Advise your students to clean up their Social Media accounts

Students today have grown up with Social Media. They typically have accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and many others that have popped up. There is a downside though to having all these accounts. It makes it easier for admissions officers to do their own sleuthing about potential students. A recent study by Kaplan showed 40% of admissions officers currently check the social media accounts of applicants. Students brazen enough to post pictures of them smoking, drinking or doing other nefarious things do so at their own risk. It could be the difference between getting accepted or rejected to their college of choice.

Athletes are at particular risk as many coaches are now using Social Media in their recruitment of athletes. Many athletes receive full or partial scholarships so posting the wrong thing could cost your students big time. There are countless stories of athletes being expelled from College for getting caught doing things they shouldn’t be doing so it is more important than ever for students to create a positive impression with their Social Media as coaches may not extend that scholarship offer if they see something that might concern them about the students future behavior.

So how can you help your students? Encourage them to post positive images of who they are. Post pictures with their friends, family and engaging in school activities and sports. Encourage them to post about their passions, but to stay away from anything that can be construed as controversial or confrontational.

Social media is a great way for them to engage with their colleges of interest by liking their pages and following their blogs so they can get updated information on a regular basis, but keep in mind it makes it easier for personnel of those colleges to check on them as well. You can’t dictate what your students post to their Social Media accounts when they are away from school. However, letting them know about the potential ramifications of what they do post is a great service you can provide.