Human Editors Outperform AI in Crafting Successful Application Essays

ChatGPT doesn’t know who an applicant is. ChatGPT doesn’t care. Admissions officers do, however. EssayEdge (essayedge.com) connects applicants with experienced, trained editors who can guide them through the process of developing and writing an essay that is personal, tailored to the requirements of the university or program, and engaging for the human reader.

It may seem tempting to ask AI to prepare a personal statement — surely AI can put together the most successful sentences in its training data to make an applicant come across as the candidate most perfectly suited to a particular program. It is an error to think that ChatGPT can create something that is exactly what admissions officers want to hear. In fact, only the individual applicant, with assistance from human editors, can.

ChatGPT may suggest that an essay conclude with something like –

“Cheerleading has been more than just a sport; it has been a transformative journey that has taught me invaluable lessons about the value of hard work. Through countless hours of practice, moments of triumph, and setbacks alike, I have emerged stronger, more resilient, and better equipped to face the challenges that lie ahead. Cheerleading has not only shaped my character but instilled in me a profound appreciation for the power of dedication, resilience, and teamwork.” 

It is unlikely that the person who submitted this will seem like an individual whom admissions officers would like to get to know better. Admissions officers will have difficulty picturing them participating vibrantly in campus life.

By using EssayEdge, applicants can feel confident that a native English speaker with years of experience working specifically with a variety of application essays has supported them in writing an effective, grammatically correct, and personal essay. A fresh pair of eyes can spot everything from typos to transitions that do not make sense to someone unfamiliar with the applicant’s story. Most importantly, only another person can facilitate the human-to-human connection applicants must make with admissions officers.  

What if, instead, the essay ended with –

“I set aside my anxiety, put myself figuratively and literally in my teammates’ hands, and let them help vault me to the top of the pyramid. As I flexed my knees and shifted my weight to maintain my posture, I heard the crowd burst into applause. From where I stood on the shoulders of my friends, I could see how far persistence and courage can take me.”

An EssayEdge editor can ask the kinds of questions and make the kinds of suggestions that can bring out a perspective like this on an applicant’s experience, helping them to convey the points that they want to make in a way that will distinguish them from applicants who overgeneralize. Unlike ChatGPT, EssayEdge does not write essays, but rather coaches applicants in creating a piece that is both their own writing and their own story.  

Founded in 1997, and lauded as “the world’s premier application essay editing service” by The New York Times Learning Network and the “best admissions essay service for the international student” by InternationalStudent.com, EssayEdge boasts a team of professionals with, on average, 12 years of editing and proofreading experience. Most editors are graduates of Ivy League schools, so they can also serve as mentors who share their unique experiences of applying to top-tier institutions.

EssayEdge offers both document-based editing and proofreading services and full guidance with personalized recommendations via phone or email conversations. Services cover personal statements, statements of purpose, letters of recommendation, cover letters, resumes/CVs, transfer applications, and Common App essays, and can be used for high schools, colleges and universities at the undergraduate and graduate levels, medical and dental schools, residencies and fellowships, business schools, law schools, and scholarships both in the US and internationally. 

When admissions officers can see who applicants truly are in their essays, they can see how well they will fit into their campus.

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