Your friends aren’t the only ones viewing your social media profile.
In a time where everyone is online — and everything we do is online — college admissions officers are increasingly relying on social media to assess applicants. Officers will peruse profiles to see if students are a strong fit, if they have any blemishes and even to recruit high-performing individuals.
Whether you’re applying as an undergraduate or graduate student, familiarize yourself with these five principles to craft a winning online profile:
- Digital Literacy: Understand the fundamentals of social media. What we post online is almost always permanent, easily discoverable and available to a wide audience. Further, with each click and “like,” we’re sharing even more personal information with the world.
- Digital Presence: Establish a unique, consistent identity across the web. Make sure the very best you is the one that’s discoverable on Facebook, LinkedIn and elsewhere.
- Digital Voice: Have a recognizable style and point of view, and share it within relevant online communities. This can mean blogging about history, or tweeting about current affairs.
- Digital Integrity: Be authentic. Your digital presence should align with the skills, interests and activities highlighted on your college application. Your social media profiles should complement, not conflict with, one another.
- Digital Portfolio: Your work — from writing to photography — should be showcased online. Allow colleges and employers to engage with your creativity and leadership skills.