As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to revolutionize various industries, its impact on college admissions is becoming increasingly significant. In 2024, 50% of admissions offices reported using AI to streamline their screening processes, a trend expected to grow in the coming years. However, integrating AI in college admissions raises important questions about fairness, equity, and preserving human elements in decision-making.
Enhancing Efficiency and Reducing Bias
One of the primary benefits of incorporating AI into college admissions is its ability to enhance efficiency and reduce bias. AI-powered tools can rapidly process large volumes of applications, automating tasks such as reviewing transcripts and SAT or ACT scores and even conducting preliminary interviews. This frees up admissions officers to focus on more nuanced aspects of the application process, such as awarding scholarships and financial aid packages.
Moreover, AI has the potential to mitigate unconscious biases that may arise during the manual review of applications. By establishing clear criteria and consistently applying them to each applicant, AI can help ensure that decisions are based on merit rather than subjective factors. This is particularly important for promoting diversity and inclusion in higher education.
Championing Diversity and Inclusion
Diversification is a crucial component of a robust student recruitment strategy, and AI can play a significant role in supporting this agenda. By incorporating specific pillars of an institution’s diversification strategy into AI systems, admissions teams can efficiently identify and prioritize applicants who align with the university’s diversity goals.
For example, AI-driven methodology can help universities understand their applicant pools and tailor their processes and communications to each applicant based on their likelihood of choosing the institution. This targeted approach ensures that universities focus their resources on applicants who are a strong fit for the institution while promoting diversity and inclusion.
AI for College Admissions: Balancing Efficiency and Humanity
While AI offers numerous benefits regarding efficiency and reducing bias, it is essential to maintain a balance between technological advancements and the human elements of the admissions process. Highly selective schools with intricate evaluation processes are likelier to maintain a strong human presence in decision-making, even as AI becomes more prevalent.
Admissions officers are skilled at triangulation, identifying correlations within an application, and ensuring that the student’s voice is consistent throughout. They seek multiple data sources on each student to comprehensively understand their potential for success. As AI tools become more sophisticated, admissions teams must balance leveraging AI’s capabilities and preserving the human touch essential for a holistic review process.
Ethical Considerations and Transparency
As AI becomes more integrated into college admissions, addressing ethical considerations and ensuring transparency in the decision-making process is crucial. Institutions must establish clear guidelines and policies regarding the use of AI, outlining the specific ways in which it will be employed and the safeguards in place to protect applicants’ privacy and ensure fairness.
Colleges should be transparent about their use of AI in the admissions process, providing applicants with information about how AI will be used and the potential implications for their application. This transparency helps build trust and ensures that applicants know the tools used to evaluate their candidacy.
Empowering Students with AI
While AI can enhance efficiency and reduce bias in college admissions, it is also important to consider how it can empower students in the application process. AI-powered tools can provide personalized guidance and support to applicants, offering instant assistance through chatbots, answering common questions, and providing deadline reminders.
Moreover, AI can be a valuable resource for students who may not have access to expensive admissions consultants or college-educated parents. By offering a forum for students to brainstorm ideas, formulate arguments, and refine their essays, AI can level the playing field and provide equal opportunities for all applicants, regardless of their socioeconomic background.
As artificial intelligence continues to shape the future of college admissions, institutions must embrace its potential while addressing the ethical and practical considerations that come with its integration. By leveraging AI to enhance efficiency, reduce bias, and promote diversity and inclusion, colleges can create a more equitable and accessible admissions process that prioritizes merit and potential over subjective factors.
However, it is essential to maintain a balance between AI and human elements, ensuring that the admissions process remains holistic and that the student’s voice and individuality are preserved. By establishing clear guidelines, promoting transparency, and empowering students with AI-driven resources, colleges can harness the power of AI to drive ethical and inclusive admissions practices that serve the best interests of both applicants and institutions.
Zach Varga serves as the vice president of Client Success at Liaison, where he collaborates with higher education institutions and partnerships, providing solutions to enable the attainment of enrollment and student success goals. He leads the Client Success, Implementation, Technical Support, and Managed Services teams for the TargetX and Othot solutions within Liaison. He brings over ten years of leadership experience in customer success, project management, and operations from various industries, including ed tech, robotics, transportation, and more. Zach received his Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Arts from Duquesne University.
