How guidance, college counselors can use AI tools – SmartBrief
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AI tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Esslo can ease workloads for guidance and college counselors, writes Nina Snyder.
4 min read
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As workloads increase for guidance counselors, AI tools can assist with a range of administrative tasks.
According to the American School Counselor Association, the ideal ratio of guidance counselors to students is 1 counselor for every 250 students. However, the average ratio inched up to 1 counselor for every 385 students in 2022-23.
With an average workload of 385 students, it can be challenging to provide personalized guidance to each student. AI tools can help counselors stay on top of their workloads and focus on what the students need for the daunting college application process.
“Adobe’s built-in AI helps me synthesize teacher comments so I can approach counselor letters of recommendation with a clear, comprehensive view of each student,” says Shana Russell, the associate director of college counseling at a boarding school in Connecticut. “I rely on tools like ChatGPT and Gemini for drafting emails, communicating with families and staying current on trends in college counseling.”
Jeffrey Neill, the director of college counseling at Graded – The American School of São Paulo, offers a list of top 10 AI tools for guidance counselors, including Esslo, a tool to help review college essays, and College Genie, a tool that provides college admission support. Neill also includes helpful AI prompts for ChatGPT to assist students in the college decision process.
While guidance and college counselors can rely on AI tools to streamline their work, most counselors offer a word of caution for students using AI tools to write college application essays.
“I would tell students to be very careful with how they use AI in their essays,” Russell says. “It’s all right to use AI to support your writing, but it should not replace your voice or the time you spend on your personal essay.”
According to a report from the College Board, 84% of high-school students used generative AI tools for school in May 2025, with ChatGPT listed as the AI tool of choice. The research also shows that 50% of high-school students used AI to revise or edit essays.
Colleges have started notifying high-school students of consequences if AI use is discovered. For example, the University of Colorado, Boulder, requires applicants to certify their information, spokesperson Deborah Mendez-Wilson says.
“Every prospective undergraduate student is required to agree to the following before submitting their application to the University of Colorado Boulder: ‘I certify that all information submitted in the admission process –– including this application and any other supporting materials –– is my own work, is factually true, and has been honestly presented, and that these documents will become the property of the institution to which I am applying and will not be returned to me, I understand that I may be subject to a range of possible disciplinary actions, including admission revocation, expulsion, or revocation of course credit, grades and degree should the information I have certified is determined to be false.’”
The University of Minnesota expelled a graduate student this year from its Ph.D. program over allegations of using AI. The student has since filed a lawsuit disputing the charges. But part of the problem is that detecting AI work can be tricky, even for AI bots.
Even ChatGPT warns that its product may not always be truthful; however, it’s buried in the terms and conditions of the parent company, OpenAI, which many users don’t bother to read: “Output may not always be accurate. You should not rely on Output from our Services as a sole source of truth or factual information, or as a substitute for professional advice.”
However, Russell says AI tools can be used in an ethical way to help with grammar and uncover themes in college essays. “I think students can use AI as a starting point, but not an ending,” Russell says.
In her work, Russell uses Esslo to offer personalized, actionable feedback to her students. She even used it to help her son with the process of applying to colleges.
“Esslo has been one of the most helpful tools I’ve used, especially when supporting my son and his friends through the college application process,” Russell says. “In addition to their college counselor’s guidance, Esslo added an objective layer of feedback that was easy to understand and easy to act on.
“Within minutes, I could offer suggestions that went well beyond grammar and really focused on what makes a strong college essay, helping students clearly see how to elevate their ideas without emotion entering the conversation.”
Opinions expressed by SmartBrief contributors are their own.
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#AI#college counselor#guidance counselor
Best PracticesEducation
By Nina Snyder
Nina Snyder is an editor for SmartBrief who focuses on education and business services. Snyder is the author of two picture books for children, “Mardi Claw” and “ABCs of Balls.”
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