For generations, students in the U.S. have navigated the college search process with minimal help — often relying on overworked school counselors, Google searches, and word-of-mouth advice. But in 2025, artificial intelligence is stepping in where human bandwidth falls short.
A new wave of AI-powered platforms is helping students not only discover colleges but also refine essays, explore majors, find scholarships, and map out alternative paths like community colleges or trade schools. These tools are offering personalized, real-time guidance that would be nearly impossible to scale with traditional counseling.
And for many students, especially those in underserved communities, this kind of access is making college feel more within reach.
When Human Counselors Fall Short, AI Steps In
According to the American School Counselor Association, the average counselor-to-student ratio in the U.S. is 376 to 1. That means most students are left with just a few minutes of personalized college advice each year.
Julia Dixon, a University of Michigan graduate, saw the problem firsthand and launched ESAI — a subscription-based AI college advising platform — in 2023. Starting at just $21 per month, the tool offers a lower-cost alternative to private college counseling, which can run into the thousands.
ESAI works by pairing students with a “major mentor” and a “school matchmaker,” which evaluate their interests, academic goals, learning style, and lifestyle preferences. It even helps students reframe everyday experiences — like babysitting younger siblings — into leadership skills for their applications.
“A lot of kids come to us when they’re applying and need help standing out,” Dixon says.
AI Is Helping Parents Too
Jon Carson faced a similar gap when his son was applying to college. Frustrated with the lack of evening and weekend counseling support, he launched the College Guidance Network, a platform designed to serve families outside the school day.
With more than 375 expert contributors, the site offers videos, downloadable guides, and access to an AI assistant named Eva, who helps families stay on track with applications, deadlines, and financial aid.
Eva’s also being adopted by dozens of high schools and college admissions offices, which are now sponsoring access for prospective students as a way to reduce stress and improve application outcomes.
AI Isn’t Just for Essays Anymore
For generations, students in the U.S. have navigated the college search process with minimal help — often relying on overworked school counselors, Google searches, and word-of-mouth advice. But in 2025, artificial intelligence is stepping in where human bandwidth falls short.
A new wave of AI-powered platforms is helping students not only discover colleges but also refine essays, explore majors, find scholarships, and map out alternative paths like community colleges or trade schools. These tools are offering personalized, real-time guidance that would be nearly impossible to scale with traditional counseling.
And for many students, especially those in underserved communities, this kind of access is making college feel more within reach.
When Human Counselors Fall Short, AI Steps In
According to the American School Counselor Association, the average counselor-to-student ratio in the U.S. is 376 to 1. That means most students are left with just a few minutes of personalized college advice each year.
Julia Dixon, a University of Michigan graduate, saw the problem firsthand and launched ESAI — a subscription-based AI college advising platform — in 2023. Starting at just $21 per month, the tool offers a lower-cost alternative to private college counseling, which can run into the thousands.
ESAI works by pairing students with a “major mentor” and a “school matchmaker,” which evaluate their interests, academic goals, learning style, and lifestyle preferences. It even helps students reframe everyday experiences — like babysitting younger siblings — into leadership skills for their applications.
“A lot of kids come to us when they’re applying and need help standing out,” Dixon says.
AI Is Helping Parents Too
Jon Carson faced a similar gap when his son was applying to college. Frustrated with the lack of evening and weekend counseling support, he launched the College Guidance Network, a platform designed to serve families outside the school day.
With more than 375 expert contributors, the site offers videos, downloadable guides, and access to an AI assistant named Eva, who helps families stay on track with applications, deadlines, and financial aid.
Eva’s also being adopted by dozens of high schools and college admissions offices, which are now sponsoring access for prospective students as a way to reduce stress and improve application outcomes.
AI Isn’t Just for Essays Anymore
While some educators worry about students using AI tools like ChatGPT to write essays or complete homework, others see a more productive use case: decision support.
Emily Pacheco, a university admissions director and founder of Edhub.ai, describes AI as a “life coach” for students navigating career and college decisions.
“Students are using AI to help them brainstorm, outline, and refine essays,” she says. “It gives thoughtful feedback that can sometimes land better than what a parent or counselor would say.”
And beyond essays, AI tools are also surfacing scholarships students might have missed — matching them based on interests, background, and financial need. For first-generation college applicants, this can be a game-changer.
Colleges Are Using AI Too
AI isn’t just helping students. Universities are now using machine learning to identify and engage high-potential applicants.
Geoff Baird, founder of Enroll ML, says his platform helps admissions teams figure out which students are actually serious about attending. By analyzing click patterns, response times, and content engagement, colleges can avoid wasting time on “ghost” applicants who used Common App to apply everywhere.
“We help schools prioritize students who are a real fit,” Baird says. “And we do it without needing to show up in every high school gym.”
In an era where over 1,000 institutions use the Common App and birth rates are falling, colleges are under pressure to fill their seats — and AI is helping them do it smarter.
AI Is Quietly Rebuilding the College Search Process
While headlines tend to focus on AI in classrooms or as a threat to academic honesty, its biggest impact right now may be in bridging the counseling gap for millions of families.
From tools like ESAI and Eva to platforms like Enroll ML, artificial intelligence is helping students ask better questions, explore broader options, and make more informed decisions.
And for schools trying to meet enrollment goals while serving students better, these tools are proving to be more than just tech — they’re becoming a necessity.
