丁慧玲教授讲座的现场录制视频，只开放一周，请尽早观看
美亚新闻特约小记者 Emma Yu 报道 （Green Level 高中9年级学生）
人工智能的崛起无疑已经极大地改变了就业和大学招生领域。北卡州立大学（NC State University）丁慧玲（Huiling Ding）教授3月15日做客北卡三角区中文学校，向现场观众及线上近百名观众，分享《未雨绸缪：如何在人工智能时代脱颖而出成功申请大学？》（Future Proof Your Education: How to Excel in High School and Ace College Applications in an AI-Driven World）
丁教授认为，人工智能掌握着80%的人类知识，并且可以轻松复制许多理想的技能，例如信息收集与总结、模式分析以及结构化写作。人工智能已经颠覆了多个职业领域，并在求职、大学招生及其他机构申请过程中发挥了重要作用。那么，我们该如何在这些“人工智能加持”的简历和申请文书中脱颖而出，不仅是在大学招生中，也包括未来的各种申请？
丁教授是北卡州立大学数据科学及人工智能学院 (Data Science and AI Academy)劳工市场分析与劳动力发展主任（Labor Analytics and Workforce Development）。她著有获奖书籍 Rhetoric of a Global Epidemic: Transcultural Communication about SARS，并在人工智能及其社会影响方面开展广泛研究。
在人工智能快速发展的时代，我们该如何应对？
丁教授指出，在快速发展的人工智能时代，我们需要掌握某些不可替代且能不断强化自身的技能，包括：
- 高效执行力
- 人际关系建立
- 自信与领导力
- 战略思维
- 沟通能力
- 最重要的是：持续学习
持续学习（Perpetual learning）指的是终身不断学习和调整，以促进自我提升，并保持对新技能和新知识的掌握。
此外，我们还需要关注雇主所需的、只有人类才能胜任的技能。人工智能正在威胁许多职业，例如金融、法律、媒体、数据分析、编程，甚至教学。根据EMSI经济建模公司（EMSI Economic Modeling）2020年的一项研究，值得掌握的重要技能包括沟通、领导力、团队合作、批判性思维、创造力和管理能力。
丁教授表示，那些涉及大量线下实践任务或需要面对面沟通的职业相对更安全。她强调，人工智能无法取代创造性思维、研究能力和说服能力，也无法模仿毅力、魅力、幽默感、判断力和适应能力。同样，人工智能无法替代个人的动力、主动性、持久努力和自律。
人工智能如何影响大学招生？
在大学招生过程中，人工智能不仅被招生官使用，也被学生使用。
2023年，招生官平均花 4-6 分钟 审阅一份申请，而仅需 5 秒 就能判断一篇个人陈述的质量。随着人工智能的应用，面对日益增多的申请人，这一时间正在不断缩短。
丁教授解释称，许多大学在第一轮筛选中会对学生的成就进行量化评估，并使用评分系统来衡量学业成绩（GPA、标准化考试）、实践能力（研究、社区影响力和项目经验）以及软技能（领导力、抗压能力等）。他们还会利用一种人工智能技术——自然语言处理（NLP，Natural Language Processing） 来分析申请文书和推荐信，包括词汇、语法、主题、逻辑能力、情感倾向等。
在写作评估中，NLP 的重要性体现在两大方面：
- 情感分析（Sentiment Analysis）——检测文章的情感倾向，包括积极、消极或中性语调。
- 语义匹配（Semantic Matching）——将申请文书与大学理想学生的特质进行比对。
丁教授建议，在文书中应突出隐含的个人特质（hidden thesis）。例如，如果你的目标院校偏好分析型、富有创造力的学生，那么你的申请文书应通过具体经历或思考，展现你的分析能力和创造力。
此外，一些大学要求提交视频作为补充材料。你可能会惊讶，即使是视频面试 也可能被人工智能评估！AI 通过自动视频面试分析（Automated Video Interview Analysis），评估申请人的面部表情和语音，以判断其热情和兴趣。丁教授建议，录制视频时应清晰表达、保持微笑、直视镜头，并在安静、背景整洁的环境 下录制，以优化面部和语音识别效果。
申请大学的关键建议
在演讲的最后，丁教授分享了几个关于大学申请的关键建议：
- 不要使用人工智能撰写申请文书
- 许多大学（尤其是竞争激烈的学校）明令禁止 使用人工智能生成或修改任何申请文书。
- 他们使用 AI 检测程序来评估你的写作中有多少比例是由 AI 生成的。
- 可以 使用 AI 进行头脑风暴或句子修改，但不得用于撰写或重写文章，否则可能被立即拒绝。
- 推荐使用 ZeroGPT、Scribbr 和 Grammarly AI Detector 来检测自己的文章。
- 展现个人品格
- 2023 年的一项招生调查显示，品格和个性 是决定录取的第四大因素。
- 主要通过申请文书、推荐信、课外活动、面试来体现。
- 尽早准备
- 写大学申请文书的工作量，相当于修两门 AP 课程，因此必须尽早开始。
- 丁教授建议，尽早（最好在 11 年级结束前）请求老师撰写推荐信。
- 明确方向
- 申请时，大学通常会要求填写专业，并可能需要提交一篇关于专业选择的文章。
- 避免使用陈词滥调（如“我想帮助别人”），要提供真实、深思熟虑的理由。
- 推荐信、课外活动和所获奖项 也应与申请专业相匹配。
- 建立良好的师生关系
- 推荐信的评分标准包括多个方面，如学术能力、合作精神、领导能力等。
- 积极参与课堂活动，主动提问，是建立良好师生关系的关键。
- 丁教授建议：“进入每一节课时，准备好至少问一个问题。”
- 展现真实自我
- 在与 AI 竞争的时代，展现真实自我比以往任何时候都更重要。
- 无论是人工智能还是人类招生官在阅读你的申请，独特的经历和个性都会使你的文书脱颖而出。
未来：人工智能的影响与局限
最后，这场演讲也引发了一个思考：人工智能到底有多大的作用？
为了提高效率，人类利用机器来降低成本，但这也导致了许多职业受到冲击。AI 工具可以在几秒钟内筛选数百份申请，而学生却花费数月精心准备每一份申请。它可以撰写大学文书，但无法展现原创性。
机器被认为是“高效”和“计算精准”的，但人类真的能创造出如此完美的智能吗？ 也许有一天，人工智能会突破极限，但至少目前，你的大学申请，依然掌握在自己手中。
编者附言：
以上中文是根据Emma Yu的英文报道翻译的。特别感谢丁慧玲教授为小记者订正英文报道。
AI in Admissions: Professor Huiling Ding on How Artificial Intelligence is Changing Education
The rise of artificial intelligence has undoubtedly drastically changed the employment and college admissions fields. According to Professor Huiling Ding of NC State University in her presentation Future Proof Your Education: How to Excel in High School and Ace College Applications in an AI-Driven World, AI has access to 80% of human knowledge and can easily replicate many desirable skills like gathering and summarizing information, analyzing patterns, and organized writing. It has disrupted many career fields and is heavily involved in the admissions process for jobs, colleges, and other institutions. So how should we stand out against these “AI-boosted” resumes and essays, not just in the college admissions process, but also other future applications?
Professor Ding is director of Labor Analytics and Workforce Development at the Data Science and AI Academy at North Carolina State University. She is an author of the award-winning book Rhetoric of a Global Epidemic: Transcultural Communication about SARS and conducts extensive research on AI and its societal impacts.
The most important thing we should be aware of, says Ding, is that in order to excel in the rapidly developing world of AI, we need to acquire certain irreplaceable and self-strengthening skills–efficient execution, interpersonal relationship building, assertiveness and leadership, strategic thinking, communication, and most importantly, perpetual learning. (Perpetual learning is defined as constant relearning and recalibrating throughout one’s life, promoting self-improvement and staying abreast of new skills and knowledge.)
In addition, we should be aware of the skills employers demand that only humans are able to fulfill. AI is threatening many careers, such as finance, law, media, data analytics, programming, and even teaching. As detailed in a 2020 study by EMSI Economic Modeling, valuable skills to acquire include communication, leadership, teamwork, critical thinking, creativity, and management. Ding says that fields having many in-person tasks or requiring in-person skills and communication are likely the safest. What AI cannot take from you, she says, is creative thinking, research, and persuasion. It cannot mimic persistence, charisma, humor, judgement, or adaptability. Neither can it replace personal drive, initiative, persistent efforts, and self discipline.
Professor Ding describes that on the college admissions side of things, AI is employed by both the admissions officers and the students. The average amount of time an admissions officer spends on an application in 2023 is 4-6 minutes, and they can decide whether or not a personal essay is good in just 5 seconds. These numbers are decreasing with the use of artificial intelligence for a growing number of applicants.
Many colleges quantify student achievements in the first round of decisions, Ding explains, and use a scale to evaluategrades, test results, extracurriculars, et cetera. They numerically measure your academic ability (GPA, standardized tests), practical ability (research, community impacts and projects), and soft skills (leadership, ability to work under pressure). Then, they analyze your essays and letters of recommendation using an AI technique called Natural Language Processing (NLP), where they assess your vocabulary, grammar, topic, logical ability, sentiment, and more.
What’s important about using NLP in evaluating writing is its ability to detect sentiment analysis/emotional disposition and semantic matching. Sentiment analysis/emotional disposition is the emotional undertone of the work–the positivity, negativity, or neutrality of the tone. Semantic matching is the comparison of the writing to ideal qualities desired by the university. Dr. Ding says essentially, you want to highlight implied qualities you have (called a “hidden thesis”) in your essays. If your dream college wants an analytical, creative person, include in your essays descriptions of your experiences or thoughts that you are analytical and creative.
Some universities require the submission of a video as supplemental materials. It may surprise you that even video essays are evaluated by AI! Using a process called automated video interview analysis, AI evaluates your facial expression and speech to determine your enthusiasm and interest. Ding suggests speaking clearly in a quiet place and to smile and look at the camera often, preferably with a clean background to make facial recognition and voice recognition work better for your evaluation process.
Dr. Ding wrapped up the talk with a couple of general tips for applying to colleges:
- Students, do NOT use AI: The use of artificial intelligence in drafting or revising any part of your essay is prohibited by many colleges and most competitive ones. Colleges have many AI detection programs that evaluate what percentage of your writing was AI-generated. It is only okay for you to use AI when brainstorming or revising sentences; otherwise, immediate rejection upon detection is likely. Ding recommends programs like ZeroGPT, Scribbr, and Grammarly AI Detector to check your writing.
- Incorporate demonstrations of character: It is shown in a 2023 survey of admissions offices that character and personality are the fourth important factor in determining acceptance. Character is mainly showcased through essays, letters of recommendation, activities, and sometimes interviews.
- Start early: The workload of writing a college essay is shown to be comparable to taking 2 AP (Advanced Placement) courses, so it is imperative that students start early. Moreover, Dr. Ding encourages students to ask for letters of recommendation as early as before the end of junior year.
- Have a reliable direction: Colleges will ask for your major and often an essay for why you chose that major. Ding instructs applicants to avoid clichés (like “I want to help people”) and have an authentic and intellectually reflecitve reason for their interest. Your letters of recommendation, extracurriculars, and awards should also corroborate your interest in the major.
- Build good relationships with teachers and counselors: Letters of recommendation are scored on a rubric shown below with target areas labeled:
Thus, it is incredibly important to build good relationships early with your teachers, especially by participating actively in class activities and discussions. Ding suggests: “Go into every class and be prepared to ask one question.”
- Be authentic: When competing with students who use AI, it is increasingly important to showcase your true self to colleges. Whether your essay is being read by man or machine, describing what makes you you will make it an original and unique piece compared to thousands of generic essays.
The last point brings up the debate: just how useful is artificial intelligence?
Concerned with efficiency, humans employ machines, which cut costs for some but disrupt the jobs of many others. AI tools sift through hundreds of applications in seconds when it took students months to craft each. They can write a college essay, but cannot exhibit originality. Machinery is often known to be “efficient” and “calculated.” But can flawed humanity really create such perfection? Perhaps one day AI will be limitless, but for now, your college application is safe.
