Hi, Reader!

I fancy myself fairly tech-savvy, but I've learned that prompt engineering isn't my strong suit. I've been playing around a little with Claude Cowork to do things like help me keep my calendar of webinars and deadlines current. But getting Claude to accurately create what's percolating inside my brain? The output just never seems to quite match my vision.

It's even worse if I ever have it take a first pass at writing something for me. It tries, but it invariably falls flat. I mean, it can write well, but it can't write with personality. It can't write with details that only I know.

Still, it's no surprise that students might be tempted to use AI to draft or revise their admissions essays. And I get it. But while these tools are genuinely useful for a lot of things, writing your personal statement isn't one of them.

Admissions officers read thousands of essays a season. They know what a 17-year-old sounds like. Run-on sentences that somehow work. The inclusion of some weirdly specific detail nobody would make up. AI tends to flatten so much of what makes us who we are.

Now, I will say that there's a real difference between using AI to research your "Why Us" essay and using it to draft your personal statement. One helps you think and consider new angles. The other replaces your thinking, your personality, and your humor ... and that replacement is obvious.

When students submit their applications through the Common App, they affirm that their essay is their own original work. That's important. Colleges want to hear your story. Not the story someone (someTHING?) else helped craft. So if you're getting started on writing this summer and you're thinking of turning to Claude or Chat for support, I want you to first ask yourself this: If an admission officer asked you how/if you used AI in your college application, what would you be proud to answer honestly?

We're in the Home Stretch

AP exams are done, summer is close enough to taste, and checking out (or at least slowing down) feels completely reasonable right now. But these last few weeks matter.

For rising seniors: Your final semester grades go on your transcript, and colleges see them. A rough one — even after an acceptance — can raise flags. Though uncommon, schools can (and occasionally do) rescind offers over grade drops. Don't be a cautionary tale!

For rising juniors: This is the last full academic year colleges will see before you apply. Make it count.

You've got this!

Julia

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