At this point, AI isn’t just a trend—it’s becoming a daily tool for schools. But how exactly are K–12 admissions teams using AI, and what are they still trying to figure out?

In our April 2025 Clarity Insights Survey, we received data from over 80 enrollment professionals about their experience with AI in admissions. And in the spirit of the topic, I wrote this post with help from AI—using it to sort survey data, summarize themes, and even surface quotes from the responses. It’s a small example of how these tools are already saving time and sharpening strategy.

The results tell a story of cautious adoption, practical use cases, and a growing desire to move beyond just drafting emails. Schools are leaning on AI to lighten administrative loads and improve communication—but they’re still learning where and how to go deeper.

Below, I break down five key takeaways from the survey to help K–12 enrollment teams think strategically about where AI can make a difference now and what’s still holding them back.

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AI is Gaining Ground, But Still Lightly Used

According to our data, 54% of schools are using AI in admissions—but only 11% use it regularly. Most schools fall into the “occasional use” category, applying AI for one-off tasks or early drafts. Meanwhile, 16% say they plan to start using AI by 2026, and 30% still have no plans at all. The takeaway? Adoption is growing, but most schools are still in the “toe-in-the-water” phase. There’s curiosity and some clear benefits—but also hesitation about going all-in.

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Communication is the First Stop

When schools do use AI, it’s usually to save time and improve how they communicate.

• 69% of schools use AI to connect with applicants
• 50% are using it to create marketing content (eg. newsletters, social media posts)
• Far fewer schools use AI for more advanced tasks like enrollment forecasting or applicant behavior analysis

As one survey respondent puts it:

“We don’t use AI in any candidate selection or workflows—only as an aide for writing communications to families, decision letters, etc.”

What this shows is that schools are using AI in ways that preserve the human-centered parts of admissions while automating the most repetitive ones. There’s strong interest in getting messaging out faster and more effectively, but not in replacing relational work.

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ChatGPT (For Free) is the Leading Favorite

86% of schools using AI rely on ChatGPT, surpassing other tools like call transcription software or Google AI.

Most schools (77%) are using only free tools, and just 2% have a dedicated AI budget. That means most admissions teams are experimenting with what they can access at no cost—fitting AI into workflows without disrupting them.

There’s a clear takeaway here: if tool makers want to support more schools, they’ll need to offer value up front, integrate easily with what schools already use, and address the most common pain points without requiring major investment or learning curves.

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AI is Helping But is Not Transformational (Yet)

When we asked about effectiveness, half of respondents said AI was “somewhat effective”, while 26% called it “extremely effective.”

The biggest reported wins were:

• reduced manual workload (67%)
• better personalization of communications (56%)
• faster response times (22%)

But many respondents noted that AI is still in the support role, not the driver’s seat.

“The time saved using AI to draft communications is significant, and it often ends up similar to what I would have written myself.”

- Survey respondent

AI is already proving its value in the background, but the leap to strategic, data-driven decision-making is still just beginning.

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Trust, Training, and Transparency Are Holding Schools Back

Among schools not using AI, the top barriers were:

• lack of knowledge (62%)
• data privacy and security concerns (41%)
• ethical concerns like bias and fairness (41%)

Even among users, 60% said they need more training to use AI effectively. There’s also concern that AI might sacrifice the personal touch schools work hard to deliver.

“I want to make sure that personal information from applicants is not added to the training data of AI tools.”

- Survey respondent

If we want AI to move from a tool of potential to one in practice, the industry has work to do—especially around building trust, offering hands-on training, and ensuring tools reflect the values of mission-driven schools.

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What’s Next: K–12 Hopes for AI

We asked schools what they wish AI could do for them. Their answers were thoughtful, forward-looking, and practical:

• Create personalized communication in families’ native languages
• Summarize application files and interview notes
• Predict yield or highlight “high-intent” applicants
• Automate follow-ups and standard communications
• Help analyze survey data or project enrollment trends

These are not pie-in-the-sky requests, they’re pain points that schools face every day. The more that AI can help address them, the more likely adoption is to grow in meaningful, mission-aligned ways.

AI in admissions isn’t just coming, it’s here. But how schools use it, and how effectively, still depends on access, training, and trust. As more K–12 teams start to explore these tools, the goal shouldn’t be to replace human insight—it should be to free up time for what matters most: relationships, strategy, and service to families.

Want to see the full results? Reach out to us at hello(at)clarityschools.com and we’ll be happy to share the full findings. And if you’re curious how Clarity can help you apply AI practically in your enrollment strategy, let’s talk.