Every Year is an Unprecedented Year
Dueling waves of worry have been set off this year by major changes in the education industry— the Supreme Court’s overturning of affirmative action, for one, and the introduction of ChatGPT, for two. However, here I am going to argue that neither situation is going to profoundly impact the college admissions process or the possible results for you and your family, regardless of your identity, financial status, or use of AI.
Relevant Articles
Supreme Court Ruling Impact (2023)
Implications of Affirmative Action Overturning (Another Angle)
Chat GPT is Not As Smart as You Think
According to the articles above, ChatGPT is a great tool for sending emails and doing specific tasks, but not much else. The affirmative action decision will absolutely impact the enrollment numbers across racial groups, but that doesn’t necessarily present a barrier to entry. In fact, for Black, Latino, and Asian families, it could present an opportunity.
The point is, here as elsewhere, that excelling, demonstrating value, and doing excellent work that deserves recognition in the form of admission to a top university is and has always been possible for anyone. The challenge is how you frame yourself, where you aim for, how you represent your skills and interests, and how creatively you are able to tell your story.
So, don’t use Chat Bots to write your essays— everyone else will. Don’t tell a story about the adversity that universities want to hear about this year, because everyone else will. There’s no point responding to the news cycle or writing topical material; if you find yourself working with material that only goes so deep, you’re potentially diminishing your ability to really talk about who you are. At the same time, signaling some knowledge about current events and wider goings on in the world can be useful.
Now, as ever, only you can tell your story. Reach out to someone, be it a professional or family member, that can help you extract what you need to frame yourself, your values and your virtues to a higher education audience.
