UNC-Chapel Hill Drops AI for Essay Grading
Applicants to UNC-Chapel Hill will no longer have their essays scored by AI tools, moving back to manual review.
Updated on Oct. 29, 2026 in College Applications
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UNC-Chapel Hill has stopped using AI software to grade the grammar and writing quality of undergraduate application essays. This change follows reports that AI-generated scores had become consistently inflated, rendering them less useful for admissions decisions.
Why it matters
The shift away from AI-scored essays reflects concerns that increasing student use of AI tools to draft and edit applications created score inflation. University officials determined that the automated ratings no longer provided a meaningful way to distinguish among candidates.
UNC-Chapel Hill implemented Slate's Reader AI in 2025 to score essay grammar and writing quality, but the university officially discontinued the program in October 2026. Applicants should now prioritize authentic writing, as AI-generated scores had skewed too high to be useful.
The players
UNC-Chapel Hill
A major public research university that has moved to discontinue the use of automated AI tools in its admissions review process.
Slate's Reader AI
The specific software application that was used to scan and score the grammar and writing quality of student application essays.
The details
Previously, the admissions office used Slate's Reader AI to scan essays and automatically assign scores based on writing mechanics. As more applicants began utilizing AI tools to compose their submissions, the automated scores reached a point of parity that provided no clear distinction between candidates. Admissions officers will now rely on traditional review methods to evaluate the quality of student essays without algorithmic interference.
Timeline
2025: UNC-Chapel Hill began using AI in the admissions review process.
October 2026: University officials announced the discontinuation of the AI essay scoring tool.
Education Landscape
This move reflects a broader pivot in higher education as colleges reconcile the rise of generative AI in applicant essays with the need for authentic evaluation. UNC-Chapel Hill's decision highlights a growing trend of institutions retreating from automated metrics that fail to provide clear distinctions.
If you are applying to UNC-Chapel Hill, your essay will no longer be subjected to automated AI scoring, making human review the primary factor in your evaluation. You should focus on writing original content that showcases your unique voice, as manual readers will be assessing the quality of your writing directly.
The takeaway
When crafting your personal statement, prioritize authentic expression rather than relying on AI-generated edits that may lower the perceived quality of your application. Always verify the current submission requirements directly through the university's official admissions portal.
Further reading
For more guidance on submitting your materials, visit College Applications.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Durham Herald Sun.
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