15 Aug How to Use Social Media to Help, Not Hurt, Your College Admission

Social media emerged as a way for you to connect with your friends and have fun. However, over time, these websites have collected a lot of personal information about you, most of which you probably have offered.

As a result, colleges (and employers) often turn to social media to help them make decisions about people. Back in 2018, a survey found 68% of college admissions officers thought social media was “fair game” when it comes to looking at the social media profiles of school applicants. It’s undoubtedly certain this figure will only increase.

This means you’ll want to be careful about what you post on social media if you want to impress the schools you’re applying to. Here are our tips on how to use social media to help, not hurt, your college admission efforts.

Clean Up Your Profile

Go through your accounts and clear off any unflattering photos, profanity, illegal activity (don’t forget drinking!), posts demonstrating intolerance for others, or anything else that might be deemed offensive by admissions officers. Using privacy settings can help, but keep in mind these aren’t foolproof.

Even if you have strong feelings regarding politics or other events, avoid high controversy and stay out of any flame wars or heated arguments.  Also, remember to eliminate any “likes” or other comments you make on other people’s posts that might paint you in a bad light.

Avoid Saying Too Much About Schools

It’s natural to want to talk about what is often a stressful process when applying to colleges. When doing so, be very careful about what you say about other schools. Even if you don’t care if you get into a specific school or not, admissions representatives will take notice of any negativity or disparagement.

On the other hand, posting gushing posts about one specific school you have your heart on can also dash your chances of acceptance because schools may think you don’t have a high interest in them. The best thing to do is to be balanced in your conversations about the college application process.

Highlight Community Participation

When posting about things you’re passionate about, stay away from the political aspect of issues and instead focus on community involvement. For instance, talk about ways things can be made better, what you’re doing to help a specific cause, or any other positivity you can display. Post photos of volunteer events, school clubs, or other ways you’re actively involved in things you care about.

Contact Accolade Financial

The bottom line is that you want to present your best when applying to colleges. Use social media to help, not hurt, your chances of getting into the schools you want. Academics and extracurriculars will only take you so far. Today’s admissions officers want to accept students that are a good fit for their community.

At Accolade Financial, we take pride in helping students and their families identify the right college to pursue their degrees. To learn more about how we can help you ready yourself (or your student) for college, schedule an appointment today.