Your GPA and standardized testing scores aren’t the only important factors in college admissions. College admissions officers like to consider a range of elements when they look for potential students. Of course, grades, extracurricular activities, SAT and ACT scores, and application essays are all important parts of your application, but some students might wonder: Can colleges see your social media accounts?
Not all colleges take this step during the admissions process, but you don’t want to rule out the possibility that colleges will check your social media accounts. Because social media can show colleges whether a particular student is a good fit for their school, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok, and other social media websites are on college radars now more than ever.
Because your social media presence could determine whether you get an acceptance or rejection letter, we highly recommend looking over your social media posts before submitting your college applications. Because colleges can see anything you’ve ever publicly posted online, your examination of your social media should include both recent and older posts.
We’ll talk more about this topic in detail so you can understand the true impact of social media on your college applications.
Can Colleges See Your Social Media Accounts?
There is a real chance that college admission officers will look at your social media. This isn’t set in stone, but in a recent Kaplan Test Prep survey, around one-third of officers admitted to looking at students’ social media accounts to learn more about prospective students. In most cases, however, admissions officers aren’t that interested in social media. A majority of admissions officers said they look at students’ online presences “somewhat rarely.”
Still, those admissions officers who look at social media the most said they found posts and content that helped the student in their application process. Around 32% did say that they found posts that hurt students’ chances of admission too.
Can Colleges See Your Social Media if it’s Private?
Generally, if your social media accounts are set to private, colleges cannot see your posts unless you grant them access. Admissions officers don’t have special tools to bypass privacy settings, however, that doesn’t mean you’re completely safe from being seen by them.
Here are a few key things to keep in mind:
- Tagging and Screenshots. Even if your account is private, if someone tags you in a public post or takes a screenshot and shares it, colleges could still see that content.
- Public Profile Info. Your profile picture, bio, or username might still be visible depending on the platform. Make sure these don’t send the wrong message.
- Online Presence Matters. Some colleges do quick internet searches of applicants, so make sure your digital footprint (including any public YouTube videos, LinkedIn profiles, blogs, or forum posts) reflects you in a positive light.
What Makes A Social Media Page Stand Out Positively?
So, how can students boost their application with social media and present a good image to admissions officers? Students should think about how their posts indicate their character. Kids who show themselves as active members of their community will obviously look better, and posting about volunteer work, internships, research opportunities, and other extracurriculars can give you an advantage over other applicants. Also showing off academic awards, events, and other hobbies and passions online can help your chances of being seen in a positive light.
Again, most admissions officers are not looking at your social media. But on the off chance they are, it’s good to have a clean and well-rounded profile.
In the next few sections of this blog post, we’ll discuss what you shouldn’t post online.
Should You Delete Your Social Media?
Some students wonder if they should simply delete their online presence right before submitting their applications. This is one option, but we don’t recommend deleting your online presence entirely. While it’s true that there have been cases where colleges have revoked acceptance letters due to inappropriate social media posts, most students will benefit from having an online presence.
In fact, deleting all your online accounts could raise red flags to admission officers that check social media. They might think you have something to hide, especially since it’s unusual for someone not to have any online presence these days. Instead of deleting your accounts, try deleting questionable posts that could get you in trouble.
What Should You Delete From Your Social Media?
Some basic steps you can take to clean up your online presence for college admission officers:
- Look at your profile picture. To make a good first impression, choose a photo that is appropriate and semi-professional looking.
- Delete any posts that display illegal activity or suggest approval of illegal activities. Party photos, pictures of drugs, content with underage drinking, and any other illegal activity should be deleted from your social media accounts. This may sound obvious, but some students forget to do this and end up getting reported to colleges by third parties.
- Remove yourself from tagged photos. In some cases, other people may have tagged you in inappropriate posts or photos. Look through your tagged photos and make sure that there is nothing illicit or inappropriate.
- Get rid of any offensive symbols. Offensive symbols like the middle finger or anything racially insensitive should also be deleted as you sweep through your social media.
- Finally, remove any hateful or crude comments posted on your accounts. Comb through any comments you made and delete anything rude or negative. You don’t want admissions officers associating you with inappropriate comments you made when you were younger. This could include swear words as well. It’s not that you can’t ever swear online, but you want to paint a positive image of yourself.
Taking steps to protect your online image and curate a positive online presence can take a lot of work, but this is an essential step if you want to show admission officers your best side.
Conclusion
Though not all colleges look at your social media, there is still a chance it could impact your college applications, so you can never be too careful.
At HelloCollege, we know how difficult it can be to prepare for college and aim to make the process as simple and easy as possible. We want to help you get accepted into the university of your dreams! If you want to put your best foot forward and make sure you’re doing absolutely everything possible to secure that acceptance, reach out today for a free consultation.
