Continuing our previous blog post about the options for higher education, I wanted to write briefly about the next step in the process after deciding whether or not to attend and which schools you’d like to apply to. In the mere months since I published my book, The Teen Life Skills and Mindset Handbook (February of this year), the college application process has changed drastically. Much like the speed at which AI is changing all aspects of our lives, from driving to doing homework, brainstorming ideas, and creating art, it has also changed the college applications review process across universities. For students and families navigating applications in 2026, understanding these shifts as early as possible is essential to standing out when the time comes.

Essays in the Age of AI

Students are increasingly turning to AI tools to draft or polish their essays. While these tools can help with grammar and clarity, admissions offices are now requiring authenticity statements to ensure that essays reflect the applicant’s true voice. AI-detection systems are also being used to flag overly polished text.

Admissions Offices Using AI

Colleges themselves are also beginning to use AI to streamline their review process. Instead of manually sorting through thousands of applications and having stacks of paper like in the past, AI is now helping admissions teams identify standout candidates, flag inconsistencies, and even predict enrollment likelihood. This efficiency allows officers to spend more time on personal interviews, recommendation letters, and the newly added multimedia submissions – showcasing the faces and personalities of these candidates.

Beyond the Traditional Essays

Applications are expanding beyond traditional written essays. Many schools now encourage multimedia submissions – video essays, creative portfolios, or even social media projects. While AI tools help admissions officers evaluate these diverse formats, analyzing tone, originality, and emotional resonance, their assistance in the other areas of the admissions process also allows for a more careful and human eye to review these multimedia submissions for authenticity.  

Equity and Opportunity

AI is also being used to reduce bias. Some schools anonymize applications during initial review, while others use AI to specifically highlight overlooked candidates from underrepresented backgrounds. The goal is to make admissions more equitable.

What Families Should Know

Families are rethinking their strategies. Beyond test prep, there’s now an emphasis on AI literacy – understanding how to use AI responsibly without crossing into plagiarism or misrepresentation. Demonstrating authenticity through interviews, recommendations, and community involvement, self-driven projects that can convey the candidate’s true interests and passions are more important than ever.

The Human Element

Even with AI’s growing role, admissions officers remain focused on character, resilience, and lived experience. Technology may streamline the process, but it cannot replace the power of authentic storytelling directly from the student’s mouth to the admissions officer’s eyes and ears.

In conclusion: AI is reshaping college applications, but the heart of the process remains the same – students must show who they are, not just what they’ve achieved. For families and teens, this is a reminder that resilience, creativity, and authenticity will always shine through and will be key to standing out. For parents, all these changes and ambiguity are inevitably causing a bit of anxiety and panic. Whether you’re a fan of AI or not, one thing is for certain. AI is here to stay. And the sooner we accept this reality, the sooner we can begin to adapt and learn to excel in these conditions. And this brings me to the topic of MINDSET. Having a positive and growth mindset is easy when everything is going smoothly. But mindset only truly matters in the face of change and adversity. Look ahead, the sooner we embrace AI as a tool that can help us succeed, the easier it will be for our children to navigate this ever-changing landscape with confidence and integrity.

KEY TAKEAWAY and ACTIONABLE STEPS: Students! Congratulations, if you did not get the underlying message from the post, let me spell it out for you now: Go out there and live life! Take this as the universe giving you permission to go out and explore interests, dive deep into hobbies, begin personal projects, commit to a cause, commit to self-improvement, etc. But DOCUMENT, DOCUMENT, DOCUMENT (as we say in nursing: IF IT WASN’T DOCUMENTED, IT DIDN’T HAPPEN). Document these adventures and experiences and turn them into content. Turn them into content that you can share now and share later in your applications. Authenticity will shine through when you’re living and breathing the moments, and these snippets you collect now will be your key to standing out when the time comes.

#authenticity #Authenticityaboveallelse #collegeapplications #uniquevoices #Embracechanges #nursekaly