In-school media is becoming a standard part of enrollment strategy for higher-ed.
76%
of students surveyed nationwide reported seeing in-school media.
Encoura, 2026 College Planning Report
Why the school day matters
Every other marketing channel is optional. Attendance is not.
Every marketing strategy competes for a student's attention. In-school media starts with something far more reliable: their presence.
01
Guaranteed Reach
Reach the entire student body, not just the ones an algorithm can identify.
02
Repeated Exposure
Students see your messages every day, multiple times per day, in between classes.
03
Trusted Environment
Your message appears inside schools, an environment that students already trust.
The industry's driving force
NextGrad has built the platform that will define in-school media
The network. The trust. The execution. The standard.
Testimonials
Hear from our valued college partners
"NextGrad is a great value for us because students have to walk by our ads every day on their way to class. It's such a captive audience."
Mike Lockrem
"NextGrad is my most efficient advertising spend because I know my entire target market will be in school seeing my ads."
Nikki Koontz
Case Study
How Houston Christian University increased applications with NextGrad
Challenge
Houston Christian University needed to spread awareness of it's new Guaranteed Admissions Program (GAP) to students in the Houston area.
Solution
Houston Christian University utilized the NextGrad platform to run GAP-specific creative in 55 schools across Harris and Fort Bend counties.
Results
Houston Christian University saw a year-over-year increase in applications from 82% of the targeted high schools (some exceeding 200% more apps).
Products
Kiosks
Posters
Simple to launch
Live in as little as 24 hours
Select Your Markets
Choose the states, cities, or individual schools where you want to build presence.
Choose Your Duration
Run campaigns monthly, seasonally, or throughout the school year.
Share Your Message
Launch with the same creatives running on your digital campaigns.
HOW IT WORKS
In-school media changes enrollment economics.
In-school media creates demand upstream
In-school media drives students into the enrollment funnel long before traditional digital channels begin competing for attention — with 56% of students reporting they directly searched for colleges featured in in-school media.
This positions your institution earlier in the decision-making process, creating repeated visibility inside the environments where students spend their day.
College rep visits become more effective
Students engage differently with representatives when familiarity already exists.
In-school media creates awareness before the visit happens, allowing conversations to begin with recognition, interest, and context already in place — increasing engagement during in-person interactions.
Digital marketing becomes conversion-focused
Moving demand generation upstream makes digital marketing significantly more efficient by optimizing digital channels for conversion, not discovery.
Instead of introducing your institution for the first time, digital campaigns can focus on converting students who are already actively engaging with your brand.
In-school media (out-of-home) increases digital engagement among the students reached.
+44%
Online search inqueries
+38%
Direct website visits
+30%
Social media traffic
OAAA & The Harris Poll, The Effectiveness of Digital OOH Advertising, April 2024
Increase student engagement market by market or scale campaigns across our nationwide network.
Spots on our network are limited. Reserve yours today.
In-school media has arrived
Marketing infrastructure built for higher-ed
Enrollment marketing has spent decades trying to reach students everywhere except the one place they're at every day: their school. NextGrad brings your institution inside the halls, through a nationwide network of digital screens and posters.
In-school media is already a standard part of enrollment marketing
Students are noticing it. Colleges are investing in it. In-school media is reshaping how institutions across North America reach future students.
76%
have seen in-school media
More than three in four students surveyed nationwide reported seeing in-school media, showing that the channel already reaches students at meaningful scale.
56%
have searched afterwards
More than half of students who saw in-school media later searched for a featured college, showing how in-school exposure can amplify the digital channels students use next.
Every other marketing channel is optional. School attendance isn't.
Every marketing strategy competes for a student's attention. In-school media starts with something far more reliable: their presence.
01
Guaranteed reach
Every student who attends school will pass in-school media, giving your institution unrivaled access to nearly every student.
02
Repeated exposure
Students spend nearly two hundred days each year in school. Repeated exposure is a reliable way to build familiarity with your institution.
03
Trusted environment
Students trust the messages that are posted in their school, giving your institution and its message instant credibility.
04
Nearby guidance
Students can immediately discuss your message with a counselor, quickly turning awareness into informed consideration.
The industry's driving force
NextGrad has built the platform that will define in-school media
The network. The trust. The execution. The standard.
Testimonials
Hear from our valued college partners
“NextGrad is a great value for us because
students have to walk by our ads every
day on their way to class.”
Mike Lockrem
“NextGrad is my most efficient advertising
spend because I know my entire target
market will be in school seeing my ads.”
Nikki Koontz
Case Study
How Houston Christian University increased applications with NextGrad
Challenge
Houston Christian University needed to spread awareness of it's new Guaranteed Admissions Program (GAP) to students in the Houston area.
Solution
Houston Christian University utilized the NextGrad platform to run GAP-specific content in 55 schools across Harris and Fort Bend counties.
Results
Houston Christian University saw a year-over-year increase in applications from 82% of the targeted high schools (some schools exceeded 200% more applications).
Products
Kiosks Posters
Ready to get started?
01
Select your markets
NextGrad is available in every state and province across the United States and Canada.
02
Choose your duration
NextGrad is available in monthly, quarterly, or annual buys during the school year.
03
Share your message
Launch in as little as 24 hours from the time you provide us with artwork.
No distractions. No algorithms. Just your target audience.
No distractions. No algorithms. Just your target audience.
In-school media can't be skipped, because it isn't competing for attention. Students don't scroll past it, they pass through it. Your brand becomes part of their daily environment.
In-school media can't be skipped, because it isn't competing for attention. Students don't scroll past it, they pass through it. Your brand becomes part of their daily environment.
Learn more
The enrollment funnel starts inside schools
NextGrad pioneered in-school media, forever changing the economics of enrollment marketing.
Students start discovering colleges and universities while at school.
When brand awareness happens through in-school media, all other forms of enrollment marketing can focus on moving students down the funnel instead of bringing them into the funnel.
Students are more likely to attend and engage college reps during visits.
Students are already familiar with your college, making representative visits more productive and meaningful.
Students are more likely to act on call-to-actions from digital campaigns.
With awareness already established inside schools, digital campaigns can focus on converting interested students instead of introducing the institution for the first time.
Customer Story
Why Houston Christian University utilized NextGrad to drive enrollment in a new program.
Learn more
Industry Report
Learn how today's high school students navigate the college enrollment process.