Tech-Neill-ogy #125 - 2 February 2026

Your Weekly Guide to Leveraging Technology in College Counseling

Author

Jeffrey Neill
February 02, 2026

In partnership with

Welcome to Tech-Neill-ogy #125!

Is it just me, or is it really hard for others to get back into the “work groove” after some time off? I love the idea of the Northern Hemisphere academic calendar (August-June) paired with the Southern Hemisphere vacations (~6 weeks off at the New Year and ~7-8 weeks off in June/July), but it is very hard for me to get back into work mode!

Anyway, lots of interesting things in this week’s newsletter. Some of you have asked about the various sponsorships in the newsletter. I don’t charge for the newsletter, but I’m trying to monetize it a little, so you’ll see a variety of services advertised. I hope it isn’t a bother. And I hope you’ll click on the links!

Enjoy the rest of the newsletter!

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'Grok' Chatbot Is Bad for Kids, Review Finds

The chatbot on X suggests risky behavior, and is unsafe for teens, Common Sense Media says.

www.edweek.org/technology/grok-chatbot-is-bad-for-kids-review-finds/2026/01

Kids carry the internet in their pockets. Are schools teaching them how to use it?

A report from Media Literacy Now finds more states are acting on media literacy education, but gaps between policy and classroom practice remain, including in Massachusetts, CEO Kyra Brissette tells GBH's All Things Considered.

www.wgbh.org/news/education-news/2026-01-27/kids-carry-the-internet-in-their-pockets-are-schools-teaching-them-how-to-use-it

3 trends that will shape ed tech in 2026

School districts will need to be more critical of ed tech tools as vendors face more aggressive accountability demands this year, say K-12 tech experts. 

www.k12dive.com/news/3-trends-that-will-shape-ed-tech-in-2026/810645

Choosing An AI Degree Program: What To Know

What students considering entering the AI field should keep in mind when pursuing a college degree.

www.techlearning.com/technology/ai/choosing-an-ai-degree-program

Future Fluent: GenAI Literacy for High School Students

Unlock effective strategies to enhance your academic performance, time management, and study skills for a successful student experience.

aiforeducation.thinkific.com/courses/future-fluent-genai-literacy-for-students

Syllaby.io | Turn Any Idea Into Faceless Videos & AI Avatars

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Scroll - AI-powered Subject Matter Experts

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Audioread

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https://www.edficacy.co/ - Tell them Jeff sent you!

I try to share prompts that might be helpful to someone working in the college counseling space, and it occurs to me that I don’t think that I’ve ever shared this one, which I use all the time. It’s particularly helpful before a presentation or when preparing to discuss something confusing. Give it a try! 

I want to learn by teaching. Ask me questions about [topic] so I can practice explaining the core concepts to you.

When I asked it to explain “university admission in the US,” it provided a helpful framework, along with this “mastery check” question, which I thought was great:

If you had 90 seconds with an anxious parent, how would you explain why outcomes can be unpredictable without undermining trust in the process?

Please, if you have any great prompts or ideas, please share! Send me a note at [email protected].

Webinars & Live Events Page

Look here for upcoming webinars and other events (and recorded ones) by the College Essay Guy! New events are happening all the time…

www.collegeessayguy.com/webinars-live-events

For this week’s non-tech article, I wanted to share this one on the new president at Columbia. I find it very interesting that they selected a lawyer who specializes in conflict resolution.

An Academic and a Dealmaker Takes on the Challenge of Running Columbia

Jennifer Mnookin forged compromises with protesters and politicians at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Now, she faces her biggest test.

www.nytimes.com/2026/01/27/nyregion/columbia-president-jennifer-mnookin.html

In particular, I liked this passage:

“I think universities should be spaces where ideas, and different ideas, embodied by people from different backgrounds, come together, and where it won’t always be comfortable, but where we will learn and do better from that engagement.”

Jennifer Mnookin

Happy counseling!

Jeff