Can You Use ChatGPT to Write Your College Essays?

Summary

In this engaging video, the host explores the capabilities of Chat GPT, an AI chatbot, in writing Common App essays for college applications. Through various experiments, the video demonstrates the AI's ability to generate essays with varying degrees of specificity and quality. While the AI's output is impressive, it lacks the depth and nuance of human writing. The host suggests using Chat GPT as a tool for inspiration rather than relying on it for the entire essay, emphasizing the importance of personal touch and subtlety in college application essays.

Takeaways

• 😲 Chat GPT is an AI chatbot that has gained popularity for its ability to perform a wide range of tasks, including writing essays and code.
• 🔍 The speaker has been experimenting with Chat GPT and sees its potential as a significant milestone in the history of technology.
• 🚧 Although Chat GPT is not perfect and has room for improvement, the speaker is optimistic about its future capabilities.
• 📚 The video explores the possibility of using Chat GPT to write a Common App essay for college applications.
• 🤔 The initial attempt to get Chat GPT to write an essay with a broad prompt resulted in a generic and short response.
• 📉 The first essay provided by Chat GPT was too short and lacked specific details, not meeting the typical 650-word limit for Common App essays.
• 🤖 When given more specific details, Chat GPT produced essays with more content, but they were still somewhat generic and lacked depth.
• 🎓 The speaker suggests that Chat GPT's essays might be better than some real essays they've read, but they are not yet up to the standard for top universities.
• 📝 The video concludes that while Chat GPT can provide ideas and drafts, it should not be relied upon to write the entire Common App essay.
• 💡 The speaker recommends using Chat GPT as a tool for inspiration or to generate ideas, rather than a complete essay writing solution.
• 🍀 The video ends with advice to write one's own essays and wishes of good luck to high school students applying for college.

Q & A

What is Chat GPT and what can it do?

Chat GPT is an AI chatbot that can process text prompts and perform a variety of tasks, including writing essays, book chapters, and even code.

What is the significance of Chat GPT in the history of technology?

Chat GPT represents a critical point in the history of technology as it showcases the potential of AI to revolutionize various aspects of life and work.

What are the limitations of Chat GPT as mentioned in the script?

Chat GPT is not perfect and still has a long way to go. It lacks perfection in terms of generating content with subtleties and nuances that human writers can provide.

How was Chat GPT tested for writing a Common App essay?

Chat GPT was tested by giving it prompts to write Common App essays without specific details, with more detailed prompts, and with personal information to see how well it could generate essays.

What was the outcome of the first test where Chat GPT was asked to write an essay with no specific details?

The first test resulted in a generic and vague essay about gender equity in STEM, which was shorter than the maximum word limit for a Common App essay.

Did the essays generated by Chat GPT meet the word limit for a Common App essay?

The essays generated by Chat GPT were not consistently meeting the 650-word limit, with some being shorter and others being longer but still not confirmed to meet the exact requirement.

What was the content of the essays generated by Chat GPT based on more detailed prompts?

The essays generated with more detailed prompts included a narrative about a young woman's experiences in college and her trajectory moving forward, although they still lacked specific details and were somewhat general.

How did Chat GPT perform when given personal information to write an essay?

When given personal information, Chat GPT produced an essay that covered similar themes to the original Common App essay written by the person providing the information, although it was more direct and explicit.

What is the recommendation regarding using Chat GPT to write a Common App essay?

It is recommended not to rely solely on Chat GPT to write a Common App essay due to its limitations in providing the depth and nuance required for college applications, especially to top universities.

What alternative use of Chat GPT is suggested in the script for essay writing?

The script suggests using Chat GPT as a tool to generate ideas or to see what it produces based on certain prompts, which can then be incorporated or used for inspiration in one's own essay writing.