Are Colleges Going To Like What You Post?

Amber Stanley

UWRT 1102-040
Professor Ropko
3 May 2016

Dear Reader,
First off, I would like to begin by thanking you for taking the time to read my multi-genre essay.
Not only do I consider this an informational text about a relevant topic but also an illustration of
my personal growth as a writer. Therefore, as you delve deeper
into the literary work, you will notice an increasing confidence
and comfort with the subject as a whole.
At the beginning of this semester, I selected this particular topic
out of pure concern. Next academic school year, my younger
sister, who is pictured with me on the right, will be a freshman in
high school. Already thinking about colleges, she strives for
academic excellence and is a social butterfly. However, at times,
she seems to forget that one day colleges and universities may look at her online profiles. In
order to raise awareness about the topic at hand, I have spent the entire semester researching and
writing about it. From this, I hope to educate teenagers in a way in which they can relate.
Once again, thank you for your time, and I hope you enjoy!
Sincerely,
Amber Stanley

Colleges and universities should

consider prospective students
social media accounts when
making an admittance decision.

Paul Hemphill, a college admissions

advisor, states that students should use
social media as the new resume. They
should post pictures of projects they are
involved in, volunteer work they have
completed, and trips they have been on.
(Hemphill)

Colleges can gauge student

A student can be

involvement through a

misrepresented by the

students social media

material he or she chooses

presence.

to post.
In 2008, a series of admissions
officers were interviewed. They
were asked about the importance
of social media technologies as a
recruiting strategy. Of those who
were interviewed, 55% replied with
very important, while 34% said
somewhat important (Barnes).

According to a high school

English teacher, when teachers
show the importance of formal
communication to be practiced
on social media platforms,
students are more inclined to
practice good digital citizenship
(Alrubail).

Students can make

relationships with college
representatives through
social media.
Through social media,
students can demonstrate

If a student is socially mature,

communication skills that

he or she should be aware of

colleges are looking for.

the repercussions ones

digital footprint can have on

Overall, social media

accounts can enhance
a students overall
features.

future endeavors.

To Post or Not To Post

Constantly worried and stressed, prospective college students are faced with numerous
obstacles. Apparently, social media has become just one more challenge for applicants to
overcome. Contrary to common belief, only about 10% of the top 500 colleges in the nation
admit to viewing prospective students social media profiles (Hechinger). However, this number
is steadily increasing as the social-networking phenomenon grows larger. According to the Pew
Research Center, a majority of teens do not express high levels of concern when it comes to
third-party users accessing their data (Madden). Little do they know, these so-called third-party
users may one day include colleges and universities. In fact, some schools are in the process of
creating guidelines for this new recruiting tactic. Jeff Olson, the head researcher for Kaplans
test-preparation division, states, Its the Wild, Wild West. [At this time,] there are no clear
boundaries or limits (Hechinger). Because this idea is emerging so rapidly, many students are,
in fact, unaware of how this can affect them in the long haul. Regardless of whether teens are
aware of this approach, it is currently being employed nonetheless. But in their defense, are these
higher education institutions in the wrong for utilizing this invasive method? Upon initial
thought, the answer is quite simpleof course! On the other hand, what if a glance at your
digital footprint left admissions officers in awe of your academic success, volunteer work, and
undeniable communication skills?
Social media platforms, when created, were typically used in order to remain virtually
connected with friends and family all across the globe. In recent years, each site has become an
outlet of self-expression in its own unique way. Through status updates, shared content, and
personal photographs, people of all ages are capable of revealing their inner thoughts and
feelings to the surrounding digital universe. Undeniably, this is the reason why both post-

secondary education institutions and their applicants can benefit from the previously mentioned
method of recruitment. Colleges can gauge student involvement via their social media presence.
In fact, Paul Hemphill, a college admissions advisor, states that students should utilize socialnetworking as the new resume. He highly recommends that students post pictures of projects
they are involved in, volunteer work they have completed, and trips they have been on
(Hemphill). Additionally, it has been concluded that students can build relationships with college
representatives through social media. For instance, in 2008, a series of admissions officers were
interviewed, and during that time, they were asked about the importance of social media
technologies as a recruiting strategy. Of those who were interviewed, 55% replied with very
important, while 34% said somewhat important (Barnes). From this data, one can see the
obvious trend of growing significance. Another important element of a students application is
his or her ability to communicate effectively. Before now, a large number of colleges simply
measure this acquired skill through essays, personal statements, and interviews. Now, these
institutions have come to realize this same skill can be quickly gauged by viewing a prospective
students social media account. Although the atmosphere of a social-networking site is much
more laidback, being able to communicate through the written word is still a necessary
requirement. According to a high school English teacher, when teachers show the importance of
formal communication to be practiced on social media platforms, students are more inclined to
practice good digital citizenship (Alrubail). Whether this form of writing is done in the
classroom or while lying in bed, there is a growing importance in electronic rhetoric. It is
essentially the future of writing as we know it. And with all this being said, teenagers should
lend their focus from the downfalls of this situation to a more optimistic point of view; instead,
one should put emphasis on how to maximize the benefits of their digital presence.

Even after the evidence presented, some people still seem to disagree with the opinion
that social media should be incorporated into the college admissions process. They claim their
right to privacy, which is certainly justifiable and can be established through the privacy settings
that are available. In addition to this, the main disadvantage that is presented over and over again
is that a teenager may be misrepresented by the material he or she chooses to post. Sandra
Starke, vice provost for enrollment management at the State University of New York at
Binghamton, fully agrees with this statement. She says, At this age, the students are still
experimenting. It's a time for them to learn. It's important for them to grow. We need to be
careful how we might use Facebook (Hechinger). Everyone can agree that the teenage years are
a transitional time. During this essential period of growth, many teens look to online profiles as a
way to express themselves without limits or boundaries. To delve deeper, one can look to
Professor Sarah-Jayne Blackmores TED Talk. She establishes that during adolescence, a portion
of the brain that is specifically associated with self-regulation, conscious decision making,
memory, judgement, and insight, also known as the pre-frontal cortex, is still developing (TED).
Therefore, it is scientifically proven that teenagers are more likely to engage in risky behavior
during this expansion period. Some go as far as to say that this excuses the lapse in judgement
young individuals undergo. But the question still remainsshould these soon-to-be adults be
held responsible for the content they upload onto their Facebooks, Instagrams, Twitters, etc.?
In order to answer the above question, one must first review the argument at hand, which
is that the teenage years are simply a time of trial and error and should be overlooked as far as
social media goes. However, as the late-teens approach, young adulthood does also. Ultimately,
if a student is socially mature, he or she should be aware of the repercussions ones digital
footprint can have on future endeavors. Instead of focusing on how online information can

negatively affect a colleges admittance decisions, students should improve their profiles in such
a way that enhances their academic and social features. To elaborate, one-third of all
participating college admissions officers discovered details about students that reflected
positively of them, such as community service and leadership roles (Mulhere). In a tight
decision, having a spotless, and well-finessed, social media account was beneficial in several
cases. One case in particular exhibits this to the fullest potential. Greg Roberts, senior associate
dean of admission at the University of Virginia, admits that the schools admissions committee
utilizes web-based searches in the case that there are close applicants (Hechinger). At this point,
a students online presence is extremely important and can be the determining factor. So
therefore, students still have the ability to express their ideas, likes, dislikes, and beliefs but in a
sophisticated manner.
Ultimately, due to the fact that higher education institutions are currently scoping out
social media accounts for various reasons, students should go ahead and take advantage of it.
When there is a sophisticated nature that accompanies a teenagers profile, colleges seem to be
more reluctant to welcoming them to their campus. Therefore, college applicants should remain
aware of their online presence and let it reflect them socially, academically, and even
professionally.

Who Am I?
About Me

The Dos and Donts

Dos:

Do have an acceptable profile

picture.
Do be aware that potential schools
and employers may look at your
online profiles.
Do show a friendly personality.

Donts

Do not post inappropriate photos or

statuses, including: nudity, indecent
language, racial slurs, and so on.
Do not badmouth previous
employers or schools.

Hello, reader! My name is Amber Stanley,

and I am currently a second semester
freshman at the University of North Carolina
at Charlotte. Recently, I have decided to
research social media and its effects on the
college admissions process. From this
research, I hope to effectively inform
prospective students about the importance
of their digital footprint.

Contact Me
Phone: (828) 527-7893
Email: astanl21@uncc.edu

ARE
COLLEGES
GOING TO
LIKE WHAT
YOU POST?
Social Media & College
Admissions

Personal Experiences

Does your online profile need

cleanup?

Is your profile picture appropriate

and professional? If you have any
doubts, it is probably not. Schools
and employers make their first
impression based on your profile
photo. So, keep that in mind.
Do you know who can view your
social media accounts? If not, take
the time to check your privacy
settings and adjust them
accordingly.
Do you remember those photos
from that party a couple months
ago? No? Well, they are probably
still there nonetheless. Check your
activity log to make sure you, or
others, did not post anything that
might be considered incriminating.

According to an anonymous 14-year-old

female featured in Mary Maddens Teens,
Social Media, and Privacy, some young users
do not realize the damage social media can
have on others, or eventually themselves.
She elaborates by saying, OK, here's
something I want to say. I think Facebook
can be fun, but also it's drama central. On
Facebook, people imply things and say
things...that they wouldn't say in real life
(Madden).

Information From Colleges &

Universities

On Facebook, people imply

things and say things...that
they wouldn't say in real life.

-Anonymous

Data shows that teens are the most active

users of social media, and that is perfectly
fine (Madden). However, the question
remains: how will the content they choose to
post affect these young people later on in
their lifetime?

Of the top 500 schools, 10% of them

admitted to utilizing information
from prospective students social
networking profiles in order to
make their decision (Hechinger).
Of those, 38% claimed that the
information they extracted
negatively impacted their decision
(Hechinger).
Only 25% of the schools reported
that what they saw improved their
views of the candidate (Hechinger).
One college, which asked to remain
anonymous, revealed that they did,
in fact, deny a potential student
because he or she was trash talking
their institution online (Hechinger).

J. Dough Doe
@jdoughhh$$

@jdoughhh$$

~2 cool 4 skool~
paRTy HarD. geT
dRUnk!!!

@jdoughhh$$

par-tayyyy @ jakes 2nite!!!! BYOB #turnup

my mom is sooo stupd she is makin me fill out app 4 sum dum a$$
skools!!
@jdoughh$$

Look @ deez pix from tha party las nite

Janith M. Doe
@janithdoe
Senior @ West
High // I enjoy
reading, crafting,
and am an avid
member of
HOSA! // Proud
Future Forty
Niner!!

@janithdoe

Reminder: HOSA meeting @ 8 am in room 356! We are discussing a new

community service project!!
@janithdoe

Just went to Bradley Falls! It was a lot of fun spending time outdoors.

@janithdoe

I just got accepted to UNCC! I cannot wait to be a part of Niner Nation!

A Recipe for Disaster

In todays society, more than 81% of teenagers use some sort of social
media platform. At times, these young ones can make the wrong
decisions when it comes to what they post. If you follow these
instructions, you will surely have a mess on your hands!
**WARNING: DO NOT TAKE ANY OF THESE DIRECTIONS SERIOUSLY! THIS DOCUMENT IS MEANT TO
ILLUSTRATE AND ILLUMINATE THE COMMON MISTAKES TEENAGERS MAKE ON THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA
PROFILES!!**

Ingredients:
1 teenager
1 (or more) social media accounts

Directions:
1. Log into the social media account of your choice.
2. Dont bother to check your privacy settings. Without looking, your account
is probably already set to public. If you want to be the most popular kid at
your school, everyone should be able to see the content you post!
3. Also, do not worry about de-tagging yourself from those embarrassing, and
somewhat incriminating, photos from the party last night! You had fun, and
you are trying to make memories.
4. Next, you should post a status update. I mean you havent posted in like
fifteen minutes. Make sure to keep your followers updated.
5. Now, you can post a photo. When deciding, choose the one that will get
you the most likes! Your choice will probably be one that is provocative
and might even include a little nudity. It is your body so make sure you
show off every inch of it.
6. After posting, you see that you have a few friend requests. You dont really
know any of them personally, but you add them anywaythe more the
merrier!
7. Okay! Now, you are back to scrolling, and you see a post that is trashtalking a school in the UNC school system. Dont take the time to read it. All
your friends shared it so it must be true! Just click the share button, and it
is instantly apart of your digital footprint.
8.

Lastly, it is time to log out. But dont stress! You will log back on it another
ten minutes, which means you must REPEAT!

Works Cited

Alrubail, Rusul. "Social Media & Students' Communication Skills." Edutopia. N.p., 14 July

2015. Web. 11 Apr. 2016.

Barnes, Nora Ganim, and Eric Mattson. "Social Media and College Admissions: The First

Longitudinal Study." Center For Marketing Research. 2009. PDF File. 10 Mar. 2016.

Hechinger, John. "College Applicants, Beware: Your Facebook Page Is Showing." Wall Street
Journal - Eastern Edition 18 Sept. 2008: D1+. Academic Search Complete. Web. 10 Mar.
2016.
Hemphill, Paul. Social Media and College Admission: How Students Are Rejected. Online
video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 6 Nov. 2015. Web. 4 Apr. 2016.
Madden, Mary, et al. "Teens, Social Media, and Privacy." Pew Research Center. 21 May 2013.
PDF File. 13 Mar. 2016.
Mulhere, Kaitlin. "Lots More College Admissions Officers Are Checking Your Instagram and
Facebook." Time. Time, 13 Jan. 2016. Web. 11 Mar. 2016.
TED. Sarah-Jayne Blakemore: The Mysterious Workings of the Adolescent Brain. Online
video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 17 Sept. 2012. Web 26 Apr. 2016.