Applying For College? Consider Checking Out Your Digital Presence.
Before we begin, let’s make one thing clear: YES. College admissions officers check out your social media accounts before deciding whether you’re accepted. In fact, a 2020 survey showed that 65% of admissions officers would take the time to explore the social media accounts of their applicants, and among the accounts witnessed, 58% stated that they found content that negatively impacted the likelihood of being accepted to their school. Yikes.
You’ve heard it before, “Watch what you post online”, and sometimes a scoff or even an eye-roll may have been your response. We’ve all been there. Let’s take a second to switch the narrative: think of your online presence as a “personal resume” rather than a professional one. So, showing off your best self online is the way to go.
Below, we’ll share some tips that can help you check off the important stuff to keep in mind when tidying up your online presence so that you can represent the best version of yourself. Now, ask yourself…
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When Is The Last Time You Took 5 Minutes To Google Your Name?
There are serious advantages to Googling yourself. You may find your long-lost name twin, family members you haven’t spoken to since 20, and some cool achievements from your high school’s website that you forgot about. You’d be surprised to see what’s out there, and to be honest… that’s the whole point. Anything you see is something the admissions officer may find when looking you up.
When going through the search results, take some notes to highlight some areas you may try to update or remove certain content. On the flip side, you may find things that can be beneficial to your online presence.
What You Should Review:
A good place to start is scrolling through your social media accounts; even the ones you may have forgotten about. Start with your Google list, grab a snack, and spend some time reconnecting with your old content. Next, check out your tagged photos, videos, and other posts that may be connected to you or your name.
How Do You Know When Something Should Be Deleted?
Rule of thumb: if you’re unsure, it’s better to be safe than sorry. This could include the crude language of offensive jokes, harsh language, or defamation of a population, person, or entity. Keep in mind that we’re in the prime time of #CANCELCULTURE, so if the post could be sensitive, you may want to consider deleting it. Remember, the idea is to use your social media as a Rolodex of highlights from your life.
Side note: This isn’t to discount your bad days. We all have them. But you know…
What You May Want To Keep, Repost, Or Pin To Your Accounts:
Obviously, not all the content you’ve posted is negative. In fact, you probably post content that shows off the cool, fun, and exciting things in your life, right? Next time you win your next competition, receive an award or get a shoutout, consider posting about it. Taking a campus tour or ordering some swag to your dream school? Have a little photoshoot and tag the college on your social accounts – they may surprise you by reposting your content to their page! How cool would that be?
Naturally, your ACT/SAT scores, admissions essay, and GPA play a huge part in your admissions acceptance. If you worked hard to maintain your professional resume, be sure to spend some time polishing your personal one; it could be making a difference when applying to a job, college, or internship. Use tools like the EncourageMe.com app to refine your application process.