By Bryan Ide
Education Director & Co-Founder
KEY Education
Dear KEY Students,
I hope you’re doing well and are enjoying summertime.
I’m sure this news is not surprising to you, but universities are increasingly looking at applicants’ social media profiles. This means Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat, just to name a few.
In particular for my Grade 11 students going into Grade 12 this fall, please pay close attention to this email.
With this fact in mind, I would strongly urge you to be mindful of how 1) you are representing yourself on social media or 2) your friends/schoolmates/others are representing you. It would be incredibly unfortunate if your university applications were damaged because of any inappropriate images, comments, or posts on your social media profile or attributed to your social account.
I think one of the more concerning things is that universities aren’t simply looking at students’ profiles. In fact, as the following article states, universities are being alerted to inappropriate social media content. As such, someone – another student, a teacher, a school administrator – could very well report anything they see to any university to which you are applying. Also, please keep in mind that even if you delete the content yourself, that doesn’t mean that someone else hasn’t taken a screenshot.
So, what does this mean for you? It means that you need to be incredibly careful about what you’re sharing on social media, from pictures to content to comments.
If you’re unsure, always err on the side of caution and remember these tips:
- Ensure that your privacy settings aren’t set to public view.
- Go through your social media accounts to ensure that you don’t have any inappropriate content.
- If you feel you have anything inappropriate, delete it immediately.
- Be careful and thoughtful about what you post in the way of pictures and stories on your account.
- Also, be mindful of the comments you make. Avoid any negativity or use of strong language.
- ALWAYS be under the assumption that universities (or even potential employers or volunteer organizations) could see your social media or be sent screenshots of your social media accounts.
And while I’ve provided you with some cautionary advice, you can also use social media to your advantage by:
- Following on social the universities to which you intend to apply.
- Making positive comments or asking good/thoughtful questions on the universities’ social media platforms.
- Using your engagement with the university on social media as another way to demonstrate your interest.
As always, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us.
Sincerely,
Bryan