The ever-expanding role of social media in college commitments

Sedona Sweginnis | Newsroom Manager & Head Editor 

April 3, 2026

As the role of social media continues to seep into nearly all aspects of modern life, the road to college has become drenched with its impact. Instagram in particular has become a forum for incoming college students to celebrate their acceptances, gain valuable information, and connect with their future class. From aiding the high school graduating class in making their final commitment decisions to assisting them in finding the people they will live with for their first year on campus, Instagram has worked its way to the forefront of the college decisions process. 

For high school seniors who have not yet made the final decision of where they will spend their years following graduation, social media can prove to be dual-edged, serving as both aid in making the final decision and pressure to choose quickly and choose a path that will not be ridiculed. During spring, Instagram feeds are flooded with various forms of commitment posts. While it can be exciting to celebrate the accomplishments of one’s peers, the steady stream of commitment after commitment to coveted or prestigious schools can often add to the pressure to make a decision while also inciting additional concerns of how people will perceive one’s final choice. 

However, social media does not always add to the pressure and can even help ease some of the burden by allowing prospective students to connect with their options on a deeper level, allowing them to make a more informed decision of where they truly want to go. Catherine Golles, a currently uncommitted senior at SCHS, explained her positive experience with social media in helping her go through the commitment process as a more informed individual. Golles noted that she recently attended “an admitted students day for PLNU,” (Point Loma Nazarene University), where she met other prospective students from around the country with whom she can now “stay connected and communicate” through social media. Golles described this positive experience, grateful for the fact that “social media has made it easier to stay connected with the people” she met on campus, guiding her as she navigates towards a final decision.  

Perhaps the most consequential form of social media in the college decisions process, third-party Instagram accounts post pictures and bios sent in by committed students, creating a sort of directory of the incoming class. These accounts help incoming freshmen to connect with each other, and they, most notably, are the way that a majority of students choose their roommates. While many schools still have simple roommate lotteries based on a few simple questions, most students are opting to forgo the random lottery by hand-picking their roommates off of these Instagram pages.

Senior Jenna Sinden, who just committed to University of Oklahoma for nursing, described that “going through the class of 2030 pages” as “overwhelming,” as there are “so many people,” but “also so fun!” Sinden elaborated that students feel immense pressure when looking through the posts because “the girls you pick are your family and life for at least the next year,” contributing to the stress, and the excitement, of committing. Furthermore, Sinden provided insight into how she valued “roommates, the culture, and vibe of the students” when selecting her home for the next four years, leading her to consult the various social media pages associated with her top choices to make her decision of Oklahoma, where she is excited to learn, grow, and have fun with “like-minded people.” 

Although selecting roommates rather than opting for a randomly assigned one gives students increased autonomy and the chance to ensure that they will be living with people with similar habits, likes, and values, the short bios that are often strikingly similar to one another are very difficult to distinguish between, leading most students to select who to DM about the possibility of rooming together based almost entirely on looks. With nearly every bio citing a love for going out or a night in and other similar phrases, photos are the main distinction between each commit. 

This can create an odd, dating app-style method of searching for roommates based on appearance and whatever small aspect of their bio differs from the masses; however, with some searching, many are able to truly find someone who aligns with their values and hopes for living, helping them select the perfect match for their first year away from home. 

Overall, the ever-expanding influence of social media has greatly influenced the college commitment process, especially the way in which students find their roommates, providing the incoming freshmen with increased autonomy over their living situation while also contributing to the stress of the college commitment process.