Free for students
AI college application helper
Tell Sparky where you are with your applications. Sparky asks the questions that help you find your college essay topic, gives feedback on drafts you write, and builds a spreadsheet for your deadlines. It won't write your essay for you.
Built to FERPA, COPPA and GDPR standards.
How the college application helper works
Say where you're stuck
Type something like "Brainstorm my college essay" or "Make a spreadsheet to track my application deadlines". Add the prompt or the colleges if you know them.
Answer Sparky's questions
Sparky asks about your experiences, what you're proud of and what changed how you think, then asks follow-up questions about the answer with the most in it.
Write it yourself, then get feedback
You write the draft. Paste it into the chat and Sparky tells you what's working, what's unclear and what to cut, without rewriting it.
What the college application helper does
Finding your essay topic
Sparky asks questions that bring up the moments only you could write about, then helps you find what each one says about you.
Feedback on your own draft
Paste a draft and get specific notes on structure, voice and length. Sparky points to the sentences it means and leaves the rewriting to you.
Supplemental essays
For "why this college" and other short answers, Sparky asks what drew you to the school and what you'd do there, so the answer is about you and not the brochure.
Deadlines in a spreadsheet
Ask for a tracker and get a spreadsheet with tabs for colleges, scholarships and required documents. Download it or keep it in the chat.
Requirements checked at the source
When you ask about a college's deadlines or requirements, Sparky looks them up on the college's own site, links to it and says what it couldn't confirm.
Scholarships and financial aid
Ask about financial aid, the FAFSA or scholarships for students like you, and Sparky explains how they work and where to look.
Ways students use it
Brainstorm my essay
Start with nothing and finish with a story worth telling, found by answering Sparky's questions.
Check my draft
Paste your personal statement and get feedback you can use in your next draft.
Why this college
Work out what to say about one school before you write a word of the supplement.
Track my deadlines
A spreadsheet with every college, deadline and document, so nothing is due before you notice.
Data privacy
Your work stays private
What happens to the notes you upload and what you write in Flint.
Not used to train AI
Student data in Flint is never used to train AI models.
Not shared
Flint does not share student data, or any other user data, with third parties.
Kept separate
Each school's data is kept apart from every other school's, and the AI providers Flint runs on can't reach it.
Signed agreements, on request
Flint signs a data processing agreement with any school that needs one, written to US state law and EU GDPR.
What teachers say about Flint
"I successfully utilized Flint to prepare my final year students for rigorous university admissions interviews. Students could practice independently, simulating real-life interview scenarios by engaging in dynamic conversations with the chatbot."
Ying Tsoi
Secondary University Counselor at Victoria Shanghai Academy
"After a recent essay, one of my students said that the essay drafting tool in Flint was like having me there throughout the writing process. Flint functions as an assistant for, rather than a replacement of, students' writing."
Stephen Addcox
English teacher at Westminster
"I have used Flint for my IB DP Extended Essay class to help students refine research questions. My prompt defines AI as a thinking partner, encouraging support, not substitution. It fosters student ownership and intellectual responsibility."
Silky Vyas
Secondary Librarian and Extended Essay Coordinator at American International School of Guangzhou
Frequently asked questions
Is the college application helper free?
Yes, it's free for students.
Can I use AI for my college essay?
Colleges set their own rules on AI, so read what each college on your list says. Sparky is built for the kind of help that keeps the essay yours: it asks questions about your experiences and gives feedback on what you wrote, and it won't write the essay or rewrite it for you.
Will Sparky write my college essay?
No. Sparky helps you find your story and tells you what's working in your draft and what to change, but the sentences are yours. Paste a draft and ask for feedback as many times as you like.
Can it help me find a college essay topic?
Yes. Tell Sparky which prompt you're answering, or just ask to brainstorm. Sparky asks about moments that changed how you think and what you're proud of, then asks follow-up questions about the one that has the most to say about you.
Can it keep track of my application deadlines?
Yes. Ask for a tracker and Sparky makes a spreadsheet with tabs for your colleges, scholarships and the documents each one needs, which you can download. Check every deadline on the college's own website, because dates change from year to year.
How do I start if my school doesn't use Flint?
Sign up at app.flintk12.com with your email, Google or Microsoft account. If your school isn't listed, choose I want to use Flint for learning to set up your own space. In the US you need to be 13 or older.
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