An admissions officer is weighing two applications for a particularly prestigious scholarship. Both have stellar ratings, are packed with extracurricular activities, and come with great recommendations. Seeking to differentiate the two, the officer turns her chair and accesses a vast information resource that is just a few clicks away: the world wide web.
The college admissions process is not immune to the growing reach of the Internet. Students are applying to the school through completely virtual means. Admissions offices use blogs and chat forums to communicate with prospective students and parents.
And the growing influence of social media has transformed Facebook and other similar sites from simple social outlets to powerful marketing forums.
As you face the college admissions process, it’s worth considering the ways in which Facebook and other social media outlets play a part in this process, and how you can make those outlets work for you.
A deal breaker?
Believe it or not, the contents of your Facebook page could influence the fateful question that April brings up: accepted or denied?
College admissions offices look at Facebook and other social media outlets when making some admissions decisions, according to a 2009 data report from the National Association of College Admissions Counselors.
Of the schools surveyed, 88% said that social media is “very important” or “somewhat important” to their overall admissions strategy. Significantly, 27% of these said they use search engines or social media to research prospective students.
Dr. Nora Ganim Barnes, an author on the study, said the use of Facebook in college admissions is primarily out of an abundance of caution.
On average, Barnes said, schools use the social media hub to research about 20-25% of applicants, most of whom are candidates for prestigious scholarships or high-demand programs.
If a school has to make a difficult decision, Barnes said, they are likely to seek information from a student’s online profile.
In this case, the main motivation is to avoid any embarrassment for the institution. Barnes noted that universities would not want to award a student a scholarship or prestigious position only to have indecent or even incriminating photos appear online.
While college admissions officers aren’t vetting the Facebook accounts of every student applying to their school, it’s certainly worth making sure your account stands up to scrutiny.
attitude changes
Barnes advises high school students to change the way they think about their online profiles.
Students, he said, “need to understand that people are watching and they won’t know who or when.”
“The time has come when your Facebook pages are really your online resumes.”
Just like your print resume, your Facebook page should present you at your best, showcasing your talents, passions, and accomplishments.
Students, Barnes said, need to stop thinking of social media as a photo album or a message board and start thinking of it as a “powerful tool that a lot of people are looking at.”
With that in mind, here’s a crash course in making your Facebook profile work for you.
Facebook 101
Clean and Simple…
- Do: Keep your information clear, concise and accessible. Remember that friends and strangers alike can read anything you put on your info page.
- Not– Use a profile name or cheesy email address. Chances are, some schools won’t want to admit someone whose Facebook name includes phrases like “2HOTT2handle” or “QTPie.” Just a thought.
- Do: Choose a stylish and appropriate profile photo. Maybe even show yourself playing a sport, volunteering, or performing.
- Not: Choose a profile photo that contains inappropriate gestures or references to drugs or alcohol.
A picture is worth a thousand words….
- Do: Post appropriate photos that show many different aspects of your personality. Consider posting photos or videos from your last day of volunteering or from your last sports games, along with those of your friends and family.
- Not: Post nasty or even incriminating photos. As fun as it is for you or your friends, a college admissions officer probably won’t want to see photographic evidence of that out-of-control party last weekend.
- Do: Remember that the “detag” function is there for a reason. If your friends post pictures you don’t want them to see you in, one click can remove those pictures from your profile.
The writing on the wall…
- Do– Remove any inappropriate posts from your wall. You can’t control what your friends put there, but you can certainly control whether it stays there or not. This is especially important for any excessive swearing or references to drinking and partying.
- Not: Fill your wall with the news of your latest Farmville acquisition or the announcement of which Disney princess you are most like. As fun as these quizzes are, they’re probably not the first thing you’d want a college admissions officer to see. Simply hiding these apps can remove a lot of clutter.
A second pair of eyes…
- Do: Ask a trusted adult to approve your profile. Barnes suggests that students recruit someone from their peer group to look at their Facebook profile and suggest any changes.
In Two Way Street….
- Do: Use the Facebook pages created by the universities that interest you. Barnes suggests that students get involved on a college’s Facebook page and any other social media outlets. These outlets, he said, can serve as a communication channel and can often translate into more personalized contacts who can provide guidance or advice.
By following these tips, you can make your Facebook an asset in the college admissions process, something that will impress a college admissions officer, should they decide to look at it.
Extend your resume online
In addition to polishing their Facebook pages, Barnes encouraged prospective students to develop a presence on other social media outlets and even promote that presence on their college applications.
An easy way to expand your online presence is to enter the burgeoning world of the blogosphere.
Barnes’ study suggests that blogs are becoming increasingly popular among college admissions offices. Of those surveyed, 33% currently blog on their admissions websites and 42% plan to blog in the near future.
College admissions offices have found that blogs can provide a more personalized view of the school, a benefit that can work just as well when students use blogs to showcase their own personalities.
Barnes suggests that students develop a blog of their own, noting that it’s a great way to make yourself visible and attractive in a Google search.
Consider starting your own blog to record different experiences in your life or even just your everyday thoughts. If you’re working on developing a community service project, blog about the experience, the work you put into it, and the results.
If your sports team is doing particularly well, chronicle your trip during the season. Blogs provide a free space to express your own individuality and promote your strengths and talents.
Barnes even suggests providing a link to your blog within your college application, noting that it will show both initiative and tech savvy. She likens this link to street signs, which tell admissions officers to look exactly where you want them to. If she directs admissions officers to her blog, she can further enhance and highlight the personality and talents she was seeking to showcase in her application.
By simply being intentional about your online presence, you can control and develop the image you present to colleges and even prospective employers.
As Barnes points out, “it’s time for high school students to take control of their social media.”
Social media can be as effective as you want. If you treat it simply as a photo album or a chat room, that’s all it will ever be. However, if you treat it as a resume and a marketing tool, it becomes a powerful asset not only in social and professional circles.
There is no denying that we live in an online age, so assert yourself online and use it to your advantage. Polish your image, hone your tech and creative talents, and use this new forum as yet another to wow the world about your talent.