Can the Common App Detect ChatGPT Content?

Are you in the process of completing your college applications and are thinking of using AI to help you along the way? In recent years, the use of AI models such as ChatGPT has increased exponentially due to their ease of use and ability to search the web quickly. However, should you be using ChatGPT in your college applications? This guide aims to provide some insights to answer this question. 

Can the Common App Detect ChatGPT Content?

While the Common App makes no official statement as to whether they use AI detection software or not, it would be best practice to avoid using ChatGPT in the Common App, especially when writing the Common App essay. Some reasons for this are outlined below.

• Does not sound human: Although ChatGPT can produce text and essays of good quality, these essays often lack a human touch making them feel generic and impersonal. Admissions officers are also familiar with common phrases, sentence structures, and writing styles used in AI-generated text so they are looking out for these when screening through applicants' essays.

   

• Lacks specificity: The Common App essay is a way for admissions officers to get to know you better outside of academics. Writing your own essay allows you to share anecdotes and describe your lived experiences in depth, making your essay more personal and specific to you. Copying an essay on ChatGPT will make your essay feel more generic and will not allow you to describe what makes you "YOU".

   

• Does not reflect your true writing style: Using AI-generated content does not give admissions officers an accurate picture of your true writing style. This is important when assessing your fit for a particular college as once you are admitted to college you will be expected to have a certain level of academic writing. Many colleges use plagiarism and AI-detection tools when grading assignments so if you are not used to writing your own essays, this could be a problem for you in future. It is important to write your Common App essay in your own voice so that admissions officers can see if you will be able to succeed at their institute. 

   

• Inability to tailor to the prompt: Although ChatGPT can generate a response to the respective Common App prompt you have chosen to write about, it does not know events that are specific to your life. ChatGPT is powered by OpenAI and the text it generates is only from what information it has been programmed with. Hence, copy-pasting an essay from ChatGPT will not allow you to tailor your narrative to the prompt as it will not contain any information about your life or story. You also risk using plagiarized content as ChatGPT paraphrases and collates what it finds from various online sources.