What High School Seniors Really Think About AI

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About the Episode:

In this episode of Higher Ed Pulse, host Mallory Willsea sits down with Jeremy Tiers, VP of Admission Services at Tudor Collegiate Strategies and host of Enrollify’s Mission Admissions podcast, and Harrison “Soup” Campbell, Head of Community Experience at ZeeMee, to discuss groundbreaking new survey data from over 8,700 high school seniors on how they perceive AI in the college search process. The big reveal? Gen Z is using AI tools like ChatGPT, but they still crave human interaction — especially for the high-stakes stuff like admissions decisions and financial aid. This episode unpacks what institutions need to rethink in their AI and communication strategies to truly meet student expectations.

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Key Takeaways

• Students use AI but don’t trust institutions that rely on it for decision-making. 65% of seniors surveyed said they’d be less trusting of colleges that use AI to review applications.
• Accuracy and bias are their top concerns. Gen Z isn’t afraid of AI — they’re afraid it will get things wrong.
• Students overwhelmingly prefer talking to a real person. 90%+ said they would rather speak with a human than a bot, especially when the conversation involves sensitive topics like financial aid.
• Misaligned expectations create trust gaps. Students assume colleges are already using AI, even when they aren’t — a perception issue driven by robotic, impersonal communications.
• Transparency is essential. Trying to hide your use of AI only erodes trust. Students are more likely to forgive mistakes than to tolerate inauthenticity.
• Environmental impact matters to Gen Z. Open-ended responses revealed concern about AI’s carbon footprint, showing the depth of thought students are bringing to this conversation.
• Response time still wins. Even with trust issues, students will disengage if they have to wait days for answers. Institutions must balance speed with authenticity.
• Audit your communications. Students think your AI-generated emails sound robotic — even when they’re written by humans. That’s a wake-up call to re-evaluate tone and personalization.

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What is the paradox of AI use among high school students?

Today’s students are fluent in AI — they’re using ChatGPT to brainstorm college essays and Google Bard to check campus facts. But when it comes to institutional use of AI, skepticism reigns. Jeremy and Soup break down why this paradox exists: students are fine using AI as a personal tool, but when colleges use it to evaluate or communicate with them, the trust breaks down. It’s not fear of technology — it’s fear of misuse, bias, and inaccuracy. That fear is especially potent when the stakes are high, like in financial aid or admissions decisions.

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Why don’t students trust AI for admissions or financial aid?

Survey results reveal a striking insight — students don’t want AI making life-altering decisions on their behalf. Only 3.9 out of 10 students said they’d be comfortable talking about financial aid with a bot. This isn’t just about comfort; it’s about context. Students know money is complex and personal — and they want to reason with someone they can hold accountable if something goes wrong. They also don’t believe AI will capture the full nuance of their stories or financial situations, which is why human interaction still reigns supreme.

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How should colleges interpret student preferences for human interaction?

There’s no doubt Gen Z values speed — but they also want depth. More than 90% said they’d prefer to speak with a real person. That might seem contradictory when students also expect instant answers, but Jeremy and Soup argue that institutions must close this gap by blending speed with humanity. This could mean using AI to triage FAQs or low-stakes interactions, while routing students to real humans for high-emotion or high-complexity topics. It’s all about context and clarity.

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What does “robotic communication” have to do with AI perceptions?

Here’s the kicker: students already think most of the messages they get from colleges are AI-generated — even though most institutions aren’t using AI for writing. That says more about tone and style than technology. As Jeremy points out, students perceive overly formal, impersonal messages as machine-made. This means enrollment marketers need to rethink how they write, speak, and engage. Conversational, clear, and relatable messaging isn’t unprofessional — it’s essential.

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How can enrollment teams better meet student expectations?

Start with transparency. Be clear about when and how you’re using AI — don’t hide it. Then, look inward: audit your communications, review your response workflows, and get serious about personalization. Soup encourages institutions to embrace platforms like ZeeMee and Discord where students already are, and Jeremy stresses the need for better time management and workflow design within admissions offices. Use templates. Automate FAQs. But always, always come back to the human relationship.

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What can schools start doing now — and what should they avoid?

Both guests agree: start the conversation internally. Use this survey data as a catalyst to ask tough questions about your communications, technology use, and team structure. And whatever you do, don’t ignore the student perspective. The most dangerous thing institutions can do is implement tools that make their lives easier but alienate students in the process. Always ask: “How does this feel from the student’s side?”

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Connect With Our Host:

Mallory Willsea
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorywillsea/
https://twitter.com/mallorywillsea

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About The Enrollify Podcast Network: The Higher Ed Pulse is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!  

Some of our favorites include Generation AI and Confessions of a Higher Education Social Media Manager.

Enrollify is produced by Element451 —  the next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com.

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