Social Media - Think Before You Post

Stories abound of students and even teachers sharing inappropriate items on social media. One would hope students who are about to apply to colleges and be evaluated by admission officers would know better. The truth is that the vast majority of high school students are very responsible about their social media presence, and we only hear about the foolish ones whose mistakes live on as lessons for others.

A big question most parents ask is whether or not colleges are fishing in the social media waters. Are colleges and universities proactively seeking out information on prospective applicants or not?

Recent research from Kaplan Test Prep, a survey of nearly 400 admissions officers, demonstrates that “the percentage of admission officers who visit applicants’ social media pages to learn more about them has hit a record high of 40% — quadruple the percentage who did so in 2008,” when Kaplan first explored this issue. Further research also identified that only 11% of admission officers do it “often.” Googling an applicant to learn more about them has remained relatively stable over the past two years, at 29 percent.

Why are colleges looking? It’s interesting to note that what triggers admission officers to look beyond the traditional elements of the application (GPA, standardized test scores, extra curriculars) and turn to Google and Facebook are both positive and negative factors. Contributing factors include:

Special talents - Students who are musicians, writers or performing artists will often invite admission officers to view their social media presence in their applications. According to Kaplan’s research, 42% of admission officers reported an increase in such invitations compared to two years ago.

Award verification - There is no formal “fact-checking” process when students submit their applications. Colleges generally take at face-value whatever honors students list and the time commitments and leadership roles students state in their extracurricular activities and work experiences. However, a mention of a particularly distinguished award will sometimes trigger a search.

Negative stuff - Some admission officers say that if an applicant mentions he or she has a criminal background or a record of disciplinary action, they will do some online digging to get more details.

Scholarship applications - Students applying for special scholarships can come under greater scrutiny, as schools want to ensure those receiving the scholarships are fully deserving; extra due diligence can come in the form of online checking.

The worst reason a student’s social media presence may be viewed is referred to as “Admissions Sabotage.” The ugly truth is that college admissions officers are occasionally anonymously alerted to social media postings by students or parents who are trying to sabotage another student’s chance of being accepted, presumably with the hope that they will instead be accepted. Admission officers will typically follow-up to verify any accusations.
What’s the take-away for high school students? Clean up your current social media profile before you begin the application process and think before you post.