AI and Essay-Assistance Policy
Effective August 25, 2026 · Prelaunch draft
This policy is written in plain language for prototype review. It must be reviewed by a Washington attorney before ScholarLadder accepts payment or stores real student information.
What AI may do
- Suggest profile tags from open-ended answers for student confirmation
- Suggest truthful story angles based on confirmed profile information
- Create an outline, including a timed video-script outline
- Check prompt coverage, structure, clarity, grammar and word count
- Offer wording alternatives for the student to accept or reject
What AI may not do
- Invent experiences, achievements, hardship, diagnoses, service or results
- Make final eligibility or human-review decisions
- Submit an application
- Place sensitive profile information into writing automatically
- Guarantee an award or predict an undisclosed applicant pool
Student responsibility
The student must review every suggestion, preserve their own voice, verify facts and comply with the sponsor’s AI rules. Some sponsors prohibit or limit AI assistance; those requirements control.
Optional human review
AI guidance is included only as described by the selected plan. a scholarship expert’s personal essay or video-script review is a separately purchased service. Nothing is sent for human review without a deliberate request. Turnaround is generally 1 to 3 business days; please allow up to 5 business days after payment and receipt of a complete draft.
Data and transparency
Production AI will disclose the provider, information used, applicable limits and whether content is retained. Sensitive-data use requires separate permission. Students can edit or reject AI-extracted profile details.