Instagram has introduced a new ‘Add School’ feature to its social networking tools that lets students add their institution or university directly to their profile. The feature makes it easier to identify classmates, connect with friends and form online communities on campus. Initially rolled out in the US, this change marks Instagram’s attempt to make the platform more community-focused among students. This also feels like a throwback to Facebook’s initial days when it started as a college networking site before going global.
Previously, Instagram profiles didn’t have a specific textbox to show a user’s academic connection. Some students used to manually add their college or university to their bio, but the new ‘Add School’ feature on Instagram makes it official by letting students show their school as a banner on their profile after it has been verified. The idea is to give them an easier way to connect with other students from the campus.
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How to Add Your College to Instagram Profile
When users hit the ‘Add School’ button on their profile, Instagram asks them to use UNiDAYS, a well-known student verification site, to prove that they are students. Once verified, the selected college or university appears as a banner on the profile.
Students can also choose who can view this information. For example, they can opt to let all Instagram users see it or just their followers or other verified students. An Instagram campus directory that includes other confirmed students from the same school is also available to verified students. Users can use filters like graduation year to narrow down their search in the campus directory, making it easier to find classmates or peers from the same cohort. When finished, students can follow and chat with each other on Instagram app by simply tapping on other student profiles in the directory.
Other social media sites are already doing the same thing. For example, TikTok has added a ‘Campus Verification’ service that lets students connect with other students who go to the same school. It looks like both firms are trying to meet the needs of younger users who want to network in a way that replicates real-life ties, either by region or community.
Why This Is Important for Students
Instagram’s new function is meant to help people connect with each other in person and online. It can be scary to start college or move to a new campus, but features like these let students find classmates, make study groups, and stay up to date on campus events without having to leave the app they use every day.
Adding a verified college affiliation to an Instagram profile gives users more social context and improves student networking. Students can make connections more quickly, whether they are freshmen looking for buddies or seniors reuniting before graduation.
Privacy and Optional Use
The UNiDAYS verification step ensures that only confirmed students can access the campus directory. It makes sure that only real students are listed in the directory and also limits people who can see it. Besides, the ‘Add School’ feature remains optional. So, users who don’t want to show they go to school or which school they are attending can simply skip this step.
However, early reports from users show that not everyone sees the choice right away. Some students have also faced trouble in adding their university because of rollout challenges. This indicates that Instagram is still working on making the feature available in more places.
What This Means For Instagram’s Future
Instagram’s new ‘Add School’ feature is part of a larger social media trend toward features that focus on communities and encourage interaction. The site is adding a more organised and social layer to the familiar photo-sharing experience by letting verified students from the same campus connect on Instagram.
The Add College/University option can also help students make connections and keep track of their campus life in a digital yearbook. For Instagram, it’s a step toward making connections that matter instead of just pushing people to keep scrolling. This change could change the way young people engage and meet new individuals in their social circles.
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