2015 but became for-profit in 2019. Its CEO is Sam Altman, who also co-founded the company. OpenAI released ChatGPT as a free “research preview” in November 2022. Currently, it’s still available for free, although a more advanced premium version is available if you pay for it.

OpenAI is also known for developing DALL-E, an AI image generator that runs on similar technology to ChatGPT.

GPT  stands for “generative pre-trained transformer,” which is a type of large language model: a neural network trained on a very large amount of text to produce convincing, human-like language outputs. The Chat part of the name just means “chat”: ChatGPT is a chatbot that you interact with by typing in text.

The technology behind ChatGPT is GPT-3.5 (in the free version) or GPT-4 (in the premium version). These are the names for the specific versions of the GPT model. GPT-4 is currently the most advanced model that OpenAI has created. It’s also the model used in Bing’s chatbot feature.

AI writing tools can be used to perform a variety of tasks.

Generative AI writing tools (like ChatGPT ) generate text based on human inputs and can be used for interactive learning, to provide feedback, or to generate research questions or outlines.

These tools can also be used to paraphrase or summarize text or to identify grammar and punctuation mistakes. Y ou can also use Scribbr’s free paraphrasing tool , summarizing tool , and grammar checker , which are designed specifically for these purposes.

Using AI writing tools (like ChatGPT ) to write your essay is usually considered plagiarism and may result in penalization, unless it is allowed by your university . Text generated by AI tools is based on existing texts and therefore cannot provide unique insights. Furthermore, these outputs sometimes contain factual inaccuracies or grammar mistakes.

However, AI writing tools can be used effectively as a source of feedback and inspiration for your writing (e.g., to generate research questions ). Other AI tools, like grammar checkers, can help identify and eliminate grammar and punctuation mistakes to enhance your writing.

ChatGPT conversations are generally used to train future models and to resolve issues/bugs. These chats may be monitored by human AI trainers.

However, users can opt out of having their conversations used for training. In these instances, chats are monitored only for potential abuse.

OpenAI may store ChatGPT conversations for the purposes of future training. Additionally, these conversations may be monitored by human AI trainers.

Users can choose not to have their chat history saved. Unsaved chats are not used to train future models and are permanently deleted from ChatGPT’s system after 30 days.

The official ChatGPT app is currently only available on iOS devices. If you don’t have an iOS device, only use the official OpenAI website to access the tool. This helps to eliminate the potential risk of downloading fraudulent or malicious software.

Yes, using ChatGPT as a conversation partner is a great way to practice a language in an interactive way.

Try using a prompt like this one:

“Please be my Spanish conversation partner. Only speak to me in Spanish. Keep your answers short (maximum 50 words). Ask me questions. Let’s start the conversation with the following topic: [conversation topic].”

You can use ChatGPT to assist in the writing process for your research paper , thesis , or dissertation in the following ways:

• Developing a research question
• Creating an outline
• Generating literature ideas
• Paraphrasing text
• Getting feedback

Tools called AI detectors are designed to label text as AI-generated or human. AI detectors work by looking for specific characteristics in the text, such as a low level of randomness in word choice and sentence length. These characteristics are typical of AI writing, allowing the detector to make a good guess at when text is AI-generated.

But these tools can’t guarantee 100% accuracy. Check out our comparison of the best AI detectors to learn more.

You can also manually watch for clues that a text is AI-generated—for example, a very different style from the writer’s usual voice or a generic, overly polite tone.

Our research into the best summary generators (aka summarizers or summarizing tools) found that the best summarizer available in 2023 is the one offered by QuillBot.

While many summarizers just pick out some sentences from the text, QuillBot generates original summaries that are creative, clear, accurate, and concise. It can summarize texts of up to 1,200 words for free, or up to 6,000 with a premium subscription.

Try the QuillBot summarizer for free

Deep learning models can be biased in their predictions if the training data consist of biased information. For example, if a deep learning model used for screening job applicants has been trained with a dataset consisting primarily of white male applicants, it will consistently favor this specific population over others.

Deep learning requires a large dataset (e.g., images or text) to learn from. The more diverse and representative the data, the better the model will learn to recognize objects or make predictions. Only when the training data is sufficiently varied can the model make accurate predictions or recognize objects from new data.

ChatGPT prompts   are the textual inputs (e.g., questions, instructions) that you enter into ChatGPT to get responses.

ChatGPT predicts an appropriate response to the prompt you entered. In general, a more specific and carefully worded prompt will get you better responses.

A good ChatGPT prompt (i.e., one that will get you the kinds of responses you want):

• Gives the tool a role to explain what type of answer you expect from it
• Is precisely formulated and gives enough context
• Is free from bias
• Has been tested and improved by experimenting with the tool

Yes, ChatGPT is currently available for free. You have to sign up for a free account to use the tool, and you should be aware that your data may be collected to train future versions of the model.

To sign up and use the tool for free, go to this page and click “Sign up.” You can do so with your email or with a Google account.

A premium version of the tool called ChatGPT Plus is available as a monthly subscription. It currently costs $20 and gets you access to features like GPT-4 (a more advanced version of the language model). But it’s optional: you can use the tool completely free if you’re not interested in the extra features.

It’s not clear whether ChatGPT will stop being available for free in the future—and if so, when. The tool was originally released in November 2022 as a “research preview.” It was released for free so that the model could be tested on a very large user base.

The framing of the tool as a “preview” suggests that it may not be available for free in the long run, but so far, no plans have been announced to end free access to the tool.

A premium version, ChatGPT Plus, is available for $20 a month and provides access to features like GPT-4, a more advanced version of the model. It may be that this is the only way OpenAI (the publisher of ChatGPT) plans to monetize it and that the basic version will remain free. Or it may be that the high costs of running the tool’s servers lead them to end the free version in the future. We don’t know yet.

ChatGPT is currently free to use. You just have to sign up for a free account (using your email address or your Google account), and you can start using the tool immediately. It’s possible that the tool will require a subscription to use in the future, but no plans for this have been announced so far.

A premium subscription for the tool is available, however. It’s called ChatGPT Plus and costs $20 a month. It gets you access to features like GPT-4 (a more advanced version of the model) and faster responses. But it’s entirely optional: you only need to subscribe if you want these advanced features.

ChatGPT was publicly released on November 30, 2022. At the time of its release, it was described as a “research preview,” but it is still available now, and no plans have been announced so far to take it offline or charge for access.

ChatGPT continues to receive updates adding more features and fixing bugs. The most recent update at the time of writing was on May 24, 2023.

You can access ChatGPT by signing up for a free account:

• Follow this link to the ChatGPT website.
• Click on “Sign up” and fill in the necessary details (or use your Google account). It’s free to sign up and use the tool.
• Type a prompt into the chat box to get started!

A ChatGPT app is also available for iOS, and an Android app is planned for the future. The app works similarly to the website, and you log in with the same account for both.

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You can find all the citation styles and locales used in the Scribbr Citation Generator in our publicly accessible repository on Github .