Colleges That Use ZeeMee: A Guide to the App

Padya Paramita

December 5, 2019

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!