OpenAI adds College Planner and study tools to ChatGPT for Teens

A college application planner built into ChatGPT

OpenAI is extending ChatGPT for Teens — the restricted mode it launched in August with additional safeguards and break reminders — with tools aimed at one of the most demanding stretches of high school: applying to college. According to The Verge, the centerpiece is a feature called College Planner, which pulls application requirements, deadlines, tasks and financial-aid steps for every school on a student's list into a single plan.

Students juggling multiple applications can return to the planner to log their progress, use a timeline to work ahead and see what remains outstanding, OpenAI says. The assistant can also answer questions throughout the process, whether that means explaining what a particular requirement involves or helping a student figure out where to begin.

The company says the feature will roll out "soon." In the United States, it will initially serve students in grades 10 through 12 who intend to apply to four-year colleges.

New study features arrive alongside it

The same announcement includes updates geared toward studying. On iOS, ChatGPT now supports continuous multi-photo capture, letting users upload a series of images in one go and merge them into a single PDF — a straightforward way to move handwritten notes or handouts into the app. ChatGPT can also generate flashcards from a user's notes, turning existing material into a study aid without extra setup.

The announcement lands amid criticism

The Verge notes that these updates arrive shortly after Common Sense Media published a report labeling ChatGPT for Teens an "unacceptable risk." The organization argued that the tool "still does kids' homework" and that it fails to notify parents in situations where it should. OpenAI, in its announcement, pushed back on the picture of heavy use, claiming that teens spend "under 15 minutes a day" with ChatGPT on average.

Why it matters

College admissions is a deadline-driven, high-stakes process, and OpenAI is positioning ChatGPT as infrastructure for it rather than just a chat window. A persistent planner that tracks requirements and financial-aid steps marks a shift from one-off answers toward a tool students rely on over an extended period — which raises the cost of any mistakes in what the assistant tells them about a deadline or a requirement.

It also sharpens an existing argument. Critics such as Common Sense Media contend that ChatGPT completes work for students rather than helping them learn; features like flashcards built from a student's own notes look like a direct answer to that critique, emphasizing study aids over homework completion. Whether parents and educators accept that framing may determine how widely a tool like College Planner is adopted — and whether the "unacceptable risk" label sticks.