How ChatGPT Helped Write a Letter of Recommendation and Boosted Student's Success
An academic at the University of Victoria in Canada used ChatGPT to help write a reference letter for a student, and the results were outstanding. As reported by The Atlantic, Matt Huculak, the head of advanced research services at the university's libraries, turned to ChatGPT to write an "excellent" reference letter that helped a student get into a graduate program at a "top-three" school in Canada. The student later received a prestigious scholarship from the University of Cambridge, and Hucula was thrilled with the outcome.
Breaking the Mold of Traditional Reference Letters
The use of ChatGPT helped Huculak to produce an original letter of recommendation for the student. He gave the chatbot's response as a reference but knew not to use the AI's suggestions for a tired and formulaic letter. He was pleasantly surprised with the final outcome and said, "What I wrote ended up feeling like the most 'human' and heartfelt letter I've written in a long time."
Traditionally, professors tend to recycle past reference letters and tailor them to a particular student, producing dull letters. Using ChatGPT to generate the letters can break the cycle. Huculak said that while "a formula, per se, isn't bad," when a professor invests in a student's success, they must work to show their uniqueness and why they will thrive at the institution to which they apply.
AI and Academic Productivity
While some educators fear that AI could encourage cheating and plagiarism, others believe that it can enhance academic productivity and improve their work quality. At George Mason University, Stephanie Kane is using ChatGPT to come up with class syllabus topics and concepts. Ethan Mollick, from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, is requiring his students to use ChatGPT to generate project ideas and improve their writing. Zak Cohen, a middle school director in Kentucky, said: "This is going to save teachers a lot of work."
Huculak said he "will certainly continue to use" ChatGPT to gain a better understanding of the student's accomplishments. He believes it is upon reference writers to be more creative while composing letters of recommendation. While committees may learn to spot ChatGPT-generated letters quickly, Huculak remains confident in the AI's ability to help writers produce heartfelt and effective letters of recommendation.
