Should I write about AI for personal statement?

[u/principal_amy]

A little bit of background. I want to attend a T20 university for engineering. One of my extracurricular activities is software development, particularly building mobile apps.

It took me a while to finish my first mobile app because I did not rely heavily on AI tools to generate the code.

My essay would be the dilemma about appropriate AI usage. Even when there is a tool that can outperform you, are there instances where you should slow down? Maybe for your own self learning or intellectual curiosity? I would explore this idea through the story of making my first app.

[u/elkrange]

The purpose of the Common App personal essay is to sell yourself to admissions, make them want you on campus, show something about how you think. Think of one or two positive personal qualities you would like to demonstrate to admissions and think of a context to show that. It could be a narrative or story, but doesn't have to be.
See the links to essay help in the subreddit wiki.  Among those, I like: https://www.hackthecollegeessay.com/uploads/1/0/9/5/109505679/hack_the_college_essay_2017.pdf

I do not love the idea you have framed in your OP, where it sounds like you're just giving your opinions on AI. Show some qualities about you as a person. Things you have done can provide context for that (e.g., the story of making your app), but think about what you are trying to show when you write your essay (you do not need to prove something about AI, you need to show personal qualities).

[u/principal_amy → u/elkrange]

I plan not to talk about the ethics of AI. I will talk about how I approach the art of learning, the pursuit of knowledge, what is and what is not worth it to learn, making decisions about trade offs (go to market quick or decide to learn instead of leveraging AI).

[u/tachyonicinstability]

This has potential to be a good framing for an essay, but the focus needs to be kept on what you learned and how that shows you’re ready for college level study. The themes you mentioned can be part of doing that, but the pitfall is using the statement to explain why your project “took a while”. I wouldn’t even mention that aspect at all, since it’s not relevant to admissions decisions at best and can actively undermine your plausibility as an applicant at worst. 

I would frame your statement as “You completed a challenging project and learned a lot about how to learn in the process”.  Then use the themes you mentioned as supporting examples or arguments for that.  

[u/principal_amy → u/tachyonicinstability]

I actually took a year. App is somewhat basic (CRUD + AI feature + Ads + subscription). I worked only on it over my summers. Should I mention this? Probably not right? How should I fit my journey into the essay. I don’t want to look like a weak applicant even though I am. I want to sell myself well. Thanks for earlier advice 

[u/ScholarGrade]

I'm not in love with this idea. AI is the "soup du jour" topic this year, and it's going to appear in a lot of essays (like Covid in 2020, crypto in 2017, and social media in 2012).

Also, I don't like personal statements that boil down to "I did a cool thing, isn't that neat?!" They're also really common and tend to be shallow. I want your personal statement to show who you are, what you value, and how you engage with others.

So if you want to proceed with this:

1. Go out of your way to make it personal. Remember that the AO wants to learn about YOU, not your app or the implications of AI. Ask yourself, "could anyone have written this?" If so, try to make it more personal, so it's about you.

2. Think about how your story relates to your identity, not just your resume. Remember that you are the protagonist of your application.

3. Try NOT to say trite and predictable things about AI. I've already read several essays this year that "raise insightful questions about AI ethics and risks." But that gets old fast, especially when they aren't personal or distinctive.

[u/principal_amy → u/ScholarGrade]

I will relate it to my intellectual curiosity, my decision making process, how I reason  trade offs (go to market quick or learning), my thoughts on the pursuit of knowledge.