Social Media and College Admissions: How to Harness the Power of Instagram and Facebook
Almost everyone has some kind of internet presence in 2020. Between Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Youtube, LinkedIn, and more, your life is more public and accessible than ever before. So, if an admissions officer types your name into a search engine like Google, what will they find?
The fact that college admissions representatives may review your social media is a commonly accepted one. Parents, teachers, and counselors have shared the pitfalls to avoid ad nauseum: don’t post about any illegal behavior, for example, and don’t post anything that is or could be conceived as racist, homophobic, sexist, and the like. Like dad told me, don’t share anything you wouldn’t want the world to see. We know that colleges have rescinded offers of admission and disciplined current students for online behavior because it’s been well documented, and we can safely assume that should an admissions counselor find questionable content on your social media profiles, it will diminish (or entirely extinguish) your chances of acceptance.
But social media is a potent tool, and it’s possible for you to harness its power to your advantage. We’d like to share some best practices for creating a compelling online presence that will boost your chances of admission.
Engage with colleges’ social media pages as a way to demonstrate interest. Make sure you’ve liked their Facebook page and followed them on Instagram. Like photos, and add comments if you have something meaningful to say. If you have a chance to visit in person, post something complimentary and tag them. A bonus of this strategy: You’ll also get a closer look at each school as a way to help you narrow down your options and make the right decision for you when it comes time to choose that early decision school or put down a deposit in the spring.
Expand on your resume and create a professional online presence on LinkedIn. It’s not as sexy as some of the other platforms out there, but trust us, LinkedIn can be majorly influential. When you create a free profile, you’ll be able to upload your roles, accomplishments, awards, and skills and provide relevant details on each one. Think of it as an extension of your Common Application Activities List. Oh, and, when it’s time to search for that all-important summer opportunity after your freshman year, you’ll have a leg up on the competition since you’ve already started to build your network and established a professional presence that potential employers can easily find.
Document your talents and involvement on a public-facing profile. Are you an artist? Create an Instagram to showcase your work. Passionate about anime/environmental justice/feminist literature/The Office/literally anything under the sun and have a knack for writing? Consider kickstarting a blog to share your ideas. Varsity athlete? Compile a video of your greatest plays and share it to Youtube. Maybe you love to perform? Share your dance routines, backstage photos from the winter musical, or covers of your favorite songs.
Ever heard the phrase “pics or it didn’t happen?” As colleges grapple with the fallout from last year’s Varsity Blues admissions scandal, curating a truthful and compelling account of yourself as an applicant and person that is backed up with evidence has never been more important. You are the Instagram generation. Take advantage of the social media skills and savvy you’ve acquired through endless hours of liking, sharing, posting, and reposting, and use them to elevate your personal brand!
