As a college applicant, it’s important to reflect on your internet presence and determine what it says about you. Especially when it comes to social media. After all, social media can be very telling of a person’s interests, passions, and values. For that reason, social media is often reviewed during the college application process.
Social media for students can be a powerful tool. One that can either help or harm your college applications. This is why it’s crucial to learn about social media etiquette for students. Thankfully, there are lots of tips and guidelines to help transform your social media accounts into something you can be proud of.
Do colleges look at social media?
So, do colleges check social media? According to a survey conducted by Kaplan Test Prep in 2018, 68% of college admissions officers think it’s “fair game” to look at applicants’ social media accounts but only a third routinely do so.
Why do colleges look at your social media? Social media can be very telling of a person’s values, interests, and personality. It can also give colleges another perspective on an applicant. In short, social media has the potential to both help and harm applicants’ chances of acceptance. This is why social media etiquette for students is so important.
If you’re a high school freshman or sophomore wondering When To Start Planning For College, get in the habit of monitoring your social media accounts early. This will only help you in the long run!
Social media guidelines for students
In this article, we will review social media rules for students. We will also share tips on how to use social media to your advantage during the college application process.
What to avoid on social media
There are a few social media rules for students college applicants should keep in mind. First, don’t post evidence of illegal activities, including drug and alcohol use. Second, don’t post hateful, discriminatory, or offensive content. These are good rules to follow in general. After all, college admissions officers aren’t the only ones who might be interested in your online presence. Employers routinely look into applicants’ social media accounts as well.
As you evaluate your online presence and social media accounts, ask yourself the following questions:
Now that you’ve asked yourself these preliminary questions, it’s time to evaluate your social media presence more thoroughly. While your actual posts will be the easiest to search, you’ll also want to keep an eye on:
Tips for making a good first impression on social media
Social media awareness for students helps applicants determine what is and is not appropriate to post online. Now that we’ve discussed some things to avoid, here are a few tips to make sure you’re on track to creating a positive and professional online presence:
Using social media to your advantage
Social media doesn’t have to be a bad thing. Before you go ahead and make all of your social media accounts private, it’s important to realize there are social media benefits to students as well. Now, let’s take a closer look at how to use social media to your advantage during the admissions process:
Key takeaways and moving forward
College admissions are incredibly competitive. This is why admissions officers are looking for any reason to tip the scale one way or the other. Give them a reason to tip the scale in your favor by creating a positive social media presence. Highlight your interests, passions, and accomplishments. Rather than worry about social media hurting your chances of getting into college, transform your accounts into something positive!
If you need help navigating your college applications, reach out to learn more about how Prepory and its team of experts can help. In the meantime, check out our articles: How to Prepare for SAT or ACT Test Day and How To Get Into University of Pennsylvania.
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