Writing your university application essay can feel like one of the most stressful parts of applying to college. You’ve got to find the perfect topic, tell your story, and somehow stand out from thousands of other students. All in just a few hundred words. It’s no surprise that you may be tempted to let AI write your university essay.
While using AI to brainstorm or edit isn’t necessarily a bad thing, relying on it to write your entire essay can backfire. College admissions teams are getting pretty good at spotting AI-written content, and if they think you didn’t write your own essay, your application could go straight to the rejection pile.
So how do they know? Here are 5 clear signs that scream “you let AI write your university essay” and how you can avoid them by keeping your essay real, personal, and 100% you.
1. The Tone Is Weirdly Formal (or Just…Off)
Have you ever read something that just doesn’t sound like a real person wrote it? That’s often what AI-generated essays feel like. The tone might be overly formal, robotic, or strangely detached, even if the grammar is perfect.
Why it’s a giveaway that you let AI write your university essay:
Admissions officers read thousands of essays every year. They know what a high school student’s voice usually sounds like. When something feels too polished or distant, it stands out in the wrong way.
How to fix it:
Use your natural voice. Imagine you’re telling your story to a teacher or friend. It’s okay to write clearly and confidently, but don’t be afraid to sound like a real person. If you are sassy, write a sassy essay. If you are sarcastic, write a sarcastic essay. Love rainbows and puppy dogs? Stay upbeat. Humor, emotion, and personality go a long way.
As a side note, if your essay has too many long dashes, it was definitely AI-written. No human writes like that.
2. The Essay Has No Specific Details
AI tools can write grammatically correct sentences all day long, but they’re terrible at getting specific. A lot of AI-written essays are filled with generic phrases like:
“I have always dreamed of attending your prestigious university.”
“This experience taught me valuable lessons about hard work and determination.”
“I aspire to make a meaningful contribution to society.”
Sound familiar? That’s because AI pulls from the internet, and these vague phrases show up in nearly every generic essay.
Why it’s a giveaway that you let AI write your university essay:
Admissions officers don’t want fluff. They want your real story, your real examples, and your real voice.
How to fix it:
Add specific, personal details. Instead of writing, “I love science,” tell them about the time you stayed up past midnight building a DIY microscope. Specifics = authenticity.
3. It’s Emotionally Flat (Even When It’s Trying Not to Be)
AI can mimic language, but it doesn’t feel emotions, and that often shows in the writing. Even if it talks about something serious, an AI-written essay usually lacks depth. It might mention a meaningful moment, but it won’t dig into how it actually felt or how it changed you.
Why it’s a giveaway that you let AI write your university essay:
College essays are supposed to show growth, reflection, and self-awareness. If your essay talks about a “life-changing event” but never explains what you learned or how you changed, it will feel empty.
How to fix it:
Dig deeper. Don’t just describe what happened. Share how it made you feel, what you struggled with, and what you learned. The most powerful essays are often the most honest ones.
We’ve had students write about the Lebanese banking crisis, parent divorces, and the eureka moment they decided to become an engineer. Humor, emotion, and personality go a long way. The admissions committee wants to feel your fear, sadness, or enthusiasm. It should be jumping off the page!
4. The Essay Doesn’t Actually Answer the Prompt
Another common AI pitfall? Going completely off-topic. AI doesn’t always understand the nuances of an essay prompt, so the result might sound okay but completely miss the point.
For example, if the prompt asks, “Describe a time you overcame a challenge,” and your essay just lists your hobbies or goals for the future… that’s a problem.
Why it’s a giveaway that you let AI write your university essay:
Admissions teams want to see that you can read and follow directions. A well-written essay that doesn’t answer the question is still a missed opportunity.
How to fix it:
Always double-check that your essay addresses the prompt clearly. After writing a draft, re-read the question and make sure your answer connects directly to it. If not, revise until it does.
We love the PEEL format, even for admissions essays. Every paragraph should have a point, example, explanation, and link back to the prompt. Do this, and the essay will make sense to the admission committee.
5. It Sounds Like 100 Other Essays
AI pulls from massive amounts of online content, so when you ask it to write a college essay, it tends to serve up the same phrases and structure that thousands of other students are also using. That means your essay might end up sounding like everyone else’s.
Why it’s a giveaway that you let AI write your university essay:
Admissions officers are looking for unique voices and perspectives. If your essay could have been written by anyone, it’s not going to stand out.
How to fix it:
Tell a story only you can tell. Think about the small moments in your life that shaped who you are: a weird job you had, a challenge you faced, a conversation that stuck with you. An essay way to add stories that only you can tell is to think about the activities you have done that link to your student CV. Packaging these two together provides a more compelling narrative about who you are to the admissions committee.
Your uniqueness is your strength.
So… Can You Use AI at All?
Absolutely. Using AI as a tool, not a replacement, is totally fine. Here are a few ways you can use it without crossing the line:
- Brainstorm ideas when you’re stuck
- Get feedback on your grammar or structure
- Reword a sentence that sounds awkward
- Outline a structure before you start writing
But the content, ideas, and voice? That should come from you.
Ready to Write an Essay That’s 100% You? We Can Help!
Feeling stuck on your college essay or worried it sounds too generic? Don’t stress. Our expert tutors offer 1-on-1 application essay editing to help you craft a powerful, authentic essay that reflects your story, not a robot’s.
Whether you’re starting from scratch or revising a draft, we’ll guide you every step of the way.
Don’t let AI write your university essay. Tell your story. Stand out.
Book your free consultation today and get the support you deserve!
