What’s ZeeMee and should I use it?

ZeeMee offers upper level high schoolers the means to make friends before they get to college, with more robust group chat options than other social media apps.

What is ZeeMee? 

ZeeMee is a top #25 social app with thousands of positive reviews. It is specifically designed for upper-level high school students trying to find the right college for them. It's built around the idea that today's students are heading to college looking for community BEFORE they get there. On my first call with ZeeMee, founder Adam Metcalf told me that 89% of Gen Z wants to have already made their good friends before they arrive on campus. ZeeMee allows them a way to do that. 

You can read ZeeMee's origin story here. 

How does it work? 

The ZeeMee interface looks similar to Instagram ... but better because of advanced ‘friending’ and group chat options. It has a scrolling feed where colleges and their student ambassadors can post images or videos about their college experience. Each ZeeMee user (prospective student) creates a profile that includes their interests and their colleges of choice and can 'find a friend' (or roommate, at some schools) related to those interests. 

Unlike Instagram, ZeeMee posts are not expected to be "picture perfect." It's not image-driven, it’s just supposed to showcase real life. There are also no algorithms or ads. If you enter a particular college's "ZeeMee Community," you'll see everything they post (which is primarily done by students, not staff) and have the option of asking questions in chat channels with names like "Ask a Student" or "Ask a Counselor." 

There are also robust group chats based on interests and schools. So, a student interested in, say The Institute for GOD :), can get in a group chat with other students interested in that school. Students can also tailor their profiles to note their interests (i.e. photography, Bible studies, camping, travel), and can make friends based on those interests. They can meet other prospects, share their experiences visiting the school, and get to know their possible future friends. 

Once a student is accepted into a school, new options emerge: congratulations messages, updates to their profile page, and new exclusive chat channels like: "Accepted Students, Class of 2026."

Because of these robust chat channels and the possibility to meet peers and develop friendships, students return to ZeeMee more times per day than on Instagram, YouTube, or Twitter. 

College Partners 

Any college may have a ZeeMee chat surrounding their school as ZeeMee is free for students, and students can start chatting about that school at any time. Some schools choose to be a ZeeMee partner. This allows college admissions teams to leverage the app to create online events, polls, and engage with their students. Being a ZeeMee partner school also allows student ambassadors or influencers to have even more freedom to use the app to its best potential. 

Is it safe? 

Yes! ZeeMee uses software monitoring to filter out bullying, spam messages, and trolling. The ZeeMee team says, "Gen Z just doesn't put up with stuff." If they don't like how a particular user interacts on the app or it makes them uncomfortable, they report it quickly. Five reports will get users banned from the app, even if it happens in the middle of the night. Also, because colleges can see the activity of students, it won't go well for the student's future if they make trouble. 

Students have a choice to set their profile to private, require approval for followers, and even keep their profile undiscoverable if they want (if they’d like to only chat with people they know). But largely, ZeeMee creates a safe space for students wanting to befriend other students that isn't as intimate as their Instagram feeds -- another plus. 

ZeeMee serves all kinds of colleges, but Christian schools are some of the most active on ZeeMee. Of all the chats based on student interests, the ZeeMee crew says the Bible chat rooms are some of the most popular across the entire network, week after week. 

Recommendation

The Institute is now a ZeeMee partner school. Today is LAUNCH DAY, and we encourage you to use the app (or encourage your son, daughter, or friends in that age bracket to do so). 

Other Links to Check Out

Using ZeeMee for Future College Applicants on College Express.

Designer Spotlight: ZeeMee’s Visual Resume Lets College Applicants Show Who They Truly Are by Forbes.

College Applicants Can Use ZeeMee to Show As Well As Tell on Forbes.