AI comes up a lot in donor feedback, so we wanted to share how Bold thinks about it, plus a few tips that have helped other donors as they review applications.

Every application on Bold is checked for plagiarism, including essays copied from other students. What we don't do is run essays through AI detectors. Those tools flag a lot of essays that students wrote themselves (especially students writing in a second language), and we don't think that's a fair way to judge anyone.

Students are welcome to use AI the way they'd use a teacher or tutor - to brainstorm, check their grammar, or get feedback on a draft. What we ask is that their essay is based on their own experiences and that nothing is made up. Every applicant agrees to this through our Official Scholarship Rules. Short version: students can get help, but the story should be theirs.

Your Recommended tab is a shortlist of the applicants who most closely match your scholarship's eligibility and criteria, and it's the best place to start. About half of all winners on Bold come from this list!

To find it, log in to your Donor Dashboard, click your scholarship, and open the Recommended tab. You can always browse All Applicants too and add anyone who catches your eye.

Recommendations tell you who fits your criteria on paper. Whether a student's story fits your scholarship is where your read comes in.

Essays that lean heavily on AI usually read as generic - well organized, but without much about the actual student. If an essay feels that way to you, trust that instinct. Specifics are what tell you who a student is: a job they work after school, something going on at home, a moment that changed their plans.

It also helps to read the essay next to the student's profile. If what they wrote lines up with their activities, grades, and goals, that's a good sign. And try not to lean too hard on GPA or polished writing - sometimes the best fit for your scholarship isn't the student with the highest numbers.

At the end of the day, who you move forward is completely your call. If an application doesn't feel right for any reason, you don't need to advance it.

For step-by-step instructions on rating applicants and choosing Finalists, check out our Guide to Reviewing Applications.

If you saw a lot of generic essays this cycle, just let your Donor Relations Manager know before you renew. A few small changes to your application can go a long way: