Using Social Media in Your College Search

Four students in the Kennel's student section taking a selfie together with a phone. The student holding the phone is smiling and wearing a straw cowboy hat, white shirt, and a red and blue plaid shirt. The three other students are also wearing red, white, and blue clothing.

July 19, 2024
Becky Doyle | Admission Counselor

There are more tools than ever that students can use to begin their college exploration, including websites, college books and guides, campus tours, virtual information sessions, and meetings with current faculty and students. You can even learn more on your favorite social media app. With all these options, learning about different universities is easier than ever!

Many colleges and universities have their own social media accounts that students can follow to get insight into the student body, campus life, and other important events and activities on campus. Gonzaga has a variety of social media accounts that can help you learn about what’s happening on campus.

Instagram

Do you have an Instagram account? Chances are, you do! Instagram has become one of the most used social media platforms by teenagers in the past few years. A recent study by research firm, Statista, found that 37% of respondents said they used Instagram to view official university accounts while researching colleges.

Instagram is a great way to get a glimpse into life on campus and be able to envision yourself there. Since Instagram is also heavily used by current college students, you can utilize things like tags, hashtags, and location tags to see posts from current students attending a certain college. Hashtags are frequently underutilized but are a great way to learn about a college. For example, if you want to know more about what it means to be a Zag, follow #BeAZag on Instagram! That way, you will see any posts that arise with that hashtag, giving you a better idea of what life looks like as part of our community. Instagram is an easy way to connect with colleges and their admission offices! Be sure to follow us at @gonzagau and @zagadmissions on Instagram!

X (Formerly Known as Twitter)

X is probably not the first platform that you think of when thinking of how to connect with colleges, but it is a great tool! X gives you a chance to connect with and learn more about a college and their admission process. Many times, schools’ presidents have X accounts too (shameless plug to follow @Gonzaga_Prez on X). One unique tool on X is your ability to search a school name and see tweets related from different accounts. Many schools’ X feeds are filled with great stories about their alumni, which will give you a better sense of outcomes from each university. X is also admitted as one of the first places schools will post important announcements so you can stay in the know as well.

ZeeMee

ZeeMee is a relatively new app that is made specifically for students applying to college. You can follow universities and colleges you’re interested in and see what’s being posted by current students, faculty, and staff. You can join group chats for each school and meet other students that are interested in applying as well. The cool thing about ZeeMee is you can join different groups as you move through the application process: after you find out about admission, you can join an accepted students group chat. When you decide to become a Zag, you can join our confirmed students group chat. You can meet students with similar interests and use ZeeMee to find a potential roommate.

Gonzaga’s ZeeMee channel is very active, and it’s a great way to get to know other prospective Zags! Just search “Gonzaga University” in ZeeMee to follow our community or you can join ZeeMee here.

TikTok

TikTok can be a fun tool for students to utilize when beginning their college search! Many universities across the nation now have their own TikTok accounts geared towards current students, future students, parents & families, faculty, staff, and their alumni communities. TikToks posted on these university accounts are fun insights into a campus’ fun traditions, inside jokes, and fantastic community. Although these short videos do not cover the typical college-search topics, they are a great way to get an inside look at campus life and the little things that make a campus special! Gonzaga University has its own TikTok account, @gonzagau1887, that students are welcome to explore. Here is a recent TikTok asking current Gonzaga students why they chose GU!

YouTube

Most universities have a YouTube channel featuring videos such as alumni success stories, club spotlights, residence hall tours, and so much more! YouTube can be a helpful resource to explore different universities and see what each school has to offer. Gonzaga University has its own YouTube channel featuring videos on a wide variety of topics as well as a Gonzaga Undergraduate Admission YouTube channel for prospective students. A recent addition to the Gonzaga University YouTube channel is a new video featuring different study abroad programs offered!

To connect more with Gonzaga, follow our socials and join ZeeMee!