March 24, 2026
By Eda Aktas
Staff Writer
As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly prevalent and advanced, at least half of colleges and universities now use AI tools to review applications, according to a 2023 survey conducted by Intelligent, an online magazine focused on higher education.
Among the postsecondary schools that have confirmed using AI in admissions are Georgia Institute of Technology, Stony Brook University in New York, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the University of San Francisco and Virginia Tech.
The main reason colleges use AI in the review process is time management. AI reduces the time spent examining applications by analyzing multiple types of information at once, saving up to 8,000 hours, according to a Dec. 2, 2025 article published by the Associated Press.
Despite its efficiency, students have concerns.
In a survey of 121 LHS students conducted on Google Forms between Dec. 18 and Jan. 6, 75% said they oppose AI in college admissions, 10% said it is a good idea and 15% were neutral.
Among those who oppose the use of AI in college admissions, 72% said their primary concern is that AI cannot evaluate personal stories in college essays and letters of recommendation as effectively as human readers.
School counselor Ms. Truncellito said she understands why some people have reservations about college admissions offices using AI.
“AI can be biased against certain subsets of students,” Truncellito said. “For example, AI can mark an [English Language Learner] down for grammar… because it’s not taking into account that English is not that student’s first language.”
Truncellito said these applicants now worry that their college essays may be misinterpreted.
“If it were a human reading it, they could see the reason why it’s not as polished as somebody who grew up speaking English,” Truncellito said.
She said AI’s lack of emotional understanding may lead colleges to make poor decisions, as AI struggles with understanding humor, nuances, sarcasm and subtle shifts in tone.
“I definitely think transparency is key for all AI usage. I don’t think anybody should be using it and not saying so.”
“An application is supposed to be looked at in its entirety, meaning [colleges] are supposed to look at the essay, the teachers’ letters of recommendation, the GPA and the rigor of [students’] courses,” Truncellito said. “[AI] just filters kids out before giving them a chance to present their whole personality and application.”
Junior Gabriel Campos is among the majority of LHS students who believe colleges should not rely on computer-based tools when reviewing college applications.
“[AI] is not a person. It has no actual sense of what is being talked about,” Campos said. “I don’t think AI is making assessments to begin with. It’s really just calculations.”
Campos said admissions officers devalue their positions when they use AI.
“They have made their whole livelihood around pursuing this,” Campos said. “That is very much a slight to them to just completely undermine all their work by automating it.”
Similarly, senior Rabia Porne said admissions officers are putting their positions at risk by depending on AI.
“It’s replacing [humans] because the admissions officer’s job is to review people’s applications,” Porne said.
She said colleges behave hypocritically when they use AI.
PHOTO BY MRS. HUNTINGTON The Lettie Pate Whitehead Evans Administration Building, known as Tech Tower, is a historic building on the campus of the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. This postsecondary institution now uses artificial intelligence to evaluate its applicants.
“If a student used AI for anything, they would get expelled,” Porne said. “There is a double standard there, so they should stay true to whatever [principles] their institution has.”
Business and technology teacher Ms. Orth, who teaches the half-year Introduction to Artificial Intelligence elective, said colleges have an ethical responsibility to inform applicants about the AI tools they use.
“I definitely think transparency is key for all AI usage. I don’t think anybody should be using it and not saying so,” Orth said.
She said applicants should understand that, while AI helps increase the efficiency of the application review process, colleges do not use it to make final decisions about acceptances.
“No one wants to feel their hard work is being evaluated solely by a machine, but colleges use AI only to assist the review process — not to replace human judgment,” Orth said.
She said that, despite AI’s presence, students should write their college essays from the heart and avoid tailoring their applications to include responses they believe AI would regard favorably.“Many people think colleges admit only the top students, but they’re actually building a well-rounded class,” Orth said. “Being authentic helps them see who you are, and trusting the process will lead you to the place that’s right for you.”
