ChatGPT Adds College Planner Feature for Student Applications.

OpenAI is expanding ChatGPT’s educational capabilities with the introduction of a dedicated College Planner feature and enhanced study tools, marking a strategic push into academic support applications. The College Planner will consolidate application requirements, institutional deadlines, financial aid procedures, and actionable tasks into a single, dynamic dashboard. Users will be able to track progress across multiple institutions, utilize timeline-based planning, and query the chatbot for clarifications on specific admissions criteria or procedural steps. The feature will launch soon, initially targeting students in grades 10 through 12 within the United States who are preparing for four-year university admissions. Alongside the planner, OpenAI is rolling out new mobile functionality for iOS users. The platform will now support continuous multi-photo capture, allowing students to upload several images at once and automatically compile them into a single PDF document. Additionally, the updated system can analyze user-submitted notes to generate customizable flashcards, streamlining the review process for exams and coursework. The announcement arrives shortly after a Common Sense Media report classified ChatGPT for Teens as an unacceptable risk, citing concerns over academic dishonesty and inadequate parental safeguards. The watchdog group highlighted the platform’s capacity to complete assignments on behalf of minors and noted failures in triggering appropriate parental notifications. In response, OpenAI emphasized that average daily usage among teenage users remains under fifteen minutes. The company framed the new College Planner and study utilities as structured academic aids designed to foster independent planning and organization, explicitly positioning them to complement rather than replace traditional educational efforts. By integrating deadline tracking, document management, and active recall tools directly into the chat interface, OpenAI aims to refine ChatGPT’s role in student workflows while addressing growing scrutiny over AI’s impact on academic integrity and adolescent digital habits.