5 Things Parents Need to Know About AI and College Applications

Welcome, parents.

It’s officially August, and if you're anything like most families of rising seniors, you're feeling a mix of excitement, panic, and deep confusion. I get it. The Common Application is now live, and your teen is technically supposed to start applying to college. But there’s a new twist in 2025: Artificial Intelligence. Yes, we need to talk about it.

As a college admissions professional with over 20 years of experience (and someone who now leads a company helping families just like yours), I want to help you cut through the noise and give you real, actionable advice.

This is about how your teen can ethically and effectively use tools like ChatGPT, Grammarly, and other AI programs without sabotaging their college applications.

Because let’s be real:

🎓 Students are already using AI tools

🎓 Colleges know it and are adapting fast

🎓 You, as a parent, need to stay ahead of the curve

Let me break down 5 things every parent should know about AI and college admissions in 2025.

1. AI is Already Being Used in College Applications

Whether your kid admits it or not, they’ve probably used ChatGPT. Maybe it was for a school paper. Maybe it was to generate ideas. Maybe it was just to see what the hype is about. Either way: AI is here.

And colleges? They know it. They’re not naive. Admissions officers aren’t just assuming every essay is hand-typed on a typewriter anymore. They know AI is being used. The real question isn’t if your teen is using AI—it’s how.

That’s where you come in.

💡 Tip: Talk to your teen about how they’re using AI. Encourage brainstorming and proofreading, not copy-pasting full essays.

2. AI Should Never Be the Author of the Essay

Let me say it clearly: AI should NEVER write your teen's personal statement or supplemental essays.

I tell my own students to use AI to brainstorm or outline their ideas—that’s fine. But when it comes to the actual writing? That should be your teen’s voice. Their story. Their emotion.

💻 ChatGPT doesn’t know what it felt like to lose the big game.

💻 Grammarly can’t understand the impact of a grandparent's passing.

💻 No robot can articulate what made your kid fall in love with marine biology.

Colleges are looking for vulnerability. Authenticity. Real students.

So: use AI to support, not to substitute.

3. AI Can Level the Playing Field

Now here’s the good news: when used wisely, AI can actually help level the playing field for students.

📚 Grammarly can catch grammar and spelling issues for students who don’t have access to top-tier editors.

📚 ChatGPT can help kids brainstorm ideas when they feel stuck.

📚 Tools like E.S.S.A.Y. and CGN’s Ava give structure to families who don’t know where to start.

In fact, Strategic Admissions Advice uses these tools ourselves—with a human touch. Every essay that comes through our company gets reviewed by trained professionals who know the difference between a polished draft and a soulless AI monologue.

We help kids express themselves more clearly, not pretend to be someone else.

4. AI Cannot Replace Vulnerability

Look, I love AI for what it can do. But one thing it can never do is tell your teen’s personal truth.

Essays aren’t just stories. They’re expressions of identity.

And the best ones answer questions like:

💬 What moment changed me the most?

💬 What’s something I wish my favorite teacher knew about me?

💬 When did I feel most proud—or most scared?

These are the golden nuggets admissions officers are looking for. AI can help outline the idea, maybe clean up the sentence structure. But it will never know your teen’s heart.

5. Colleges Are Starting to Ask: “Did You Use AI?”

Yes, really. Some schools are now asking students if and how they used AI in the application process.

And guess what? They’re not looking for a perfect answer. They’re looking for honesty.

So, what do you do?

✔️ Have a conversation with your teen now about how they’re using AI

✔️ Craft a transparent answer: “I used AI for brainstorming and editing ideas, but I wrote the content myself.”

✔️ Practice these answers together

Let’s not have this question surprise anyone in October.

You don’t have to go this alone.

We help families just like yours:

📘 Review essays to ensure they sound human

📘 Develop a smart application strategy

📘 Build a thoughtful, data-driven college list

📘 Understand how to use AI ethically and strategically

Whether you need a full application game plan or just help reviewing your teen’s Common App essays, we’re here.

🎯 Book a free strategy session: www.callwithsaa.com
🎯 Order the College List Builder: Get a customized, expertly crafted college list that aligns with your teen’s goals

AI is not the enemy. It’s a tool. And like any tool, it’s all about how you use it.

Let’s teach our kids to use AI with integrity. Let’s work with them to make their voice shine. And let’s not wait until the November 1st deadline to figure all of this out.

You got this.

We can help.

Book your free strategy session at www.callwithsaa.com or get a jumpstart with the College List Builder.