Davidson College AI Policy for College Applications
Policy Changed Since September 2025
Permission: L0 (unchanged)
Disclosure: D0 (unchanged)
Enforcement: E1 → E0 (Unknown policy)
This school updated their AI admissions policy between our September 2025 and February 2026 reviews.
Quick Answer: Can you use AI at Davidson College?
Davidson College has no explicit AI policy for admissions essays. While not explicitly prohibited, the lack of clear guidance means students should be cautious.
Disclosure: Davidson College does not require disclosure of AI use in admissions materials.
Enforcement: Davidson College has not indicated how they check for AI use in admissions essays.
Last verified: 2026-02-17 • Confidence: High
What This Means For Your Application
✓Generally Safe
- Grammar and spell-checking tools
- Getting human feedback on drafts
✗Avoid
- Submitting AI-generated paragraphs as your own
💡No explicit policy doesn't mean AI is allowed — err on the side of caution
Policy Evidence
University General Policy
“No AI-specific admissions essay policy found on admissions website or application pages.”
— First Year Applicants - Davidson College(Verified: Feb 2026)
“Stories or essays written by AI can be shallow, derivative, and flat.”
— Artificial Intelligence - Davidson College(Verified: Feb 2026)
“Explore a topic that is authentic to you and reveals something that doesn't already come through elsewhere in the application.”
— First Year Applicants - Davidson College(Verified: Feb 2026)
Sources Verified
All sources checked (10)
Policy Sources:
Additional Sources Checked:
- https://www.davidson.edu/admission-and-financial-aid/apply
- https://www.davidson.edu/admission-and-financial-aid/apply/first-year-applicants
- https://www.davidson.edu/admission-and-financial-aid/apply/transfer-applicants
- https://www.davidson.edu/admission-and-financial-aid/admission-process-help/frequently-asked-questions
- https://www.davidson.edu/ai
- https://www.davidson.edu/about/mission-and-values/honor-code
- https://www.davidson.edu/news/2023/10/17/student-student-advice-davidson-college-students-college-essay
- https://www.davidson.edu/news/2024/11/15/davidson-faculty-team-explore-benefits-and-pitfalls-ai
Policy History
| Date | Permission | Disclosure | Enforcement | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-17 (current) | L0 | D0 | E0 | High |
| 2025-09-19 | L0 | D0 | E1 | High |
Additional Context
Davidson College has no explicit AI policy for admissions essays. The institutional AI page (davidson.edu/ai) warns that AI-written essays are 'shallow, derivative, and flat' and ties AI use to the Honor Code, but this guidance is directed at enrolled students and classroom use, not applicants. Admissions pages emphasize authenticity and 'staying true to yourself' but never mention AI or ChatGPT. No AI disclosure is required in the application. No evaluative interviews or writing samples are part of admissions review. Downgraded enforcement from E1 to E0 because there is no evidence of admissions-specific enforcement signals targeting AI use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Davidson College allow ChatGPT for essays?
Do I need to disclose AI use to Davidson College?
How does Davidson College check for AI?
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