With social networking one of the Web’s most popular activities, some questions are arising about whether your blog or Facebook could affect your college admission chances.

Students need to expect that anything they post online could be public and college admissions officers might see it. In reality, most schools don’t have time to peruse each applicant’s Facebook page, but they are sometimes notified if a student’s profile raises red flags.

What kinds of posting might be considered a red flag?

• Being openly excited about a college while visiting, then trashing it online.

• Talking about getting into a school and all the drugs and/or alcohol that will take place over the next four years.

• Anything that might make a college concerned for the safety or well-being of community members; for example, photos of the student with a gun.

• Things that call into question the student’s commitment to the college’s honor code.

• Discussion or photos of underage illegal activities like drinking.

Students should review the honor code on each college’s website before applying. Determine if there are any parts of the code that you disagree with, and if there are, you might want to consider applying elsewhere instead. If you have posted about any activities or made any statements that might conflict with a college’s honor code or call your ethical standards into question, remove them from your Facebook, blog, etc. Do this before you apply, not after. In some cases, students have been rejected from a college after admission because some of the activities have come to light.

Remember, you don’t want to do anything that might jeopardize your future. Keeping your online presence clean and respectful could go a long way in ensuring that you get accepted at your top colleges.

This entry was posted on Thursday, February 24th, 2011 and is filed under Admissions.