GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – If you can’t beat them, join them. UW-Green Bay officials say so many students are using cell phones, that it is a good way to reach out them now.
UW-Green Bay is using Instagram to send acceptance letters.
Walk around the campus and you’ll likely see students on their cellphones.
“I like texting,” said Gabi Van Beek. “A lot.”
Student Hannah Behnke says it’s the best way to reach her.
“Whenever I’m not in class, it’s just like a habit now to just go on Instagram or Snapchat or something else.”
It’s no secret teens use smartphones often and UWGB plan to increase engagement with prospective students.
A couple of years ago the university used social media app Snapchat to let students know they’ve been admitted.
This time around the university will use Instagram.
“We’ll check and see if they’ve been accepted. They’ll receive an Instagram message more or less. It’s similar to, you can put an image, you can put text over it, and then you can send it to different individuals,” said Jena Richter Landers, UW-Green Bay social media coordinator.
As for current students, most say they like the idea.
“I think it’s kinda cool. I’m definitely on Instagram a lot more,” Behnke said.
“I think it’s a cool way to like find out that you’re accepted because a lot of people use Instagram,” said Marissa Mertens.
Others like Van Beek say it takes away some of the fun.
“I think it’s kinda cool but I like it, kinda, in the mail because then you can like take a picture with it and then post it on Instagram,” Van Beek said.
Students have to provide their Instagram account name ahead of time.
“They’re going to be able to share that moment with their friends and I think it’s going to really enhance that emotional acceptance moment and make it really fun for them,” Richter Landers said.
Out of all four of UWGB’s campuses, so far 30 students have asked for an admission notification through their Instagram accounts.
Admission notifications start Saturday.
The school will still use e-mail and the U.S. Postal Service to send acceptance letters to students.
