Colleges That Use ZeeMee: A Guide to the App
While Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook are big parts of our everyday lives, a lot of high school students maximize privacy settings on their social media accounts throughout the admissions process. But if you’re applying to one of the colleges that use ZeeMee, you can actually curate your account on this app to enhance your applications. Many schools such as WashU St. Louis, Carnegie Mellon, and Bucknell have adapted this app as part of their optional application components.
By allowing video posts, pictures, and text updates, ZeeMee provides you with the chance to express yourself in a setting that is less formal and more familiar than the rest of your college application elements. So then, you may be wondering how to use this platform appropriately and how to take advantage of this app to make a positive impression on admissions officers. I’ve outlined the basics of ZeeMee, the list of colleges that use ZeeMee, how to decide if you should share your ZeeMee link, and the ways to optimize your ZeeMee content to showcase your best self to your dream school.
What is ZeeMee?
ZeeMee is a social media platform created specifically to help college applicants add more personality in the form of videos, photos, text posts, and stories for admissions officers to see. Much like Instagram or Facebook, you can post different multimedia updates on your life. If you’re applying to one of the colleges that use ZeeMee, adding a link to your profile on the Common App or Coalition App can add more context for your application if your content is creative, original, and portrays you in an impressive light.
Taking advantage of ZeeMee is a beneficial way to add color to your application, especially important if you aren’t the strongest writer or your numbers aren’t too high. Videos are the main ways that students express themselves on ZeeMee. On the platform, you can add an introductory video, answer pre-set questions in the form of short videos, and upload other original content. You can include as many videos as you like – the app provides you with questions to get the ball rolling, but to go beyond what all your peers are doing, you can – and should – also record videos on any topic that uniquely interests you.
If you have a skill or hobby that you’re passionate about which doesn’t quite fit into the idea of an arts supplement, such as being able to recite all of the Harry Potter movies by heart or being an excellent skateboarder – your ZeeMee account is the place to upload the evidence. For example, if your arts supplement only features your dance videos but you’re also a talented guitar player, take advantage of ZeeMee.
The app includes an interface for you to contact admissions office employees (using formal language, of course) at the colleges that use ZeeMee in case you have any questions that cannot be answered by the school website. You can also view the profile of other prospective students and chat with them. This function is less formal, and similar to other chatting apps. Some people have even found their college roommate through ZeeMee!
How it Works
When you open the ZeeMee app, you have a variety of options in front of you to decide what you want to post. The home feed features posts from your friends or accounts you follow:
If you click the fourth icon at the bottom, you can go to your own profile. This gives you the option to upload your own posts.
When you click “post a video,” you’re given prompts to answer. You don’t have to stick to them, but here’s an idea of the questions you might be asked:
Once you post a video, you can edit the settings to ensure that your friends along with colleges that use ZeeMee can see the videos once they have your link.
Full List of Current Colleges That Use ZeeMee
Not all schools fall under the list of colleges that use ZeeMee. So, before you dedicate valuable time to curating your profile and adding impressive content, you need to go through the list of institutions and see if they overlap with your own choices. The following is the list of American colleges that let you add a ZeeMee link as a part of your college application:
- Alderson Broaddus University
- Allegheny College
- Andrews University
- Antioch College
- Aquinas College (Michigan)
- Assumption College
- Augusta University
- Augustana College
- Augustana University
- Azusa Pacific University
- Bard College (Berlin)
- Barry University
- Bay Path University
- Baylor University
- Belmont Abbey College
- Beloit College
- Benedict College
- Bentley University
- Bethany College (West Virginia)
- Bethel College (Indiana)
- Birmingham-Southern College
- Bishop’s University
- Bloomfield College
- Bowie State University
- Bradley University
- Brock University
- Bucknell University
- Cabrini University
- Caldwell University
- Calvin College
- Capital University
- Carnegie Mellon University
- Catawba College
- Cedar Crest College
- Centenary College of Louisiana
- Centenary University
- Central Baptist College
- Central Connecticut State University
- Central Wyoming College
- Chatham University
- Chicago State University
- Christian Brothers University
- Christopher Newport University
- Coker College
- Columbia College (Missouri)
- Cornell College (Iowa)
- Creighton University
- Crown College
- Delaware Valley University
- Dickinson College
- Drew University
- Drexel University
- Eastern Connecticut State University
- Eastern Mennonite University
- Elmira College
- Emerson College
- Ferrum College
- Florida Polytechnic University
- Fontbonne University
- Fresno Pacific University
- Furman University
- Georgia College
- Georgia Southern University
- Gospel for Asia School of Discipleship
- Hamilton College
- Hampden-Sydney College
- High Point University
- Hollins University
- Hood College
- Illinois Institute of Technology
- Immaculata University
- Jacksonville University
- John Carroll University
- Johnson State College
- Keuka College
- Knox College
- Lake Forest College
- Lawrence University
- Lebanon Valley College
- Lees-McRae College
- Loyola University Chicago
- Loyola University Maryland
- Loyola University New Orleans
- Lycoming College
- Lynchburg College
- Lynn University
- Manhattan School of Music
- Marian University Indianapolis
- Marist College
- Marquette University
- Marymount California University
- McMurry University
- Meredith College
- Millikin University
- Minerva Schools At KGI
- Montclair State University
- Moravian College
- Morehouse College
- Naropa University
- NEOMA Business School
- Neumann University
- Northland College
- Northwest Nazarene University
- Oglethorpe University
- Ohio Wesleyan University
- Oklahoma Christian University
- Oklahoma City University
- Our Lady of the Lake University
- Paul Smith’s College
- Philadelphia University
- Point Loma Nazarene University
- Point Park University
- Presbyterian College
- Quest University Canada
- Randolph-Macon College
- Roanoke College
- Robert Morris University (Pennsylvania)
- Rollins College
- Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
- Rosemont College
- Sacred Heart University
- Saint Anselm College
- Saint Joseph’s University
- Saint Leo University
- Saint Louis University
- Saint Mary’s College (Indiana)
- Salem College
- Samford University
- Shenandoah University
- Southern Methodist University
- Southern New Hampshire University
- Spelman College
- Spring Hill College
- St. Edward’s University
- Sterling College (Vermont)
- Stockton University
- Stony Brook University (SUNY)
- SUNY Potsdam
- Susquehanna University
- Sweet Briar College
- Taylor University
- Texas Christian University
- Texas Tech University
- The Catholic University of America
- The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art
- The University of Oklahoma
- The University of Southern Mississippi
- The University of Tampa
- The University of Tulsa
- Thiel College
- Towson University
- Trinity Christian College
- Trinity College
- Truman State University
- University of Dallas
- University of Delaware
- University of Denver
- University of Dubuque
- University of Hartford
- University of Mary Washington
- University of Redlands
- University of Rochester
- University of Saint Joseph
- University of San Diego
- University of the Ozarks
- University of the West
- University of Toledo
- University of West Alabama
- University of West Florida
- Utica College
- Valparaiso University
- Wabash College
- Wagner College
- Washington College
- Washington University in St. Louis
- Wayne State University
- Webb Institute
- Wells College
- Wesley College
- Western New England University
- Westminster College (Missouri)
- Whittier College
- Widener University
- Wilkes University
- Willamette University
- Wilson College
- Xavier University of Louisiana
You might be wondering where to include your link when it comes to colleges that use ZeeMee. The question is asked by the respective application portals. For example, as part of your questions in the Common Application, Bucknell includes this statement under the school-specific activities questions:
It’s not something you have to do, but if you’re proud of your content, you certainly should share it. If you have doubts whether your videos are appropriate or impressive, put some thought into whether or not the content in your ZeeMee is suitable for admissions officers’ eyes. While you shouldn’t curate your ZeeMee profile to look too perfect to the point where the content is inauthentic, don’t upload inappropriate photos or videos.
When Should You Share Your ZeeMee Link?
- If you have a talent that you’re excited about – While your videos could definitely depict your sense of humor and willingness to have fun, remember that you are sending them to colleges. You shouldn’t upload anything too crazy. The best way to utilize your ZeeMee account is to share videos and photos of what you do best. Your activities list might not have given you too much space to talk about your love for coding or participating in baking competitions so here’s your chance to do so. Make sure you highlight a hobby or skill you’re actually good at – you don’t want to waste admissions officers’ valuable time with mediocre piano playing clips.
- If you feel comfortable talking about yourself – If you’re someone who’s a natural on camera and can present yourself as a creative and well-spoken individual, you should submit a ZeeMee link. It’s best not to include videos where you’re stumbling through them. Colleges appreciate charismatic students who are strong presenters, so if this applies to you, take advantage of this video component.
- When it authentically represents who you are – Much like the rest of your application, you can plan a theme you want to portray and think about what you want colleges to know about you. At the same time, you have to be yourself, as cliché as it sounds. You shouldn’t misrepresent your interests or exaggerate aspects of your life in your essays or activities list, and you shouldn’t use ZeeMee videos that show yourself engaged in extracurriculars you actually don’t do. If you aren’t a karate blackbelt, there’s no need to pretend for colleges that use ZeeMee. Instead, think about activities you genuinely enjoy and how to portray them in unique ways.
- If you’re unable to interview – A good interview can help convince colleges that you’re a capable and committed candidate, as well as a strong fit for the school. However, due to location or scheduling conflicts, it might not always be possible for you to arrange a time with an alumnus or an admissions representative. This is when sharing your ZeeMee link can come in handy. If you’re unable to interview with one of the colleges that use ZeeMee, your content could be used to provide admissions officers with a better sense of who you are, what you enjoy, and how you can contribute to the campus community.
- If there’s a side of you that doesn’t come through in the rest of your application – A ZeeMee link can also be shared to discuss a talent that hasn’t come up in your personal statement, activities list, or supplemental questions. You might have run out of activities list slots or it might be a talent that doesn’t necessarily fit with the rest of your Common App. If you can name a thousand car models or perfectly know the choreography to 5 different Britney Spears songs, why not make videos of yourself showcasing these quirky but unique abilities!
How to Take Advantage of Your ZeeMee Account
So, if you meet any of the criteria above and have decided that the ZeeMee option is for you, it’s time to strategize. Follow our tips to make sure your ZeeMee content can help you distinguish yourself.
- Come up with original content – If you’re an individual who enjoys conceptualizing skits, comedy sketches, short films, or any other creative form of visual presentation, it’s time to make sure your videos showcase this side of you. A lot of students record their introduction videos simply in front of their bedroom wall and talking formally about every class they’ve taken or what activities they do. Go beyond the basic. Use voice overs to cover your activities and add soft background music where there’s silence. Avoid distracting backgrounds such as people moving around in the kitchen. But, keeping a pop of color in your shot when you’re talking, making your tone more engaging, and smiling a little can’t hurt.
- Right length – ZeeMee originally used to allow only 26 seconds per video but has since extended the limit to 4 minutes. That doesn’t mean that you should add multiple 4-minute videos throughout your profile. Admissions officers at colleges that use ZeeMee have very little time to go through your file. Make sure to get your point across in no longer than 2 to 2.5 minutes. Moreover, make sure that you upload no more than five or six videos – admissions officers don’t have a lot of time to sit and watch all of your content.
- Stay organized – One way to make sure your content appeals to admissions officers is to take advantage of ZeeMee’s playlist feature for your videos and photo album feature for your pictures. ZeeMee also allows you to organize your writing, photos, and videos under different themes or events such as “My Family Background” or “Marathon 2019.” Plan your material according to the different aspects you’ve included and make sure that they maintain some kind of order to help the admissions officers navigate your ZeeMee.
- Maintain quality – Colleges that use ZeeMee aren’t just thinking about what you post, but how you present your videos as well. While you don’t have to hire a film crew to show yourself playing a musical instrument just for the purposes of ZeeMee, the quality of your material still matters. No one expects Oscar-worthy extravagant videos. But you should still ensure that your camera quality isn’t grainy, pictures aren’t blurry, and audio isn’t distorted. Plus, write down what you’re going to say and go over the lines before recording. Don’t just film yourself stumbling in front of the camera in a dimly lit room. Think carefully about the quality of the lights, sound, and script.
- Don’t overload people with information – Make sure each of your videos are focused on one particular topic or aspect of your profile. But don’t put in a ton of videos about different topics. Admissions officers can get confused about what your primary interests are if you try to squeeze your basketball skills, sketching abilities, singing talent, and poetry writing all in one video.
If one of the colleges that use ZeeMee is high on your list, consider creating a profile and uploading media that can help set you apart. If used right, your ZeeMee profile might just make a lasting and positive impact on your admissions decision. Good luck!
