The college admissions process has always been stressful for students. But this anxiety is now at an all-time high due to the introduction of ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence (AI) system designed to write college essays for students. While this might seem to offer a shortcut to getting into college, ChatGPT presents a serious threat to higher education.
ChatGPT, a programmed AI tool developed by Nanonets, is powered by a massive dataset of digital text collected over the internet. The tool is essentially a text editor that composes various sentences together to form a unique essay. The system has been trained to mimic the writing style of its subjects, so it can produce an essay in the tone of its author.
What could be more appealing than an AI that is able to write essays? Under normal circumstances, the system could offer a much needed respite to stressed-out students. But the implications of ChatGPT for higher education are far too severe.
The first and foremost is that it effectively strips away the integrity of the college admissions process. Having a machine do all of the work for you effectively cheats the system of its essential promise of rewarding aptitude and excellence. Furthermore, there’s no guarantee that the essay produced by ChatGPT will accurately reflect the author’s capabilities or in-depth knowledge of the subject.
Moreover, the function of universities and colleges is to cultivate innovative minds and challenge students intellectually. By letting them rely on a machine to do their work, they’re being denied the opportunity to master fundamental skills such as synthesis, critical analysis, and communication.
Ultimately, ChatGPT is a growing menace to higher education and the college admissions process. We must take action to protect the reputation of our universities by ensuring that the essays we submit to colleges were actually written by us. We mustn’t give in to the temptation of quick and easy solutions, as the consequences could be devastating.
