Can a reel or a meme swing an applicant’s college choice?
As a new academic year approaches, Mumbai colleges are resorting to social media-driven outreach to connect with Gen Z aspirants, moving away from the traditional prospectuses and merit lists.
Institutes in Mumbai and surrounding regions are increasingly using reels, meme-style content and student-led storytelling to present campus life, as informal social pages and viral stereotypes shape perceptions stronger than official communication. Admissions, once explained through detailed brochures, are now being distilled into short-form, visually engaging content.
At Vivekanand Education Society, for instance, a recent reel takes a distinctly grounded approach. Instead of high-energy edits, it delivers a motivational message centred on effort and self-improvement, contrasting superficial filters with the idea of building a future through discipline. The messaging positions the college not merely as a campus, but as a space for growth.
This sits alongside everyday campus glimpses – classrooms, corridors and student interactions allowing aspirants to visualise themselves within that environment.
Lifestyle focus
Podar World College adopts a similarly contemporary approach, focusing on student journeys and outcomes. Its reels feature toppers and current students speaking about their experiences, offering clarity on academic pathways while also highlighting campus life and exposure.
NMIMS has leaned into narrative-driven storytelling, presenting education through the lens of opportunities and transformation, while HR College’s content blends institutional updates with visually engaging, lifestyle-oriented posts that resonate with younger audiences.
Alongside official outreach, there are also student-led pages. Pages like SSG Xaviers have emerged as influential platforms, showcasing festivals, peer interactions and campus culture. In many cases, such content travels better than formal communication, shaping first impressions for aspirants.
Educators say the shift reflects changing expectations rather than a dilution of academic focus. “Students today want to understand not just what they will study, but the environment they will be part of and what the campus offers beyond academics,” said a Mumbai-based academic counsellor. “Digital platforms are simply meeting that need.”
Dr Neha Jagtiani, principal, RD and SH National College, said institutions are consciously adapting. “We are offering a glimpse into our campuses – our festivals, conclaves and overall student experience. Influencers are increasingly shaping student choices, and we are seeing more outstation students who have followed such content before applying. Earlier, students relied on prospectuses and rankings; today, reels and social media posts have become key touchpoints. It is a more holistic way of evaluating colleges,” she said.
Fests as hooks
College festivals have also taken on a new role, with visual snippets of performances and events circulating widely online, helping institutions showcase their vibrancy to a wider audience. For many students, these glimpses create familiarity even before stepping onto campus.
At its core, the transition reflects how Gen Z consumes information visually, quickly and through peer-driven content. As colleges adapt, the challenge will be to balance storytelling with substance, ensuring that while formats evolve, the foundation of education continues to remain at the forefront.
Pooja Gupta, education content creator and founder of the Instagram and YouTube handles, Media Mentor, who has been creating and sharing a lot of informative videos on college admissions and campuses, said, “Social media posts, reels and even memes are now playing a significant role in how students approach admissions. Earlier, aspirants would go through college websites, look at faculty profiles or research the best teachers and courses. Today, they are looking for exposure and experience, and a large part of that understanding is coming from short-form content.”
A single reel of a college fest, a graduation ceremony at institutions like St Xavier’s, or even everyday campus moments canteens, classrooms, and student interactions can create a strong sense of aspiration, she said. “It builds a certain FOMO, and that, in turn, attracts students.”
This admission season, social media is clearly influencing admission decisions in a big way. At the same time, it is a double-edged sword. There are positive students openly sharing their admission journeys and experiences but there are also concerns around how content is curated and perceived. It is important that what is being presented is responsible and reflective of reality.
