Annually, Eduventures reviews the best communicators of the year according to students who participate in our Student Sentiment Research™. This year, we are highlighting a rising star that is not a specific institution, but rather a communication channel that has gained prominence in college search over the past years.

Social media is gaining traction, not only in student search behavior but also in student comments about specific institutions that impressed them. Clearly, some institutions have become highly effective social media communicators. What is working for them? 

Shifting Tides 

Every year, our Student Sentiment Research asks students to tell us whether they recall a school whose communications stood out and made them want to learn more. Additionally, we are curious to learn which schools impressed them, what it was that stood out, and through which channel the memorable communication was received.  

In previous years, the top channels students mentioned are those that institutions have traditionally relied on the most in recruitment communications with prospects (email and print) and one of the core information sources for college-bound students (the institutional website). Historically, schools that focused their initial campaigns on this “recruitment trifecta” were able to reach most of their addressable markets. 

But times are changing. Students have diversified their college search channels to include more digital sources, especially social platforms. This shift in channel preference has an impact on the type of outreach students notice and like. We can see this shift in Figure 1. 

Figure 1.

In just a short span of two years – from 2022 to 2024 – the proportion of students who said a school’s social presence stood out to them increased by 14%. And this significant increase has come at the cost of student impressions of print and email outreach (down 7% and 5%, respectively).  

Impressions of institutional websites, on the other hand, have managed to hold steady in both years. Interestingly, the decrease appears to affect channels through which institutions actively reach out to students as opposed to more “passive” channels that students tend to find on their own (or through the active outreach). 

But what is it that impressed students about a school’s social media posts? Below are three themes that emerged from the open-ended comments: 

• Community and inclusivity. Several comments appreciate the sense of community and inclusiveness depicted in the posts. Students were impressed with the supportive and friendly environment that the schools seem to foster. Comments include: “They are active on their social media and make everything and everyone look like one big family there.” 
• Authenticity and student voice. Positive feedback is given for the inclusion of real student testimonials and the authentic representation of student experiences, such as: “I enjoyed how interactive it was, and how they had students actively participate in showing what student and campus life was like, as well as events.” 
• Information and transparency. There is also appreciation for clear and detailed information provided about the schools’ programs, costs, and overall experience. Many find the straightforwardness and transparency in communication helpful: “(I liked) the honesty and clarity about costs and information on study-abroad programs.” 

In summary, students prefer social media posts that portray an inclusive and vibrant campus community in an authentic and interactive way. Student representation is appreciated and enhances the sense of authenticity. But it’s not all about the fun. Some students value institutions that proactively provide key information prospects seek – and often must search for – such as cost of attendance. The latter is important as more students use social platforms like YouTube as search engines. 

Notable Mentions 

Lastly, readers may be eager to learn which institutions managed to impress students with their social presence. Here are three institutions that were frequently mentioned by students. They were proportionally more often lauded for their social media presence than other institutions: 

University of Miami 

University of Miami was praised for displaying a lively and diverse campus atmosphere (see Screenshot 1 below). But it also stood out for its short how-to videos on a range of application topics from crafting an application essay to test-optional policies (see Screenshot 2 below). This support helped students navigate an often confusing and stressful process and may be especially beneficial to first-generation students.