AI adoption in higher education has accelerated sharply, driven by overwhelming application numbers and pressure to modernize evaluation systems. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. colleges receive more applications per student today than at any point in history, forcing universities to rethink how they manage workloads.
Dr. Elaine Porter, an AI researcher at Stanford University, explains, “Admissions offices are encountering data at a scale never seen before. AI is being introduced not to replace human judgment, but to handle the administrative load that humans simply cannot.”
Why Colleges Are Turning to AI Tools
Many universities now rely on AI to summarize transcripts, identify key academic patterns, flag inconsistencies, or highlight notable achievements. NC State University, for example, reports reviewing over 49,000 freshman applications for 2025, prompting the institution to integrate AI systems to streamline early-stage screening.
Don Hunt, Senior Vice Provost at NC State, stated publicly that AI assists with “summarizing key data from the application,” after which human evaluators complete a holistic review. This hybrid model—AI + human oversight—is becoming the new standard across competitive institutions.
A report by EDUCAUSE supports this shift, noting that nearly 40% of U.S. universities now use some form of AI-assisted admissions processing.
Yet concerns remain.
Concerns About Bias, Transparency & Fairness
AI can replicate or even amplify existing societal biases. An MIT research paper found that algorithmic admissions tools “show measurable bias in socioeconomic and demographic indicators.”
Lead analyst Jordan Reeves from the Education Policy Forum notes,
“The problem isn’t that AI makes decisions—it’s how it interprets patterns. If the training data has embedded inequities, the outcomes will too.”
Universities are grappling with questions such as:
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How transparent should AI scoring systems be?
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Who is accountable if a biased algorithm impacts admission decisions?
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Should students be informed when AI is used to evaluate them?
National associations like NACAC are now pushing for industry-wide ethical guardrails and disclosure requirements.
Human Review Still Matters—And Students Want It
Despite the rise of AI, human evaluators remain the final decision-makers at leading universities such as UNC-Chapel Hill. Their admissions page clarifies that every application is evaluated manually, regardless of the AI-driven data summaries included.
Many students feel reassured by that.
As NC State student Vinay Sadhwani told local media, “There is a person behind every story, every GPA, every number.”
Should Students Use AI to Write Their Essays? Experts Warn Against It
While universities may use AI internally, they strongly discourage students from using AI tools to generate essays.
College counselor Colleen Paparella warns,
“The more AI-generated essays show up, the easier they become to detect. Students risk damaging their credibility without realizing it.”
Several universities now openly state that AI-written essays violate academic integrity policies.
What’s Next for AI in College Admissions?
AI’s role will continue to grow—but with stronger regulation. A recent report from the U.S. Department of Education emphasizes the need for transparency, bias testing, and mandatory human review for all AI-supported decisions.
According to Alex Mercer, CEO of EdTech consultancy FutureLearn AI,
“In five years, AI won’t be optional. It will be a regulated, standardized component of admissions—but always under human supervision.”
References:
- https://digivistahub.com/is-ai-writing-the-final-chapter-for-american-schools/
