The college search process can be overwhelming for students and their families, especially in today’s information-rich environment. Abby Isle found herself navigating this journey with her daughter, a high school senior, who began exploring colleges in late 2024. With countless resources at their disposal, including campus tours across the U.S. and essential guidebooks, Abby faced the challenge of making sense of the overwhelming data.
In her quest to streamline the college search, Abby turned to ChatGPT for guidance. After sharing her daughter’s preferences regarding various institutions and the atmosphere she desired, Abby discovered that the AI tool could effectively narrow down options. “The AI tools were able to help us say, ‘If those are your priorities… here are the schools that best fit that,’” said Abby. Most of the colleges on her daughter’s radar were highly competitive, but ChatGPT redirected them towards schools with more favorable admission rates that still aligned with her daughter’s interests.
Ultimately, her daughter applied early decision to Northwestern University, a choice that was partly inspired by suggestions from ChatGPT.
It appears that the role of large language models in advising college applications is on the rise. A survey by Adobe revealed that 28% of Gen Z individuals initiate their information searches by interacting with AI platforms like ChatGPT. This trend includes using AI for inquiries about the college search, with an upcoming survey by the education consulting firm EAB indicating that nearly half of high school students are incorporating AI into this process.
Optimizing for AI
Engaging with AI differs markedly from traditional search engines. Users tend to pose longer, more detailed questions to AI chatbots, unlike the more concise queries often used in search engine inquiries.
EAB’s report highlights that students frequently ask AI to generate lists of programs (like nursing schools in California), manage application deadlines, and compare different colleges. On social media, users have described seeking AI’s insight into their likelihood of being accepted to specific selective institutions.
While Google search results aim to direct users to relevant links, AI platforms focus on maintaining user engagement within the chat interface. “There are no blue links. They’re not clicking onto websites and finding discovery elsewhere. It’s all happening with just conversations within the LLM,” explained Alexa Poulin, chief digital officer at Carnegie Higher Education. This shift affects how students gather information and lean more heavily on AI to provide answers instead of conducting extensive searches across multiple websites.
Poulin emphasizes the importance for colleges and universities to ensure their information is easily accessible and accurately represented by AI tools, a practice referred to as answer engine optimization (AEO) or generative engine optimization (GEO). While similar to search engine optimization (SEO), AEO has its distinct objectives.
A critical component of AEO involves keeping the content on university websites current and accurate, as outdated information can mislead students who might otherwise glean insights from the material. Michael Koppenheffer, vice president of marketing, analytics, and AI strategy for EAB’s Enroll360 division, noted that comprehensive information is vital and institutions can implement strategies to guide AI tools toward relevant content.
As consultancies and educational technology firms recognize universities’ needs for AI-optimized websites, many are now offering AEO services. However, this remains a nuanced field, and each query can yield varying responses based on numerous factors, as generative AI adapts its responses in real-time.
“AIs are basically giant probability machines; you never know for sure what they’re going to say, and none of us can completely control what ChatGPT will say in response to a question,” said Koppenheffer. “That is both great from some perspectives, giving you a level of unpredictability, but also a little concerning. Nonetheless, that is a foundational aspect of these tools.”
Student Inquiries
Students’ questions to AI range widely—from general queries about college options to specific inquiries about financial aid, programs, or campus culture at particular institutions.
As a result, colleges must ensure not only the accuracy of information regarding their institutions but also strive for “AI visibility,” which gauges how likely a brand or organization is to appear in AI-generated searches.
Chris Gage, Belmont University’s vice president for enrollment services, highlighted this aspect when he shared the university’s goal of reaching students interested in Christian colleges in the Southern U.S. However, when Inside Higher Ed posed as a prospective student to ChatGPT, Belmont was not recommended—even when the inquiry specified an interest in music business programs, Belmont’s largest major.
“That’s a surprise,” Gage remarked. “If you’re the prospective student searching for music business, then hopefully… Belmont would certainly come up.”
However, Gage mentioned that Belmont’s marketing team has seen success in its experiments with AI tools. When the same question was posed to Claude, another generative AI tool, it posed follow-up questions regarding major, institution size, and the Christian denomination, eventually suggesting Belmont as one of several options.
Gage pointed out some lapses in AI visibility, such as the interchangeable use of terms like “Christian” and “Christ-centered” in marketing materials, which could diminish the likelihood of appearing in searches based on one term or the other.
Rebecca Shineman, executive director of marketing at York University, acknowledged the challenges surrounding AI visibility for her mid-sized private college. She asserts that while they can’t be visible in every search, they aim to appear for queries relating to the affordability and strong employment outcomes for which York excels.
“We want to ensure from a strategic standpoint that when they’re asking these questions, we can surface our value and story clearly and accurately,” Shineman noted.
In trials of AI’s responses about Belmont, including campus environment and scholarship opportunities for music business majors, Gage found the information provided was accurate and helpful, even if it included comments sourced from Reddit posts. “I think there’s always room for a student’s authentic voice online; we want students to know the authentic Belmont,” Gage remarked.
Despite some accurate responses from AI, critics caution that generative tools often produce misinformation. Research from the European Broadcasting Union and the BBC revealed significant errors in 45% of AI-generated responses last fall.
‘A Little Bit of Tension’
College access leaders express mixed feelings about the increasing reliance on generative AI in college searches.
Bill DeBaun, senior director of data and strategic initiatives at the National College Attainment Network, pointed out the challenges this presents. “There is a little bit of tension,” he noted, as students lean on AI instead of traditional college advisers. “The college access field thrives on interpersonal interactions. Historically, students and families have relied on trusted advisers to provide reliable information and navigation through a complex and often daunting process.”
Maintaining this personal touch in an AI-driven era is essential, according to DeBaun. Nonetheless, he recognizes AI’s potential to assist both advisers and students by quickly processing large amounts of data, potentially revealing institutions or scholarships that may not be on an adviser’s radar.
One college access organization, College Possible, has begun using AI in this capacity, developing a proprietary tool trained on internal data to answer common student inquiries when counselors are unavailable.
Shineman sees the use of AI in college searches as inevitable, emphasizing that institutions must adapt to these changes. “We talk a lot about meeting our students where they are. Currently, that includes integrating AI-powered search tools,” she stated.
Abby Isle expressed her belief that while college counselors are invaluable, parents have a unique advantage in supporting their kids through the college decision-making process because they have a deep understanding of their children. In her view, AI serves as a resource to equip parents with essential information to guide their children effectively. “I don’t have all the background on this, but my strength in assisting my kids with these matters is that I know my child,” she explained. “It empowers me with the information needed to form a more informed opinion.”
