ChatGPT Now Helps Teens Plan College Applications
This could save families hours of stress and missed deadlines.
OpenAI just announced a new College Planner tool inside ChatGPT for Teens. This feature helps high school students organize their college applications by pulling together deadlines, required tasks, and financial aid steps for every school on their list. Students can check off what's done, see what's left, and ask ChatGPT questions like "What does this requirement mean?" The tool will roll out soon, starting with US students in grades 10 through 12 who plan to attend a four-year college.
For families, this could be a big time-saver. The college application process is famously stressful, with dozens of deadlines and forms. Having one place to track everything might reduce missed deadlines and last-minute panic. It's like having a personal assistant for college prep, but free inside ChatGPT.
OpenAI is also adding study helpers. On iOS, you can now snap multiple photos at once and turn them into a single PDF. ChatGPT can also make flashcards from your notes, which could help with studying for tests. These updates aim to make ChatGPT more useful for schoolwork.
However, the announcement comes shortly after Common Sense Media rated ChatGPT for Teens as an "unacceptable risk." They say it still does kids' homework and doesn't alert parents when it should. OpenAI claims teens use ChatGPT for under 15 minutes a day on average. Parents should weigh the convenience against these safety concerns.
- ChatGPT's new College Planner tracks deadlines, tasks, and financial aid for multiple colleges in one place.
- New study features include multi-photo uploads to PDF and flashcard generation from notes.
- The tool arrives soon for US students in grades 10-12, but teen safety concerns remain.
Why It Matters
This could save families hours of college application stress, but parents should monitor teen use.