All seniors are starting to apply for college. When submitting an application, some colleges do look at applicants’ social media profiles when making admissions decisions. If a college decides to look you up online, will what they find make you proud? Always think before you post. The application process can be a difficult, long and draining process for anyone. Nothing makes the admissions process worse than being declined from one of your top schools all because of something you posted on social media. 

Social media is something that almost everyone has access to now. All you really need is a mobile device. With easy access to a mobile device nowadays, downloading any social media app seems to be relatively easy. Being so easy to gain access, and create a social media account, it makes it easier for people to see what is posted on social media. This leads to easier ways for others to believe “news” that is not true. Stories are made up on the internet on a daily basis. Make-believe stories on the internet and stories with no factual evidence are submitted onto social media websites all the time. Not only does this make people believe in something that is not actually true, it also gets people liking posts and reposting things that they may not fully understand. Falsified information on the internet can actually be a big deal depending on what the post is actually about. 

Because of the constant social media postings, this also leads to people wanting attention and wanting to follow in with “trends” that other people have created on the internet. Though some of these trends may seem fun, some could have consequences. The consequences can also apply to those with academic scholarships or scholarships for sports. If a student gets in trouble with the school, or the law in regards to on or off social media, the institution has every right to take away the scholarship. 

One wrong move, one click of a button. Whatever is posted stays on social media forever. Because it is so easy to go back and see what has been posted, any college you apply for can find any of your media accounts and take a look for themselves to see if you are a good fit for their school. After a couple of years from now, looking back at some pictures you had taken before, maybe those few photos you had taken could have been left for your eyes only. 

As much as social media can have a negative impact on college admissions, it can also have a positive impact. The biggest component to having a social media account is to be responsible. You must keep the account professional, and stay true to who you are. Take control of what people can see. Get rid of any posts on your account that may highlight the negatives and create posts that highlight the positives. Colleges are interested in what you have to bring to the table. It is important to show what kind of person you are.