If we look at the past two decades of technology in education, we see a steep incline in the resources and tools available to students. A mark of success today is being able to take those tools and use them to your advantage while still keeping a sense of creativity and individuality.

The use of certain calculators used to be considered cheating. Now, on the SAT math section, students are given a calculator that can answer almost every single question if they know how to use it. So really, the SAT math section has become a test of “how well do I use my calculator?”

The same is true as artificial intelligence gets “smarter” and becomes more commonplace. How do you use AI to your advantage without replacing the human thought process, especially in education? One area where we are just seeing the cusp of AI use is college admissions essays and applications.

AI is not a tool to fight against. It’s a tool to use effectively, one that can provide a wider net of opportunities and resources for finding schools and scholarships.

The student’s voice matters most

At Class 101, we work with students and parents from the initial college search to determine their goals, passions, and ideal programs. We also help filter out what makes a student unique and different from everyone else applying to the same program.

That authenticity matters because admissions officers aren’t simply evaluating an essay; they’re trying to understand the person behind it. If AI takes over the student’s voice, the most valuable part of the application can get lost.

As students are crafting their essays, we encourage them to use AI as a tool for idea creation rather than a robot to do all the hard work. We want them to put pen to paper and showcase the moments that have shaped who they are today and the topics that get them excited. These are the things that cannot be replaced by artificial intelligence, and it’s refreshing to hear a student’s voice and the way they say things.

Artificial intelligence should be used only as a tool to sharpen what already exists. The writer isn’t replaceable, but AI will replace them if you let it. While it might be easy, convenient, and quick, the essay isn’t going to be very interesting. The student isn’t going to learn much through that process, and they’re not going to become a great writer anytime soon if they rely on AI.

So, the question is: how can you use AI as a tool to better position yourself in front of a college admissions office? Here’s what I tell students:

Use it to get started

We’ve all had writer’s block. AI allows students to “brain dump” any ideas or experiences and then get back a filtered recommendation and a starting point for an impactful essay topic.

Use it to search

AI can be a search tool much more advanced than asking around your sphere of influence or even a Google search. This is especially true for niche programs or colleges outside a student’s home area. We encourage students to ask AI platforms like Claude and ChatGPT to help them find unique schools and scholarships that fit their individual interests, needs, demographic information and situation.

Use it as an editor

In my opinion, this is the best use of AI. It can find mistakes we miss after reading an essay over and over again, and it’s especially useful if the essay needs to follow a specific writing style, such as AP Style. It’s great to be able to put a sentence into an AI platform and have it help you sharpen your thought process so it’s clearer to the admissions board.

Where Class 101 comes in

AI can help students brainstorm, search, and polish. What it can’t do is know your student: their goals, their story, and what makes them different from everyone else applying to the same program. That’s exactly what a Class 101 college planner does, one-on-one, from the first college search to the final decision.

Here’s how our services work alongside smart AI use:

• – College Essay Prep: We help students uncover the experiences and perspectives that make them uniquely themselves, then coach them to tell those stories in their own voice. AI can help with a brainstorm; we help turn it into an essay only your student could have written.
• – College Scholarship Search: AI can surface leads. Our planners know which opportunities are real, which are a fit, and how to compete for them. Our Class of 2026 students earned more than $51 million in merit scholarships, averaging over $291,000 per student.
• – Personalized College List Planning: We work with students and parents to define goals, passions, and ideal programs, then build a balanced list using our proven approach: research many, visit 10, apply to 7.
• – Application Prep: Our digital platform tracks every application, essay, and deadline, so nothing slips through the cracks senior year.
• – SAT & ACT Test Prep and PSAT Test Prep: Strong scores unlock merit aid. Our instructors teach strategy, including how to make the most of tools like the built-in calculator on the digital SAT.
• – Academic Advising and College Resume Building: We help students choose the right courses and build a resume that shows colleges who they are beyond the transcript.

Today’s graphing calculator

AI is much like the graphing calculator once was: a tool that is reshaping how we learn and work. It is a privilege to help students and their families approach the college admissions process in a way that embraces AI’s efficiencies without losing sight of what matters most: the individuality, experiences, and authentic voices that make each student unique.

Let’s Connect

If you’d like help navigating the college process with your student, schedule a free consultation with Class 101. You can also check out our upcoming programs and events.