Allow us to be sincere: School planning is not only about campus excursions and shiny brochures anymore. Lately, it’s about late-night scrolling. It’s about discovering your future in a 15-second TikTok or watching a day-in-the-life dorm vlog on YouTube, probably squeezed between a skateboarding canine and a viral dance problem. And allow us to admit it, none of that is senseless. College students make actual choices proper there in the course of the scroll, about the place they belong, who they need to be, and what alternatives are on the market (Astleitner & Schlick, 2025).
That’s the story the 2025 E-Expectations Trend Report tells us. Social media isn’t a bonus channel for scholar outreach; it’s the entrance door. Actually, 63% of scholars are on Instagram, however solely 53% see school content material there. That may be a missed alternative (RNL, Halda, & Trendy Campus, 2025). Right here is the twist: Faculties know social is highly effective, too. The 2025 Marketing and Recruitment Practices Report for Undergraduate Students reveals that enrollment groups rank social media, retargeted, and video adverts amongst their handiest digital ways. Nonetheless, when it comes time to drag out their wallets, schools spend most of their spending on Instagram and Fb, whereas TikTok and YouTube, the place youngsters spend a lot of their time, are left underused (RNL, 2025).
Social media is the place the search begins
The E-Expectations knowledge reveals that for 56% college students, social media issues most after they begin occupied with school. Earlier than they ever request data or take a tour, they’re watching you. They’re trying to find clues, hints, and perhaps an indication that this could possibly be their future dwelling.
We all know they’re asking themselves:
- “May I see myself there?”
- “Do these college students appear to be me?”
- “Would I slot in?”
This traces up with findings from the Pew Analysis Middle (2024), which reviews that over 90% of youngsters use social media each day, and platforms like Instagram and TikTok are the place they’re most lively. Extra importantly, youngsters depend on these platforms for help in decision-making, together with faculty choices (American Pupil Help, 2021).
For first-generation and underrepresented college students, that early scroll issues much more. Social media typically serves as their first “window in,” a technique to discover campus life and construct confidence earlier than they ever attain out (Wohn, Ellison, Khan, Fewins-Bliss, & Grey, 2013; Brown, Pyle, & Ellison, 2022). Possibly they’re questioning if the eating corridor meals is nearly as good as these Instagram tales declare, or if the scholars within the movies hang around collectively.
Your social media ought to say:
“We see you. We wish you to really feel welcome earlier than you even set foot on campus.”
But, the 2025 Advertising and marketing Practices Report means that many establishments lead with model identification campaigns, polished services movies, or rankings fairly than genuine scholar tales that assist them really feel like they belong (RNL, 2025). College students are in search of belonging; schools are nonetheless exhibiting off status. That hole is the place connections can get misplaced.
What makes college students observe?
The E-Expectations knowledge makes one factor clear: College students need greater than shiny pictures. They need actual, uncooked, related content material that speaks to their life and goals.
- 37% observe schools for scholar life content material.
- 31% need “the lowdown” on how you can apply.
- 30% are all about content material of their main
That need for honesty is backed up by analysis: Highschool college students worth user-generated content material for authenticity however nonetheless count on official accounts to offer dependable data. The candy spot is when each work collectively (Karadağ, Tosun, & Ayan, 2024). Emotional validation from friends doesn’t simply spark a like; it deepens their sense of connection (Brandão & Ramos, 2024). In different phrases, college students should not simply following however trying to find a spot the place they really feel understood.
Not simply the place, however when
The E-Expectations knowledge particulars an important reality: Social media issues most when college students begin school planning. Greater than half (56%) are scrolling and watching earlier than choosing up a brochure or visiting an internet site. After that, social media’s affect drops steadily as they transfer via purposes, visits, and acceptance. By the point they’re accepted, solely 21% say social media nonetheless performs a major position (RNL, 2025).
The Advertising and marketing Practices Report, nevertheless, reveals that many schools nonetheless dial up their social spend round yield campaigns (RNL, 2025). That timing mismatch means establishments might miss the important “creativeness section” when college students determine if a faculty even makes their checklist. We need to meet them originally, not simply on the end line.
Different analysis backs this up: Universities with constant, lively presences throughout platforms are way more prone to keep on college students’ minds (Capriotti, Oliveira, & Carretón, 2024), and aligning posts with algorithmic sequencing ensures they see the content material when it issues (Cingillioglu, Gal, & Prokhorov, 2024). We need to be sure we’re of their feed after they want us probably the most, not simply when establishments want them.
digital-ones”>Human connections begin with digital ones
Behind each observe, like, and story faucet is a scholar in search of an thrilling and secure future. Analysis on elite universities reveals the very best engagement comes from Instagram content material that blends professionalism with authenticity (Bonilla Quijada, Perea Muñoz, Corrons, & Olmo-Arriaga, 2022). Potential college students use social media to evaluate match, tradition, and belonging in admissions (Jones, 2023).
Once we lean into genuine tales on college students’ platforms, we will rework social media from a megaphone right into a welcome mat. The 2025 Advertising and marketing and Recruitment Practices Report reveals that social adverts are efficient, however they work finest after they align with the uncooked, actual, and related content material college students say attracts them in (RNL, 2025).
That is what we needs to be doing
Establishments ought to intention to do greater than hope college students don’t scroll previous. Encourage exploration, curiosity, and the seek for tales that sound like their very own. Youngsters should not all in favour of polished perfection alone; they’re in search of one thing actual that feels doable for them.
You, as establishments, want to indicate up the place college students are. Meet them of their late-night scroll, not simply in a campus brochure. Reply their questions on laundry machines and eating corridor mysteries, in addition to the questions on belonging and alternative. If you share real tales and welcome each curiosity, irrespective of how uncommon, you assist college students see themselves in your campuses.
Our collective mission goes past purposes and acceptance charges. We wish college students to seek out their folks, place, and goal. We care about greater than numbers; we care about every scholar’s journey. Allow us to assist them write the following chapter, not simply enroll for the following semester.
Be the rationale a scholar stops scrolling and begins imagining a future with you!
College students are already scrolling. The query is: Will they cease in your story? Get the information, benchmarks, and sensible suggestions within the 2025 E-Expectations Report. The late-night scroll is actual. Let’s be sure college students discover you there! Discover the 2025 E-Expectations Report for sensible methods to construct genuine, high-impact connections with potential college students.
Speak with our advertising and marketing and recruitment consultants
RNL works with schools and universities throughout the nation to make sure their advertising and marketing and recruitment efforts are optimized and aligned with how scholar seek for schools. Reach out today for a complimentary consultation to debate:
- Pupil search methods
- Omnichannel communication campaigns
- Personalization and engagement at scale
References
- American Pupil Help. (2021). How Gen Z approaches decision-making: Education and career.
- Astleitner, H., & Schlick, S. (2025). The social media use of college students: Exploring identity development, learning support, and parallel use. Lively Studying in Larger Schooling, 26(1), 231–254.
- Bonilla Quijada, M. del R., Perea Muñoz, E., Corrons, A., & Olmo-Arriaga, J.-L. (2022). Engaging students through social media: Findings for the top five universities in the world. Journal of Advertising and marketing for Larger Schooling, 32(2), 197–214.
- Brandão, A., & Ramos, Á. S. (2024). “Your comments boost my value!” The mediator role of emotional brand attachment between brand equity and social media engagement. Journal of Advertising and marketing for Larger Schooling, 34(2), 1220–1249.
- Brown, M., Pyle, C., & Ellison, N. B. (2022). “On my head about it”: College aspirations, social media participation, and community cultural wealth. Social Media + Society, 1–14.
- Capriotti, P., Oliveira, A., & Carretón, C. (2024). A model for assessing the active presence of institutions on social media: Application to universities worldwide. Journal of Advertising and marketing for Larger Schooling, 34(2), 1035–1055.
- Cingillioglu, I., Gal, U., & Prokhorov, A. (2024). Social media marketing for student recruitment: An algorithmically sequenced literature review. Journal of Advertising and marketing for Larger Schooling, 34(2), 1101–1123.
- Jones, S. A. (2023). Student perceptions of social media in the admissions process (Publication No. 543) [Doctoral dissertation, Abilene Christian University]. digital Commons @ ACU.
- Karadağ, H., Tosun, P., & Ayan, B. (2024). User-generated and brand-generated content as indicators of university brand personality and business strategy. Journal of Advertising and marketing for Larger Schooling, 34(2), 646–668.
- Pew Analysis Middle. (2024, December 12). Teens, social media and technology 2024.
- Ruffalo Noel Levitz. (2025). 2025 marketing and recruitment practices report for undergraduate students. Ruffalo Noel Levitz.
- Ruffalo Noel Levitz, Halda, & Trendy Campus. (2025). 2025 E-Expectations trend report. Ruffalo Noel Levitz.
- Wohn, D. Y., Ellison, N. B., Khan, M. L., Fewins-Bliss, R., & Grey, R. (2013). The role of social media in shaping first-generation high school students’ college aspirations: A social capital lens. Computer systems & Schooling, 63, 424–436.
