Clean Up Your Social Media in 3 Easy Steps
According to 2018 Kaplan Test Prep survey, about 25% of college admissions officers review applicants' social media profiles. With that in mind, now is a great time to start polishing your profiles before submitting your college applications. We’ve compiled three user-tested tips to help you get going.
1. Never Forget: Posts are Forever
Your friend tagging you in a funny photo from a late night may seem hilarious now but it’s important to remember that although you may later delete it, there is a chance it will live on through their profiles or screenshots. Furthermore, personal posts you make on channels such as Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, and SnapChat can easily be saved and reshared—leaving the content to spiral beyond your control. Take these comments for example.
To mitigate the risk, try making an effort to post content that positively reflects who you are and the person you want colleges to know. If you must question whether something is appropriate, think of how your parent, guardian, or teacher would feel if they saw it. Taking the extra moment before you tap “share” can be all the difference.
2. Use Social Media for Networking
What’s the due date for FAFSA? What’s life on campus like? How can the application status be viewed? These are all questions students commonly have and they can often be answered via social media.
Many colleges, student groups, and advisers are active on platforms solely for the opportunity to inform prospective, upcoming, and current students. Take advantage of Facebook groups filled with peers asking the same questions as you, follow resources like the College Board or FAFSA, and interact with students who are committed to helping you succeed.
For example, Western Washington University in Bellingham, WA, developed an Instagram ran by students with the goal to provide the college experience from a student’s perspective. Prospective students often logon to ask questions ranging from the best places to eat to tips for choosing the right major.
3. Create a Holistic Picture of Yourself
With an endless amount of social media platforms, it can be difficult to consistently show the full picture of yourself across them all.
While every profile, whether private or public, should represent the best version of yourself, try creating one profile that captures your full story—academics, sports, leadership, work, awards, and more.
You can apply this on many different platforms including Instagram, Facebook, or even our very own Cirkledin platform, which is specifically designed to create a holistic profile of student accomplishments and match the user to colleges!
With these tips, we wish you happy tweeting, posting, and sharing!
Looking for more tips on college admissions? Follow us on Twitter.
