How artificial intelligence (AI) is helping students reach their dream universities
Star Trek famously featured a peculiar second officer, aptly named “Data”, who used his abilities as an android to provide the (human) captain with optimal calculations and suggestions for how best to lead the crew. What if students could have such special assistance to reach for the best colleges and universities abroad? Someone whose guidance and mentorship they could trust?
A recent report estimates that there are currently over 25,000 universities worldwide, which makes it humanly impossible to investigate such a massive pool using traditional means. With every college mandating its own must-haves, it is difficult to manage and meet every qualifying requirement.
AI can help students identify the best colleges
“Artificial intelligence” (AI) and “machine learning” (ML) are the buzzwords of today’s technology-driven world. AI and ML tools, from Spotify’s stellar recommendation system to Tesla’s self-driving cars, are supporting problem-solving and decision-making in various aspects of human life. At its core, an AI system is trained to perform and automate a specific task, based on a variety of input data. Just as Spotify’s recommendation system analyses a user’s liked songs and listening history to suggest tracks that one may like, AI and ML tools can also be equipped to study a student’s profile—their education, CGPA, interests, income bracket, and so on—to not only present a list of best-suited universities but also predict their chances of admission.
AI supplements personalised guidance on college preparation
Although such tools are not commercially available, edtech companies are developing in-house technologies to offer bespoke guidance and custom-made study material to students. For instance, if a tool can identify a student’s learning style by examining their dispositions and strengths, the instructor can accordingly modify their teaching methodology to maximise impact. At Athena, we’ve been integrating these functionalities to both back and enhance human decision-making. Though a note of caution is: AI sometimes fails to navigate the externalities of the process and this requires human intervention.
AI corrects grammar and improves writing style
Admission processes in foreign universities tend to be holistic in nature. While a student’s grades and extracurricular achievements carry tangible weight, intangibles such as an applicant’s values, beliefs, and personality are equally important. Application essays are an opportunity for students to present intricate details of their lives in an impactful and engaging manner. An error-free and well-articulated essay increases a candidate’s chances of selection and vice-versa. A few AI-powered writing tools are now readily available.. As long as the student can create solid content, AI systems can handle the rest—from fixing grammatical mistakes and suggesting changes in tonality to improving clarity and vocabulary.
To sum up
Holistic admission processes—which are concerned about the “overall fit” more than any one measurable factor—are subjective in nature. Although the use of data, AI, and ML cannot replace human expertise, it can sharpen human decision-making, lending better results. The integration of human ingenuity and AI’s accuracy can create a potent concoction for optimising student development and enhancing their rate of admission success.
(The author is Mr. Poshak Agrawal, Co-Founder, Athena Education and the views expressed in this article are his own)
