Welcome to Part 2 of 2 of this mini-series on AI in college admission! In our last episode, I interviewed Jen Rubin from foundry10 on how students and counselors are using AI in the college admission process. In today’s episode I’ll get into what colleges have to say, and what I would advise as a result. I’ll get into:

• My biggest concern with AI… in general (spoiler: it’s much bigger than college applications)
• My concerns related to AI use in the college application process
• Common App guidelines + What colleges have to say around AI use
• What I believe students might miss out on if they use AI to write their essays for them
• My advice to students and counselors

We hope you enjoy!

Play-by-Play:

• 2:12 – What is Ethan’s biggest concern with AI?
• 3:29 – CommonApp Guidelines
• 4:09 – What do colleges have to say about AI use in the application process?
• 7:05 – What does Ethan believe students might miss out on if they use AI to write their essays for them?
• 12:00 – Can Chat GPT and AI be useful in certain contexts?
• 13:34 – AI use and environmental impacts
• 14:26 – Closing thoughts

Resources:

• CEG Podcast Episode 605 - Navigating College Applications with AI (Part 1): How High School Teachers and Students Use Tools Like ChatGPT
• Blog Version of this episode – Navigating College Applications with AI: What Colleges Say + CEG's Advice to Students and Counselors
• CEG’s Thoughts on AI and College Application Essays
• Duncan Sabian – Article on AI Safety
• AI 2027
• CommonApp Affirmation Statement
• College Statements on AI Usage
  • Princeton University
  • CalTech
  • Brown University
  • University of California (UC) System
  • Gonzaga University
  • Southern Methodist University (Graduate)
  • University of Melbourne (Outside the US)
• As Use of A.I. Soars, So Does the Energy and Water It Requires
• Jeff Neill’s Tech-Neill-ogy
• College Essay Guy’s Personal Statement Resources
• College Essay Guy’s College Application Hub

In Part 1 of 2 of this mini-series on AI in college admission, Ethan is joined by Jennifer Rubin, Senior Researcher at foundry10 and Principal Investigator of the Digital Technologies and Education Lab. Jen is a first generation college graduate and, like Ethan, she didn't have a ton of support navigating the college application and admission process. When Chat GPT was released, she wondered: How were students actually using these tools for the college essay and application process? And how can we make sure AI becomes a tool for equity, not another advantage for students who already have access?

In this conversation, Ethan and Jen get into:

• Some of the most interesting takeaways from her research
• Why higher-income students were more likely to use AI in their applications than lower-income students
• How educators can increase their students’ AI literacy
• How students can use AI without losing their voice
• Resources/tools she recommends for students and counselors navigating this new technology
• And lots more.

Jennifer Rubin is a Senior Researcher at foundry10 who investigates how technology shapes youth development, learning, and social connections. She earned a B.A. in Psychology from UC Berkeley before completing a dual Ph.D. in Psychology and Gender and Women's Studies at the University of Michigan. Currently, she is the Principal Investigator of the Digital Technologies and Education Lab, where she leads research on how social media, generative AI, and digital learning environments impact youth development. Her work explores how young people navigate digital spaces, strategies for educators to meaningfully integrate emerging technologies, and the essential skills needed to foster critical engagement with social media and AI tools.

Hope you enjoy!

Play-by-Play

• 2:26 – Jen shares her research background and what she’s been working on
• 4:06 – What have been the most interesting takeaways from Jen’s research?
• 5:58 – Why were higher-income students more likely to use AI in their applications than lower-income students?
• 9:16 – What are some practical ways for educators to increase their students’ AI literacy?
• 13:02 – How can students use AI without losing their voice?
• 18:47 – What resources or tools does Jen recommend for students and counselors navigating this new technology?
• 22:52 – Does Jen see ethical gray areas with teacher use of AI?
• 29:02 – How are colleges approaching AI use in applications?
• 32:16 – Do AI detectors actually work?
• 37:16 – How does Jen use AI in her own work and writing?
• 43:11 – What does Jen see for the future of AI?
• 44:32 – What advice does Jen have for students?
• 46:10 – Advice for caregivers?
• 46:58 – Advice for educators and counselors?
• 48:50 – Closing thoughts
  
  

Resources:

• Navigating College Applications with AI | foundry10
• CalTech Admissions AI Policy
• Princeton Admissions AI Policy
• Common Sense Media AI Literacy Initiatives
• Digital Promise: AI in Education Resources
• Understanding Generative AI: Caregiver, Teacher, and Student Experiences
• College Essay Guy’s Personal Statement Resources
• College Essay Guy’s College Application Hub

Hi friends, and welcome back to the podcast!

Many of you have been following Cassidy, a current high school senior, as she navigates the college application process. We've walked through her brainstorming exercises, her personal statement writing, and her supplemental essays.

And now, at long last, Cassidy has received her college acceptances. Rather than reading the email she sent me, I replied, "Hey, I know you got your acceptances. What if we do a live reveal on the podcast?" So, I genuinely don’t know yet where she's been accepted. Huge shoutout to Cassidy for agreeing to do this live!

In this conversation, we dive into a range of things, including:

• The extent to which Cassidy felt she had a successful application process vs. successful outcomes (and the difference)
• Which schools she was accepted into
• Important factors in making her final college decision, focusing on what my team calls the "6 Fs" of college fit: focus, fellowship, finances, future, family, and feeling
• What she did well, and what she’d do differently

I also guide Cassidy through a fun, quick exercise—one you (or your student) can also try—that can be completed in one day, one hour, or even one minute.

Cassidy is a current high school student going through the college application process. She lives in the Bay Area, loves ballet, identifies as a “yapper,” and knows a lot about Biology.

Hope you enjoy it.

Play-by-Play

• 2:11 – Welcome and check-in
• 3:31 – To what extent does Cassidy feel like she had a successful application process?
• 4:48 – Cassidy shares her college decision results!
• 8:13 – To what extent does Cassidy feel she had successful outcomes?
• 9:02 – Ethan introduces the six F’s of college fit for Cassidy’s top choice schools
  • 10:43 – Focus
  • 12:12 – Fellowship
  • 13:32 – Financial
  • 14:52 – Future
  • 16:53 – Family
  • 17:41 – Feeling
• 20:36 – Cassidy reflects on what stands out at each school she is considering
• 23:40 – How to choose which college to attend in one day, one hour, or one minute
• 29:39 – Reflecting on this process, is there anything Cassidy wishes she had done differently?
• 31:10 – Wrap up and closing thoughts

Resources:

• How to choose which college to attend: Key factors to consider
• College Essay Guy’s Personal Statement Resources
• College Essay Guy’s College Application Hub