A closer look at what parents need
Parents used to research schools googling information, trawling through listings and school websites. Now, more and more, the search starts with AI.
Families now use tools like ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude - and when they're on doris, doris AI.
This whitepaper looks at the questions asked across 2,631 doris AI chats recorded during a 90-day period. It's the first report of this kind, offering a window into what matters to prospective families, and what they are looking for when they search for the right international school for their children.
Here is a snapshot of what we found.
What families ask
We grouped parents' questions into five categories. Information about what a school offers comes first, including curriculum, SEN support and language of instruction. But fees are the biggest single topic.
| Topic | Share of conversations |
|---|---|
| What the school offers | 35.1% |
| Fees and affordability | 22.7% |
| Shortlisting and comparing | 18.4% |
| Contacting schools | 13.9% |
| Admissions and requirements | 9.9% |
Families find it very hard to understand the real cost of tuition, so they ask AI to help them do the math on hidden fees, convert currencies and work out whether a school is a good match for their budget.
Parents also use it to compare their options and take the next step. That can mean finding a WhatsApp number or asking for help writing an email to a school.
Where parents get stuck
Some of the most useful insights come from the questions AI could not answer.
Sometimes parents hit a wall when they're asking AI for specific (sometimes niche) information not available on a school profile - information that often isn't on schools' websites in the first place. We've analysed some of the information parents have looked for but haven't been able to find, with some tips on content school should publish to prevent frustrations and always get cited by AI assistants.
The report looks at these gaps and sets out what schools can add to their websites, including complete fee breakdowns, availability, term dates, uniforms, scholarships and academic results.
Read the conversations behind the numbers
The full whitepaper includes real chats that show how specific a family's search can be. Parents ask about transport arrangements, school accreditation and side-by-side comparisons. Students bring their own priorities too.
Download the full seven-page whitepaper below. It's free, with no form or email address required.