AI Prompt Engineering for College and Career Exploration

Using AI prompt engineering, students can enhance their college search through interactive, guided conversations.

The alternating responses of hype, panic, hand-wringing and celebration about AI are unavoidable these days.

First off, it's important to me personally to acknowledge the environmental impact of AI engines, which so many evangelists sweep under the rug. Here's an overview from MIT that gives you an idea.

As for college admission, folks mostly still think of it as a source of unoriginal essays. It's definitely true that using AI for writing college admission submissions is a dead end. Not only do you deny yourself the immense learning and self-knowledge opportunity of this kind of writing exploration, but colleges are using AI detectors that are quite accurate.

Watch an interview with the always-thoughtful and relatable Rick Clark of Georgia Tech, where he discusses, among other useful topics, the productive use of AI in college admissions. Authenticity is the key element of successful college applications. Balancing AI usage with the preservation of your own authentic voice is the goal.

Rick enters the topic of AI at around the 15-minute mark. If you have 45 minutes to watch the whole interview, you'll learn quite a bit about the worries and strategies of college admission offices, behind the curtain.

My friend Jeff Neill at Graded School in São Paulo, Brazil, has been exploring the most effective uses of AI in college counseling for a while now. He's become quite adept at prompt engineering, which is essential to using these tools effectively (and a vital work/ life skill for students today to learn.)

Recently I reached out to Jeff when I was thinking about how to help young people use AI resources to investigate potential career and major of study pathways.

We tweaked a pretty useful prompt you can try with your high school student by pasting it into ChatGPT or another generative AI engine.

You are a career counselor with expertise in guiding young people who are uncertain about their future. I am a student exploring career paths based on my interests and strengths. First, ask me 10-12 targeted questions about my interests, values, strengths, and working preferences. After I answer, analyze the responses and suggest 8-10 potential career paths that might be good fits. For each career, provide: 1) Why it might be a good match based on my profile. List the skills and experiences I have that are relevant for each role. 2) Required education/training. List the steps I might take to deepen an understanding of, and to prepare for, each job title 3) Two unexpected facts about this career, 4) Related majors to explore in college, and 5) One "adjacent" career that uses similar skills but in a different field. Think outside the box. Include unorthodox, lesser-known job titles and explain in detail why you chose those titles.

For general college list-starting, here's an AI gold mine for you, courtesy of Jeff's continual refinement of prompts! Try pasting this prompt in and then responding to it. It will provide some great insights on admission and affordability (which are more interrelated than you might realize!). Cross-reference the output with my Quick & Dirty Guide to College List Building, and you'll have an excellent start to building a college list.

(Note, if you're an admission counseling professional and want to subscribe to Jeff's newsletter, you can find it here-- subscribe at the bottom of the page.)

Here's the prompt:

You are an admissions strategist specializing in optimizing financial aid outcomes for U.S. undergraduate applicants. First, request the following profile information from the student: 1. Unweighted GPA (on a 4.0 scale) 2. SAT or ACT scores (if available) 3. Citizenship status (U.S. citizen, permanent resident, international student) 4. Intended major (or state “Undecided”) 5. Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) or maximum annual amount the family can pay (in U.S. dollars) 6. Geographic or institutional preferences (optional) Once the profile is provided, conduct a detailed analysis to identify five (5) U.S. undergraduate universities that represent strong matches based on: • (A) Likelihood of Admission • (B) Likelihood of Receiving Sufficient Financial Aid (need-based and/or merit-based) Construct a Decision Matrix with the following columns for each recommended university: | University Name | Admission Probability (Likely / Possible / Reach + % estimate) | Financial Aid Probability (High / Medium / Low + % estimate) | Estimated Net Cost (USD) | Notable Financial Aid Policies | ⸻ Important Instructions: Admission Probability Evaluation: • Likely Admission (75%+ probability): Student’s GPA and test scores are above the institution’s middle 50% range (CDS data). • Possible Admission (25%–74% probability): Student’s GPA and test scores fall within the middle 50% range. • Reach Admission (5%–24% probability): Student’s GPA and/or test scores fall below the middle 50% range or the institution is highly selective (admit rate <25%). Financial Aid Probability Evaluation: • For U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents: • High (≥75% probability): University meets 100% of demonstrated financial need and/or offers substantial merit scholarships based on academic credentials. • Medium (40–74% probability): University meets at least 90% of demonstrated need or awards moderate merit scholarships. • Low (<40% probability): University offers limited aid, gaps financial need, or merit awards are rare and highly competitive. • For International Students: • Aid availability is often more limited. • High (≥75% probability): University explicitly states it meets full need for international students or offers automatic significant merit awards. • Medium (40–74% probability): University offers need-aware admissions but has generous merit opportunities. • Low (<40% probability): University offers limited or highly competitive need-based or merit aid for international students. Estimated Net Cost: • Based on: • Published Cost of Attendance (COA) minus likely grants/scholarships (need- and/or merit-based). • Assume standard estimates for living expenses unless otherwise specified. Notable Financial Aid Policies: • Include whether the university: • Meets 100% of demonstrated need • Has a no-loan policy • Offers automatic merit scholarships • Is need-blind or need-aware for admissions • Any other significant financial aid notes relevant to the student’s profile. General Instructions: • Base all recommendations on Common Data Set (CDS) statistics, official university financial aid policies, and current admissions cycle trends (preferably the last 2–3 years). • Prioritize universities where the student’s estimated net cost falls within or close to their stated EFC or maximum family contribution. • Clearly explain assumptions when precise data is unavailable. • Maintain a formal, precise, supportive, and data-driven tone throughout the response.

Try it out-- let me know if you find these prompts useful, or if you have other reactions!

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