Social Media Etiquette: Your Guide to College Application Success
Want to get into your dream college? Your social media etiquette matters more than you might think. According to a recent Kaplan survey, about 28% of college admissions officers review students’ social media before deciding. This means that you need to think of your online profiles as part of your college interview – they show who you are beyond your grades. Let’s learn how to make your social media help, not hurt, your college chances.
Why Social Media Matters in College Admissions
Colleges want to know the real you – not just your superficial test scores and potentially inflated grades. Your social media presence shows them how you act when you think no one’s watching. They can see if you’re kind to others, whether you contribute to your community, and how well you share your thoughts. What you post online can make colleges want to meet you or make them worry you’re not ready for college.
Setting Up Your Professional Presence
Your social media is like your first handshake with a college, so make it count!
Here’s how:
- Use your real name for your username: Pick a clean, simple username that includes your real name. Skip the funny nicknames or random numbers – “JaneSmith” works better than “CoolKid123.”
- Pick a clear photo where you’re smiling and look professional: Take a headshot in good light while wearing nice clothes. Smile naturally and make sure nothing distracting shows in the background.
- Write a short bio about your school interests and activities. Keep your bio clear and simple. List key activities and goals, such as “Honor Student | Debate Team Captain | Future Engineer.”
- Keep your style the same on all your accounts: Use the same profile photo, writing style, and information across all platforms. This helps colleges know it’s you, not someone pretending to be you.
These small changes make a big difference in how colleges see you online. Think of it like dressing up for a school interview – you want to look your best.
Content Do’s and Don’ts
Do Share:
- Your academic wins and cool projects: These posts show colleges you work hard and are passionate about learning. When they see your achievements, they’ll know you’ll do well in their classes.
- Times you helped others: Colleges want students who improve their campus. Showing how you help your community proves you’ll be active and helpful at their school, too.
- Moments of Leadership: Leadership skills matter to colleges. Posts about leading groups show you can take charge and help others work together to get things done.
- Your thoughts about your favorite subjects: Sharing what excites you about learning helps colleges see you’re genuinely interested in your field, not just trying to get a degree.
Don’t Post:
- Party pictures: Even innocent party photos can make colleges worry about your judgment. They need to trust you’ll make good choices on their campus.
- Negative language about schools or teachers: Negative posts show you might bring drama to campus. Colleges want students to solve problems, not create them.
- Malicious Jokes: Even if you’re joking, hurtful humor shows poor judgment. Colleges want students who bring people together, not divide them.
- Personal fights or complaints: Online drama makes colleges think twice about accepting you. They want mature students who handle problems in positive ways.
Platform-Specific Guidelines
- Complete your entire profile: This shows that you take your future seriously. A complete LinkedIn profile tells colleges your whole story and proves you understand professional networking.
- Connect with teachers and school alumni: Building connections with people who know your work strengthens your profile. Their recommendations and interactions back up what you say about yourself.
- Share your best schoolwork: Posting about projects and achievements creates a living portfolio. It lets colleges see real examples of what you can do.
- Join groups about your top choice schools: Being active in college groups shows genuine interest in schools. It helps you learn about campus life and shows you’re serious about attending.
- Keep your feed neat and clean: A tidy, well-organized profile shows you care about details. Colleges can quickly see your best moments without digging through messy posts.
- Use good hashtags about your interests: Smart hashtags help colleges find your content. They also connect you with others who share your academic interests.
- Save your best school moments in highlights: Organized highlights make it easy for colleges to see your achievements. Think of them as chapters in your school story.
- Keep private stuff on a different account: Separate accounts protect your privacy while keeping your college-focused profile professional. It lets you be yourself without risking your future.
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- Share helpful articles: Sharing good content shows you stay current in your field. It tells colleges you’re eager to learn beyond classroom walls.
- Follow your top schools: You show genuine interest in schools by following their accounts. It also helps you learn about campus life and shows you pay attention.
- Keep your comments friendly: Positive interactions show you can discuss ideas respectfully. Colleges want students who can disagree without being disagreeable.
- Keep your profile tastefully professional: Your Facebook profile often shows up first in searches. Make sure your public posts and photos show a mature, thoughtful student.
- Use friend lists carefully: Create different sharing groups for family, close friends, and school contacts. This helps control who sees which posts and keeps your content appropriate for each audience.
- Review your activity log monthly: Look through old posts, likes, and comments regularly. Delete anything that doesn’t match the image you want colleges to see.
- Manage photo albums thoughtfully: Sort your photos into clear, well-labeled albums. Keep personal memories private and showcase school activities, volunteer work, and achievements publicly.
- Be smart about the groups you join: Your group memberships show up on your profile. Join and stay active in groups that reflect your academic interests and community involvement.
Remember: Each platform serves a different purpose in telling your story. Use them wisely to show other sides of your academic life.
Protecting Your Privacy
Keep your online life safe with these steps:
- Check your privacy settings once a month: Social media platforms often change their rules without telling you. Monthly checks help catch unwanted changes that might make your private posts public.
- Watch what photos friends tag you in: Friends might tag you in posts that hurt your image. Set up alerts for tags and remove yourself from any pictures that don’t match your goals.
- Create a separate account for professional use. Keep one profile clean for colleges and another private for friends. This lets you share personal moments without worrying about how colleges might view them.
- Be careful who you let follow you: Not everyone needs to see your posts. Accept follows only from people you know and trust. Random followers might share your content in ways you don’t want.
- Ask yourself, “Would I want my dream college to see this?” before posting: Imagine a college admissions officer reading it before sharing anything. If you’re unsure about them seeing it, don’t post it.
Pro Tip: Keeping posts private from the start is easier than cleaning them up later. Think of your privacy settings like a fence—they only work if you maintain them.
Remember: Once something goes online, it isn’t easy to delete it entirely. Someone might save it even after you take it down. Stay safe by being careful from the start.
Building a Positive Digital Footprint
Show colleges the best version of you online:
- Talk about your school projects
- Share when you help others
- Post about things you’re learning
- Show how you work well with others
- Tell how you grew from tough times
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Don’t let these mistakes hurt your chances:
- Forgetting to check privacy settings
- Letting friends tag you in bad photos
- Fighting with others online
- Posting different things on different sites
- Keeping old posts that look bad
Conclusion
Your social media can help you get into college if you use it well. Keep your posts friendly, helpful, and genuine. Show colleges you’re ready to join their community by how you act online. Every post counts, so make them help you achieve your goals. Start cleaning up your social media today. Look through your old posts and ensure everything online shows your best self. Your future college dreams might thank you!
