California schools will begin using artificial intelligence as part of the admissions process next school year.
The University of San Francisco, a private Jesuit school, says it has signed an agreement with CollegeVine to use the company's AI software to “summarize prospective students' applications and essays and identify potential deficiencies in their transcripts.” san francisco examiner.
Eric Groves, the school's vice president for strategic enrollment management, said the move is aimed at reducing the workload of counselors, not replacing them. The final decision is still ultimately made by human admissions counselors.
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According to its website, CollegeVine agents “perform critical functions within every department on campus,” including enrollment management, student services, and academic affairs.
USF is not the only school to choose to incorporate artificial intelligence into its admissions process. Virginia Tech now uses one human and one AI assistant to grade each admissions essay, whereas previously it used two humans to do the work. Again, the AI does not make the final decision, and if there is a difference of 2 points or more between the scores of the first reviewer and the AI assistant, another human may participate in reviewing the essay.
Caltech plans to use AI chatbots to video interview students about their research projects. The interviews will then be uploaded and reviewed by admissions experts to ensure their authenticity, Fortune reports.
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The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has also begun implementing AI, using it to “provide data points on students' Common Application essays and transcripts,” according to the school's website.
The school says data points such as “writing style, grammar, and the rigor of a student's coursework” are evaluated by the technology, allowing the school's “admissions team to focus on the content of a student's writing, the student's performance, and how challenged they are in the classroom with a strong curriculum.”
The National Association for College Admissions Counseling also noted the theme of implementing such technology in the admissions process. In its Guide to Ethical Practice in College Admissions, NACAC states that it “encourages continued learning and collaboration to ensure that the use of AI in counseling and admissions is consistent with our shared values of transparency, honesty, fairness, and respect for the dignity of students.”
The University of San Francisco and CollegeVine have been contacted for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
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