The Tool of AI: Appropriate Use

If you use AI, please use it thoughtfully! It is a tool that you can choose to use, but the best personal statements are just that Personal. AI is not good at the personal, so although it can help with some aspects it is not a magic wand to get you into your dream school. In fact it could be considered cheating by Universities around the world. As an example please see this quote from UCAS (UK) and a quote from the University of Michigan (US). You can also access the Common App Fraud Policy through the link in the UofM quote.

"Generating (and then copying, pasting and submitting) all or a large part of your personal statement from an AI tool such as ChatGPT, and presenting it as your own words, could be considered cheating by universities and colleges and could affect your chances of an offer."

Quote taken from the UCAS website.

"The University of Michigan (Link to page with quote) expects all applicants to be familiar with and abide by the Common App Fraud Policy, which prohibits registered users from using the tool for any fraudulent, unlawful, deceptive, or other harmful or injurious purposes, including but not limited to the transmission of materially inaccurate or untrue information. The Policy also prohibits the use of AI systems to generate content."

Ok's

Use AI as a place to get started with the writing. Put in as many details as you can and let AI help you jump over "I don't know how to get started"
Use AI as a polishing tool to help with and spelling. Example might be to check to see that you are using British Spelling for the UK applications and US Spelling for US Applications.
You might need to site the AI if needed
Keep copies of your drafts and your work progress. (Google Docs can be used for this) so that you can show your work development and progressions-- showing that the work and writing is yours.

Do NOt's

Copy and paste anything from AI as a final draft
Use AI for a last minute application as this will not give you time to do the draft work and make it yours.
Believe that any details that AI gives you are truth without doing a triple check yourself. Expect AI to make mistakes.

Suggested Steps for Using AI:

Research your Universities and write your Brag Sheet (Note these processes are detailed other places in the Application section of this website. )
Perhaps use AI as a place to get started, by putting in data from your Brag Sheet and your Reserch and see what AI can do with it that might get your creative thinking started.
Take the essay that AI generated and start writing down your reflections keeping in mind that you want to show the third level of analysis:
1. 1. 1. 1. Superficial-- listing of what you have done
        Telling what you did with some details
        Reflecting on what you learned, how this changed you/your approach and connecting it back to your course or the point that you are trying to make (Answering your question)

4. Go back to look at what your Universities have in common? What are the 3 things that you really want them to know about you as a student and a human?

5. Now do another draft with out using AI.

6. Share this with someone and ... keep going until it seams done.

7. Last but not least you can use AI again here to help do a final check on grammar and spelling.

8. Check it yourself before you send and have other human also do a final read through. (Keep your drafts and edits)

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