life skills
teens and tech
27 % of admissions
officers surveyed said they
Google prospective students.
26 % said they look
up applicants on
Facebook.
e Clark
By Kati
Your friends are not the only ones looking at
your social media! Up to 27% of college
counselors said they look at a prospective
student’s pages to get a better idea of the kind
of students are applying to their school, and
that number grows every year. Here are some
Do’s and Don’ts if you want to pass the
#SocialMediaTest.
What they want to see:
#Volunteering – Colleges want the best and the brightest,
but also the most responsible. Volunteer work shows that you’re
more than just a GPA.
And what they don’t:
#Partying/Wild behavior – The infamous red Solo cup
can kill your chances faster than you can say “party on”. Delete
embarrassing photos off your profile, and un-tag yourself from
other people’s unflattering posts.
#Extreme amounts of negativity – You may think posting angry political rants or diatribes against your English teacher
wouldn’t be a big deal, but colleges and future employers both
would prefer a people person, so it’s best to eliminate tirades.
#Crude Humor – Nudity or crudity can give the wrong
impression fast. Experts recommend you use the “grandparent”
test. If you wouldn’t show your grandmother, then you don’t
want a college representative to see it.
#Links to Relevant Articles – If you already know what
field you want to be in, posts about new breakthroughs or
research can set you apart as someone who is already keeping up
with the latest and greatest.
#Frequent Updates – A well maintained blog or Facebook
page gives them a fuller picture of you than a resume. Keeping
things up-to-date also shows long-term responsibility.
35%
said that when checking up on a
student’s online presence, they found something
that negatively impacted an applicant’s chances
of getting in, nearly tripling from 12% last year.
#Many Followers – Colleges (and future employers!) love
trendsetters. If your blog has hundreds of followers, it shows you
know how to create and maintain an online presence.
Source: www.ivywise.com/ivywise-knowledgebase/newsletter/article/social-media-presence-and-admissions/
L16 |
Fall 2016
www.potentialmagazine.com