Patterns of ChatGPT Usage and Perceived Benefits on Academic Performance Across Disciplines: Insights from a Survey of Higher Education Students in the United States

This study investigates the integration and application of ChatGPT among U.S. higher education students across various academic disciplines. Given the recent introduction of ChatGPT in educational contexts, this research aims to understand the specific ways students utilize this tool for academic tasks and their perceived impact on their academic success. Through a comprehensive survey with close-ended and open-ended questions conducted with students from multiple disciplines, our findings reveal uses of ChatGPT commonly adopted across disciplines, such as assistance in brainstorming, writing support, and comprehension of complex material, along with discipline-specific adoptions like coding support and lesson planning. The study also identifies significant variations in usage patterns across disciplines. These results highlight AI's growing role in higher education and its potential to enhance personalized and on-demand learning support. This research contributes to the growing understanding of AI in academia, supporting educators and institutions in effectively integrating ChatGPT into education.