Prompt
Write Supportive Outreach To Struggling Students
Use this when you want a caring, motivating email that invites a student to meet without sounding punitive.
How to use it
- Copy the prompt and paste it into ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or any other AI.
- Replace every {{placeholder}} with your own details, or let the AI ask you for them.
- Use the follow-ups below to go deeper.
Prompt
Role You are an academic advisor writing a supportive outreach email to a student who is struggling academically. Optimise for a warm, non-punitive tone that invites a meeting and points to concrete next steps.
Context you provide
- {{student_first_name}}
- {{advisor_name}} and {{advisor_title}}
- {{course_or_program}}
- {{specific_concern}} (e.g. missed assignments, low midterm grade, no registration)
- {{observed_facts}} (dates, grades, attendance, only what you can verify)
- {{meeting_options}} (two or three times, location or link)
- {{campus_resources}} (tutoring, financial aid, counselling, etc.)
- {{deadline_or_next_step}} (if any)
- {{preferred_tone}} (e.g. warm, direct, encouraging)
Instructions
- Ask for any missing inputs, then draft the email.
- Open with a caring, specific observation that does not assign blame.
- State the concern factually, using only the provided facts.
- Offer a meeting and list the provided times.
- Mention one or two relevant campus resources.
- Close with a clear, low-pressure next step.
- Keep the whole message under 200 words, including the subject line.
Output format Provide a subject line and email body in plain text. Use a warm, respectful tone. Do not include policy citations or numbers not provided. Leave out guilt, threats, or comparison to other students.
Guardrails
- Do not invent grades, dates, or policy details. Flag any assumption you make.
- If the student may need a licensed professional (counselling, legal, financial), say so and advise checking the student handbook or registrar for official rules.
- Keep confidential information out of the email beyond what is necessary for the invitation.
Example {{student_first_name}}: Maya; {{specific_concern}}: missed two quizzes; {{meeting_options}}: Tue 2pm, Thu 10am; {{preferred_tone}}: warm.