OpenAI Introduces College Planner Tool for Teens
OpenAI recently shared plans to enhance its ChatGPT for Teens platform by adding a college planner tool along with new study features. The rollout is expected within the next few weeks.
This new college planner feature aims to simplify the process of applying to colleges. It will provide assistance with organizing application requirements, keeping track of deadlines, and managing financial aid tasks for students considering various colleges. Initially, this feature is tailored for U.S. students in grades 10-12 who are aiming to enroll in a four-year college, but there’s talk of widening its scope later to include two-year colleges, trade schools, and students abroad.
According to OpenAI, the college planner will focus on the application process itself, helping students monitor their progress and ask relevant questions—rather than making decisions about where to apply. Conversations about choice and strategy would still involve students, their families, and school counselors.
For students looking at multiple colleges, the planner will allow them to update their progress and utilize a timeline to assist in organizing their next steps. They can also interact with ChatGPT for guidance on particular requirements or suggestions for getting started on applications.
OpenAI noted that upon the initial release of ChatGPT for Teens, nearly 1.2 million users engaged with Learning Visualizations to enhance their understanding of math and science topics. Additionally, over 180,000 teens utilized the Study Mode for more structured learning assistance.
OpenAI is also collaborating with the College Advising Corps to further its efforts, particularly in expanding into new states and creating an AI fellowship where advisors can explore innovative ways AI can assist in advising students. The College Advising Corps is known for placing recent graduates as advisors in under-resourced high schools, helping students navigate the higher education landscape.
Ekaterina Struett, CEO of the College Advising Corps, emphasized that for many students, a simple unanswered question about an application can feel like a barrier. She believes that the College Planner tool will empower students to engage with their college planning process more effectively and confidently.
In addition to the planner, OpenAI is rolling out various study features within ChatGPT for Teens. These include the option to create and save flashcard decks based on uploaded notes, the ability to revisit cards that were missed, and scheduling for future practice sessions. There’s also an effort to enable users to convert their notes into interactive quizzes easily and recognize when such transformations are intended.
Other updates include support for multipage note-scanning on iOS and a feature that merges multiple images into a single PDF for smoother uploads to ChatGPT, with enhancements for Android in the pipeline.
