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AI is transforming the way students discover, evaluate, and choose colleges, according to a national survey of more than 5,000 high school students conducted by education company EAB.
The survey shows 46 percent of students now use AI tools such as ChatGPT during their college search, up sharply from 26 percent in spring 2025. Nearly one in five students (18 percent) removed a college from consideration based on information surfaced through AI-generated search results.
“AI has, in a matter of months, moved from the margins to the mainstream of how teenagers explore colleges,” said Madeleine Rhyneer, Vice President of Consulting Services and Dean of Enrollment Management at EAB. “AI is now shaping first impressions, helping families narrow their options, and influencing real enrollment decisions, often before a college ever has direct contact with a prospective applicant.”
While students are rapidly adopting AI for many different purposes in the college search process, many do not welcome AI-generated messages from institutions, and they are becoming adept at spotting them. More than half of students said they would react negatively to messages they perceived to be generated by AI.
“Colleges that succeed in this new environment will use AI to improve relevance and responsiveness while preserving a clear, authentic voice that fosters ongoing student engagement and genuine relationships with actual school representatives,” Rhyneer added.
EAB’s survey also showed that AI is amplifying student anxiety about careers and the value of college itself:
- 43 percent of students say AI will influence the career they pursue.
- 38 percent believe AI will reduce the number of jobs requiring a college degree.
- 39 percent say AI is pushing them to consider alternatives to college, including starting a business or entering an apprenticeship.
“Students are using AI to help them navigate some of the most fundamental questions about higher education, including whether college is worth it at all,” Rhyneer continued. “EAB is advising our partner institutions to focus messaging around tangible outcomes like skill development and career placement, while also ensuring the curricula evolve to integrate AI fluency.”
This press release originally appeared online.
eSchool Media staff cover education technology in all its aspects–from legislation and litigation, to best practices, to lessons learned and new products. First published in March of 1998 as a monthly print and digital newspaper, eSchool Media provides the news and information necessary to help K-20 decision-makers successfully use technology and innovation to transform schools and colleges and achieve their educational goals.
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