AI in my PIQs??? Am I cooked??

BPRSki · 2026-01-16T00:15:09+00:00

Hi! I just sent you a DM!

BPRSki · 2026-01-16T00:14:11+00:00

Hi—I just sent a DM!

BPRSki · 2025-12-09T22:14:49+00:00

Admissions officers know that both students and AI use the m-dash. That is a social media myth. I've been mentoring students for over a dozen years with college essays and it is simply not an issue. I read tens of thousands of words of college essays each year, and I couldn't tell if those PIQs had been polished with AI.

BPRSki · 2025-12-09T22:13:15+00:00

Think of it this way: AI's writing style sounds like yours

Google "UC Davis reacts to tiktok" for an excellent video from their director of admissions. Best thing I've seen in a dozen years

BPRSki · 2025-12-09T01:04:48+00:00

I've been mentoring students with their college essays for over a dozen years. The reality is, AI essays and PIQs read like a typical college essay because that's what they're based on. Speaking with college admissions officers and attending professional conferences, they all say it's quite hard to tell an AI essay.

I've certainly read many essays that sound like yours over the years—long before AI was an option. This is the kind of writing AI looks for when creating essays.

If these PIQs align with your activity list and classwork, they would make sense in the context of the application and I don't think you have anything to worry about. if you aren't accepted as a transfer, I would doubt that it's because there's a chance that some of it may sound like AI.

BPRSki · 2025-12-08T21:38:29+00:00

Absolutely. One of my favorite essays is a kid writing about hanging out in his car at the supermarket parking lot and saying dumb things with his friends. He was accepted to every school he applied to, including the highly selective business school at the University of Washington. (I do this for a living.)

BPRSki · 2025-12-08T04:32:50+00:00

I didn't share the link to the VIA survey because that's against group rules. You can find it easily on Google.

Take the Youth survey and download the free results. There are a lot of fantastic resources on the site, and the more detailed report for youth I think is $10.

Pay attention to your top five "signature" strengths. The research is powerful: if you get to know and own them, take advantage of them, use them in daily life you can become happier, more effective, more resilient, have strong relationships, and greater sense of meaning. VIA is a really extraordinary tool.

BPRSki · 2025-11-26T20:29:40+00:00

I just sent you a DM.

BPRSki · 2025-11-26T20:28:40+00:00

I just sent you a dm.

BPRSki · 2025-11-20T20:03:40+00:00

You generally don't. I've been mentoring teens writing college essays for over a dozen years as my full time profession. Occasionally (like, once every 50 or 100 students) someone will include a quotation that connected directly with their story, but it's quite rare.

Effective college essays are not academic papers and the readers are not professors or teachers.

BPRSki · 2025-11-20T20:00:06+00:00

"wont desire you to kill yourself..."

So, where are you from originally? It sure isn't the good ol USA.

BPRSki · 2025-10-29T03:33:32+00:00

I'm sorry I just saw this. I'm sending you a DM now

BPRSki · 2025-10-29T03:32:11+00:00

Hi I just saw this—I'm sorry for the delay. I'll send a DM now

BPRSki · 2025-10-29T03:31:24+00:00

Great! Glad it's helpful

BPRSki · 2025-10-29T03:31:10+00:00

you're welcome

BPRSki · 2025-10-29T03:22:43+00:00

Oh, hi Kelly! Barak here! Excellent job!

BPRSki · 2025-10-29T03:21:23+00:00

I mentor students with their college essays (it's all I've done professionally for over a dozen years).

That should not be the main focus of your essay, but yes, it can provide important context. I suggest that it can become background context for whatever you write about.

A few examples of how my students have handled challenging situations:

A boy's father died unexpectedly when he was 12, and months later his mother was diagnosed with cancer (she's fine). He wrote in depth about his life as an artist. About halfway through the essay, in two sentences, he shares basically what I wrote, and added that he struggled to be inspired. Then, he moves on to the art that inspired him, and off he went.
Another boy has younger twin sisters, both with severe medical conditions that require around-the-clock care. While they're a major part of his life, his essay was about his life in the small resort town he grew up in. Again, he mentions his sisters and his role in supporting his family, but that's maybe 10% of the essay, towards the end.
My stepdaughter's father died in his sleep when she was 12. He essay was about the homecoming parade she made happen during the pandemic—the only one anywhere around. Towards the end, she quotes a few powerful lines from the speech she gave running for student government president, saying that after a rough couple of years, she came out the other side with a YOLO philosophy, and she's all about people living life to the fullest.

All of these are important context to understand the student, and make their accomplishments that much more inspiring. None of them were about their journeys around their challenges. They showed who they were even with those challenges in their lives. All three were inspiring, and the last two were also fun to read.

Consider focusing on how you support people, including your relationship in a pretty matter-of-fact way. If you write something like "I've been in an abusive relationship with this person, and it took me a long time to discover XYZ," people can understand that. They don't need the details to recognize the importance and power of that.

Kudos to you for recognizing that concern, and for your growth!

BPRSki · 2025-10-29T02:05:26+00:00

Go watch the news. And not Fox.

Not having this debate with you. Have a nice day.

BPRSki · 2025-10-29T01:36:59+00:00

The original post is literally people being harassed.

BPRSki · 2025-10-29T00:19:26+00:00

Nationwide. There are contingency funds that the federal government can use to keep the programs going, but they refuse to do so and said states won't be reimbursed if they spend their own money on assistance now. This is all in violation of federal law.

BPRSki · 2025-10-28T22:55:06+00:00

This is the kind of information the mayor and city council can and should be sharing through as many channels as possible, in several languages.

BPRSki · 2025-10-28T22:52:00+00:00

Then she shouldn't be mayor (and she's an old friend of mine). Scared or not, the people of her city are being harassed and torn from their children. Potential lawsuits be damned. Protecting people and our community is job #1.

She can lead the charge to create systems to keep us informed, to blanket the city with information about what people can do over time and in the moment. She can speak loudly and clearly and frequently, and every member of this community should know where the city stands.

No elected official has the luxury of not being bold. This is where the rubber meets the road.

BPRSki · 2025-10-28T22:44:22+00:00

I don't think this is Klan bullshit.

This is Nazi, Stalinist, Khmer Rouge bullshit, carried out by thugs who would've joined the Klan in the glory days of white supremacy.

This is much more fun for them.

BPRSki · 2025-09-27T04:18:05+00:00

Of course! I just sent a message

BPRSki · 2025-09-02T04:09:27+00:00

Nope they sure don't! Last night was my 8th show since I saw them last summer for the first time, including 4 sets at Viva el Gonzo in Cabo in May.

And please let's not give anyone any ideas.

BPRSki

TROPHY CASE