ChatGPT prompts parents can use to support their children’s university search

Addressing the concerns of parents regarding their children’s university plans is a key focus at my school.

The need to support parents in guiding their children led us to organise university presentations. These presentations aim to equip parents with the necessary knowledge to engage in meaningful conversations about their children’s future.

While our efforts have brought some relief, the consensus is that parents still feel overwhelmed. Consequently, they often seek further advice on how to assist their children in finding their college and career paths.

Counselling: the benefits of conversations at home

At our school, as in many others, we employ personality assessments, career-interest inventories, careers days and guidance in selecting IB subjects based on individual strengths and goals, plus much more. These efforts are undoubtedly valuable.

However, when parents and children engage in these discussions at home, students gain a deeper sense of confidence in their plans. This led me to explore how we can empower parents to have confident conversations about their children’s futures.

I decided to incorporate a section into my university presentations that highlights how AI can assist parents in initiating conversations with their children. During this section, I introduce DeepAI and engage in a real-time “conversation”.

Before delving into the sample prompts and questions for parents, it’s crucial to acknowledge the limitations of AI. Parents need to understand that all information provided by AI should be verified. For instance, when I asked AI to provide a list of English-taught journalism programmes in the Czech Republic, Austria and Belgium, I quickly discovered that the list provided was incorrect. Many of the programmes suggested were taught in languages other than English.

Parents must recognise that AI is a tool, not a definitive solution. It can facilitate and support conversations, but should not be relied upon unilaterally. Parents and students should ensure that they use other resources such as their school counsellors, university websites and prospectuses and open days or university visits alongside AI to provide a well-rounded picture for a student’s university choice. 

Prompt 1

I am a parent. My 16-year-old son wants to study in a warm climate, has an interest in language and culture, and is pursuing the IB programme, with grades ranging from fours to fives. We are specifically looking for a country where English or Spanish is the primary language. Provide at least five career suggestions.

Follow-up questions

• List three to five majors that could lead to a career as a foreign-service officer.
• Recommend five to 10 universities in the EU that offer bachelor’s degrees in international relations, taught in English.
• Provide the respective tuition fees for EU citizens attending each of these universities.

Prompt 2

I am a parent. My 17-year-old daughter, an EU citizen, plans to pursue her bachelor’s degree in Europe. Predicted to achieve an IB score of 41, she is interested in studying marketing or related fields. She prefers to study within EU/EEA member states. Provide a list of institutions offering marketing or related degrees taught in English.

Follow-up questions

• Provide the tuition fees for each institution, specifically for EU citizens.
• Suggest potential career paths in the field of marketing for my daughter.

Overall, when parents were informed about the potential of AI as an empowering tool, they expressed belief in its ability to be helpful. Specifically, they mentioned that it would aid them in educating themselves, enabling more focused and meaningful conversations with their children.