The article argues that artificial intelligence could replace much of the work done by university admissions offices, potentially making decisions faster, cheaper and more consistent. It presents AI as a possible way to process applications at scale while assessing academic records, written work and personal circumstances, although human staff would still be needed.

The author estimates that US colleges employ at least 40,000 admissions staff, based on a 2023 study of 12,042 employees across 940 institutions. AI could evaluate grades, test scores, essays, recommendations and extracurricular abilities, while considering factors such as income, geography, school background and diversity; it could also be instructed to exclude race, ethnicity and religion, which are legally restricted considerations. The article further suggests that transparent AI criteria could help colleges address concerns about fairness, legal compliance, tuition revenue, graduate employment and institutional reputation.