Colleges Need Clear Rules Before Deploying Admissions AI
The National Student Legal Defense Network has released guidance for colleges using artificial intelligence in application review, warning that careless adoption can introduce bias, damage applicant trust, and create legal exposure.
The organization's "Dos and Don'ts of AI in College Application Evaluation" identifies 10 practices colleges should follow and 10 they should avoid. The core tension: AI can handle data management and routine queries effectively, but high-stakes decisions demand human oversight and transparency.
What Colleges Should Do
Institutions must complete a written use case analysis and conduct an AI impact assessment before deploying any tool. This step forces admissions teams to articulate what problem they're solving and how the system might fail.
The guidance also requires staff to understand how tools work. Colleges should not adopt systems they cannot explain to their own teams.
What Colleges Should Avoid
The "don'ts" list includes a straightforward prohibition: don't buy opaque, off-the-shelf products. If a vendor cannot explain how its model operates-including how it changes over time and through use-that alone is reason to reject it.
The report acknowledges that AI for Education tools can be useful. The issue is deploying them without understanding their mechanics or potential consequences.
Admissions offices handling these decisions should also review AI for Legal considerations, particularly around vendor accountability and compliance obligations.
The guidance addresses a growing problem: colleges adopting AI without the infrastructure to manage its risks. Clear policies and vendor transparency are not obstacles to innovation-they're prerequisites for responsible use.
Your membership also unlocks:
