If an applicant is discovered to have engaged in misconduct related to artificial intelligence, their admission to a college, university, or program can be affected. Both undergraduate and graduate school admissions are competitive, and a discovery of purported AI misconduct can be enough to jeopardize one’s admission.
Some applicants are accused of using artificial intelligence unethically during the application process. For instance, they might be accused of writing an admissions essay using ChatGPT.
In other cases, a student might be plagued by an accusation (or finding) of AI misconduct in the course of their studies. If a university’s admissions professionals discover such an accusation or finding after receiving the student’s application, that discovery could affect the applicant’s candidacy.
If you are concerned that alleged unethical AI misconduct may jeopardize your admission to any university or program, call the LLF National Law Firm Student Defense Team at 888-535-3686 or contact us online. Let’s discuss our plan for protecting you.
Can I Be Denied Admission If Found Responsible for AI Misconduct During the Admissions Process?
Yes, you can be denied admission to a college or university (or a program within a university you presently or previously attended) based on a finding that you inappropriately used artificial intelligence.
Most universities are like Brandeis University, which reviews applicants’ fitness “holistically.” Rather than considering a student’s grade-point average, extracurriculars, test scores, or disciplinary history solely, schools tend to consider a combination of these and other criteria.
Therefore, admissions committees might not reject your application merely because you are found responsible for AI misconduct. However, such a finding could certainly be a substantial contributing factor in such a rejection.
Can My Acceptance to a University or Program Be Revoked?
Yes, alleged AI misconduct can cost you a spot in a university that you have already been granted. While many students feel immense relief when they are accepted into a college or university, they should know that most admissions are conditional.
Cornell University policy, for instance, warns applicants and students that “Admission may be revoked for fraud, misrepresentation, material omission of fact, failure to meet a condition of admission…or any other pre-attendance misconduct.”
We have every reason to believe the phrase “any other pre-attendance misconduct” includes misconduct involving artificial intelligence.
Cornell is far from the only university or program that reserves the right to revoke admission. While it is worth reading the policies of any school or program you have applied to, it is a fair bet that they maintain the right to say “no” to an applicant even after saying “yes” to that same applicant.
Which Applicants Can Be Adversely Affected by These Circumstances?
Virtually any applicant in the realm of academia can be adversely affected by an accusation or formal finding of AI-related misconduct. Such applicants can include:
- Current high schoolers (or recent high school graduates) seeking admission to an undergraduate program
- Current undergraduates seeking to transfer to another university
- Collegians who hold a Bachelor’s or other degree, seeking admission to a graduate program or professional school
- Applicants who were placed on a waitlist
- Prospective student-athletes
- International applicants
If you are seeking admission of any sort to any college or university, an allegation of AI misconduct can prove devastating to your prospects for admission.
Whose AI Usage Standards Apply in Such Cases? A University’s? A High School’s?
Here is a question worth considering: If a high schooler is found responsible for AI misconduct by their high school’s Honor Council, should a university’s admissions committee take action based on that finding?
This scenario begs several questions, including:
- How trustworthy is the Honor Council (or any other adjudicative body) that found the student responsible for misconduct?
- Shouldn’t a collegiate admissions committee do its own due diligence to determine if the applicant actually engaged in misconduct, especially before taking adverse action against that applicant?
- Can an applicant plead their case to the admissions committee before their application is denied or their acceptance is revoked?
The answers to these pivotal questions can vary on a case-by-case basis. Let’s examine one university’s process to better understand how this evaluation and decision-making process might unfold.
Cornell Provides a Helpful Example of How Pre-Enrollment Misconduct Is Handled
We cited a Cornell University policy that states a student’s enrollment can be jeopardized by pre-enrollment misconduct. That same policy explains that:
- Cornell’s student conduct policies do not apply to any alleged conduct that occurred before the student was enrolled at Cornell
- However, Cornell’s admissions officials can and will investigate any alleged misconduct that could affect the applicant’s enrollment, and may make admissions decisions based on that investigation
Some of the steps that Cornell’s senior admissions officials may take to investigate a student’s fitness for admission are:
- Notifying the applicant of the alleged or suspected misconduct
- Requesting a written (and prompt) response on the matter from the applicant
- Gathering “additional information as needed”
At Cornell, the senior admissions official in charge of the matter may (along with other “appropriate university officials”) decide to dismiss the matter or resolve it without revoking the applicant’s admission.
If revocation of admission remains a possibility after the investigation, the admissions official will refer the matter to the “dean of the admitting academic unit or their designee for a final determination on revocation.”
How Can I Fight for My Admission in Such Circumstances?
Now, you understand that a student’s admission is not final until they have set foot on campus—and, even then, an allegation of AI misconduct can prompt severe disciplinary action, including dismissal.
It is only right, then, that we tell you what to do if you feel an AI misconduct allegation could threaten your candidacy as a college applicant.
Whether you are a soon-to-be high school graduate or a collegian with multiple degrees (potentially seeking more), you should engage the LLF National Law Firm Student Defense Team right away.
We will provide defensive advice, explain your avenues for defending yourself against flawed allegations, contact university representatives on your behalf, and work tirelessly to ensure these accusations do not cause you material harm.
You may have one brief window to protect your future and reputation. Call the LLF National Law Firm Student Defense Team at 888-535-3686 or contact us online, and do not wait.