Colleges like San Francisco Bay University closely vet applicants to ensure they are admitting students who add to the success of the institution. According to a study done by Kaplan Test Prep, 25% of colleges say they have checked an applicant’s social media as part of the application process. This means if you want to get into your dream school, you should audit your social media profiles to make sure you are putting your best foot forward.
What Types of Social Media are Used by Colleges?
Colleges use organic and paid social media to find applicants. Organic means they see what you post on your accounts, and paid means that college search companies run ads for their school on social media.
The most popular type of account colleges look at is Facebook because it has the most information about you. Whether they’re checking your public profile or your friends list, colleges are able to find this information on Facebook.
Here are some other social media platforms they might check out:
Instagram – 85% of teenagers say they use Instagram according to a 2018 report by the research firm Pip Jaffray. Colleges are able to view your profile as long as you are not a private account.
Twitter – Most colleges will check out your public profile and mentions on this social media platform, but a lot of them won’t look at private tweets.
Snapchat – Colleges don’t use Snapchat often because you are only able to access what someone posts when you’re friends on Snapchat, making it hard for college admissions officers to glance at a user’s profile.
Pinterest – This is another social media platform that some colleges might check out, but not very often.
LinkedIn – This platform is used specifically for business and employment purposes typically used by working professionals. Putting your best foot forward on LinkedIn is especially important when applying to graduate school.
How to Use Social Media to Boost College Admission?
Now that you know what types of social media colleges will be checking, it’s time to learn how to use this to your advantage. Remember: the most important thing is to just be yourself.
Here are some tips on how to get started:
Personalize Your Profile – Add a profile photo of yourself that best represents you.
Make It Easy for Colleges to Find You – Make sure that your profile is easily accessible by adding your school’s name in your bio and using the same profile picture across social media platforms.
Make Sure You Have a Good Username – The first thing a college admissions officer will see is your username, whether your accounts are private or not. It is best practice to have some variation of your name or something that represents who you are.
What are the Risks of Using Social Media?
Social media is a great tool for college applicants to network and discover more about potential colleges. Make sure that you are representing yourself well because this could potentially be a college admissions officer’s first impression of you. Be wary of sharing information that could potentially harm your chances of getting into college. Using social media can be a great way to make a good first impression on college admissions. However, you need to use it correctly and be aware of the risks.
