Can I Use ChatGPT to Edit My Essays If I Write Them from Scratch?

Question

I'm considering using ChatGPT to help edit my essays. I plan to write these essays from scratch and will have all my ideas ready to go. Has anyone used ChatGPT for this purpose before? If so, how effective was it in refining your grammar, style, and overall flow of the essay? Also, are there any tips or limitations I should be aware of when using AI for editing? I’d appreciate any insights or experiences you can share.Thanks in advance for your help!

AdmitSure · Answer

Hi @ xxbbxx 
It's wonderful to witness the assistance that ChatGPT offers in writing; however, I advise against solely relying on it for generating ideas for essays. There are several drawbacks to using ChatGPT for this purpose:

The output from ChatGPT may be easily identified as such, potentially undermining the credibility of your application and leading to outright rejection. 
 ChatGPT generates generic ideas, and relying solely on it may result in the loss of your individual voice, which is crucial for essay writing.  
That said, there are certain aspects where the use of ChatGPT can be beneficial:

For refining sentence structure and articulation, you can explore alternatives provided by ChatGPT and make adjustments to ensure the best essay presentation. 
 ChatGPT can help in identifying and rectifying grammatical errors, enhancing the overall quality of your essay. 
 Seeking an assessment of your essay from ChatGPT can provide valuable feedback on whether it effectively addresses the essay prompt.  
 Admitsure
w w w . A d m i t s u r e . c o m

Admissionado · Answer

xxbbxx :

It's fine to have ChatGPT or other such AI tools edit your essays (it's not by any means illegal), so long as the system doesn't completely alter your piece. You should do a before and after comparison. Sometimes ChatGPT makes good adjustments that makes everything flow better. Other times, it can be overly aggressive and makes your writing sound robotic or too generic. Give it a try. If the program oversteps, then revert back to your original piece. You can also pick and choose the parts you like and do not like. It's not as if doing so is irreversible.

To be safe, you are having a professional editor, consultant, or even just a friend to look at your essays.

Given how relatively new this topic is, we're curious to see the feedback from others.

Admisisonado

Admissionado

ExpertsGlobal · Answer

Hi xxbbxx , Thanks for writing in. While we understand that ChatGPT is extremely helpful, we will only discourage you from using it simply because it has the tendency to make your essays generic (in the way they have been written); there is a high possibility that the schools may sense that the essays are not a hundred percent unique. Our suggestion would be to see how much of a difference ChatGPT is making to your essays; once you have ascertained the same, be careful about how you go about making these changes. Ideally, you should be getting in touch with an Admissions Consultant to help review your essays. The following video traces a holistic approach towards writing application essays; please go through it for a better understanding: https://www.expertsglobal.com/a-holisti ... ns-essays/ Should you have any follow up questions, please feel free to get in touch with us. All the best!

MBAGuide · Answer

xxbbxx hope this finds you wellI have a lot of experience experimenting with ChatGPT. When it comes to B-school applications, I think ChatGPT is good only when you: Must check grammar for the pieces you've written. Need help on finding the correct expressions, idioms, and phrases, synonyms, or in other words, the vocabulary. Chatgpt is risky if you want to do complete paraphrases. ChatGPT is not great for coming up with first drafts because: You need to feed the right information, which means you must write the initial drafts and write them well. Experienced evaluators can easily understand when your sentences have been generated or paraphrased by ChatGPT. I have lost count of the times when I called out applicants for using ChatGPT. They think I would not know. Well, if I know, the adcom would also know! ChatGPT kills your original voice, which is the most important part of writing an essay. When your voice is not your own and the evaluator can see through that, they would doubt if the ideas are your own. Get personalized advice tailored to your unique circumstances in the B School admissions process. Reapplying? Get a free ding analysis Best wishes Aanchal Sahni (INSEAD MBA alum, former INSEAD MBA admissions interviewer) Founder, MBAGuideConsulting LinkedIn |WEBSITE: https://mbaguideconsulting.com/ | Message(WA): +91 9971200927| email- mbaguideconsulting@gmail.com

MBADecoder · Answer

I don't thinks its a good idea. 
I have tested ChatGPT and found that:
1. it uses repettive language and excessively uses certain words 
2. Somewhat takes away the soul and vulnerability of the original content. This is primarily important in essays as adcoms want to read your authentic voice. 
3. sometimes alters original statements and the replacements are generic.

Now imagine that in an increasigly competitive admissions space, if many applicants' essays start sounding simular because of the above problems, then it will just lead your essays to merge into the crowd rather than stand out.

Instead, I'd suggest using something like Grammarly that prompts you to make corrections for gramatically correct content.

Namita Garg,  
 Founder,  MBA Decoder  
 www.mbadecoder.com 
 Email:   contact@mbadecoder.com 
 Sign up for  a Free Profile Evaluation

admitStreet · Answer

xxbbxx - to illustrate some of the points mentioned above, I've pasted below two excerpts (while protecting anonymity of the candidate). To give you context, this was for the concluding lines of "Achievement you are most proud of" question within INSEAD Motivation Essay #2: Version 1 (aided by ChatGPT) This achievement strengthened my relationships with my team and partners, showcasing my resilience and ability to overcome adversity. It built lasting bonds and a sense of shared purpose, transforming professional interactions into partnerships of mutual respect and understanding. Version 2 (edited by me & candidate) This achievement strengthened my relationships with my team and partners, and gave me the confidence to invest into gaining the business acumen required to take the product to its rightful heights. I also felt somewhat liberated from my grief and a positive outcome made it all the more worthwhile. You see the difference? As a reader, I (and likely AdCom) can connect more with version 2. Here's why: - "...required to take the product to its rightful heights" talks specifically about their product, and how they feel about it - "...liberated from my grief" links to a very personal incident the candidate had shared at the beginning of the essay - "..made it all the more worthwhile" - this may sound a bit informal, but it helps connect with the candidate at a more personal level Though the candidate had used ChatGPT for an earlier version, they thankfully took my advise. And yes, they received the interview invite. Regards, Arvind Founder, admitStreet | Schedule a free chat W: https://admitstreet.com | LinkedIn | E: consultingteam@admitstreet.com

NextstopISB · Answer

Chatgpt will be helpful, even i used chatgot, you can modify accordingly once you get the output

bhargavhhhhhhhh · Answer

Yes you can use multiple available ai's like chatgpt, deepseek, gemini and compare , modify accordingly

Gmat750aspirant · Answer

Yes you can use chatgpt, and take the insight from councellor

SarfrazAP · Answer

While it's a great idea in theory, you need loads of "human intelligence" to make sure that the final content doesn't end up sound too AI-written. Keep in mind that to you the content will look absolutely fine, but to someone who is reading through scores of essays every day (like the Adcoms do or a lot of us do as well), AI written stuff just stands out. On a lighter note, I see some posts here on GMATClub itself that I strongly suspect were written by AI. It's just too obvious

MBADecoder · Answer

Lol, I absolutely agree. And, to prove the point, they sound robotic.

TheRedPen · Answer

Hi,

Your approach—writing the essays from scratch and using ChatGPT for refinement—is a great strategy! Many applicants have found AI useful for: 
  How ChatGPT Helps:  
 ✅  Grammar & Clarity  – Fixes errors and enhances readability.
✅  Concise & Impactful Writing  – Helps remove fluff and sharpen key points.
✅  Structural Flow  – Ensures logical progression between ideas.
✅  Tone Adjustment  – Aligns your voice with a professional and engaging style. 
  Tips & Limitations:  
 ⚡  Personal Touch Matters  – AI can refine but shouldn’t replace your authentic voice.
⚡  Context Awareness  – ChatGPT may not fully grasp nuanced or deeply personal stories, so always review its suggestions.
⚡  School-Specific Fit  – Double-check that the essay still reflects your specific motivations and aligns with the school’s culture.
⚡  Human Review  – Have a mentor or admissions expert provide final feedback. 
  Best Practice:  Use ChatGPT iteratively—first for grammar & structure, then refine manually to keep your voice intact. It’s a great tool, but your authenticity is what will truly make the essay stand out!

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