Undergraduate College Admission Office
It’s your senior year and you are touring colleges, submitting applications, and dreaming about the future! You are enjoying seeing your friends post about the college they have chosen! Have you considered that with your application comes your Facebook profile? Are your Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram accounts college admissions ready? Students are now not only having to worry about raising their ACT score but also creating an online presence that meets the approval of their Admission Counselor. Social Media has become a controversial topic within higher education. Let’s take a look at why that is.
Does my Admission Counselor really care about my Instagram page?
According to Inside Higher Ed (2018), “Asked if colleges should check the social media accounts of applicants, only a small minority agreed, but on this question, the responses were close among public (15 percent) and private (14 percent).” The issue with this is that although some may take this into consideration, are they doing so for every applicant? If Admission Offices are going to take online profiles such as Facebook and Twitter into account they need to do this for every applicant and not only a select few. Inside Higher Ed (2018) states, “Larger shares of admissions leaders say that, even if the institutions don’t check regularly if they learn about bigotry posted on social media by applicants, they should factor that into admissions decisions.” If every student is required to submit a standardized test score, official high school transcript, and an essay for an admission decision it should also be true viewing their Facebook profile should be for all applicants or excluded completely.
Consider the Consequences
Online College Application
Students need to consider the consequences of what is posted on their social media profiles when today college Admission Counselors do have access to these platforms. According to HUFFPOST (2017), “Some 35% of college admissions officers now check applicants’ social media pages, compared to just 10% of officers in 2008, according to Kaplan Test Prep’s 2017 survey of 365 college admissions officers.” As a senior, you now not only have to worry about your GPA and standardized test score but your online presence. HUFFPOST (2017) writes, “When students don’t use good judgment, the consequences are dire.”
I am Accepted, What’s Next?
For high school students, this is something you have to worry about even after you have been accepted to your dream school. According to U.S. News & World Report (2017), “According to the release, officers that did check social media and saw negative posts – including the brandishing of weapons and “questionable language” – sometimes rescinded offers or became hesitant in accepting students.” You think you are safe after seeing the acceptance letter when that may not be the case. Students need to continue to be aware of their online presence and what they are posting. If students feel what they are posting is inappropriate chances are your Admission Counselor may feel the same.
Are you a senior and applying to your dream school? Be sure to check out these great insights on Social Media and College Admissions from CBS News (2014):