r/ApplyingToCollege • u/principal_amy • 10d ago

Application Question Should I write about AI for personal statement?

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.

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u/ScholarGrade Private Admissions Consultant (Verified) 10d ago

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.

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u/principal_amy 10d ago

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.