09 Feb 2012

Is your FaceBook page killing your chances for college admission?

When I was in high school, social media was the realm of the young—invisible, or so we thought, to anyone older than 25. Kids loved to show off their weekend adventures drinking, smoking, or otherwise intoxicated. Profile pictures were hot. Frequently, social media was used to boost social status and bully the “unpopular”.

Social media is fun because it allows us to connect with friends and control the image of ourselves that others see. However, college admissions officers may have different ideas from your friends about what is funny and cool. As more adults become social media savvy, high school students must learn to keep their Internet-selves in check.

Take the gifted, 17 year-old cornerback, Yuri Wright. Ranked the 40th best recruit in the country by ESPN, Wright was recently expelled  from Don Bosco Preparatory for posting sexually graphic statements on his twitter. Although Wright had long dreamed of attending the University of Michigan, the school stopped recruiting him when admissions officials learned of his account.

Wright recently accepted a scholarship to the University of Colorado, which shows that limitless talent can overcome even the grossest transgressions of propriety. Still, the incident taught Wright that he needs to work hard moving forward to prove his character. Wright recently started a new twitter account with clean, upbeat content appropriate for the public eye.

All of this is to say that the Internet must be approached as a public place, and that social media accounts may be monitored as part of the college admissions process. So, as you write your essays, prep for tests, and gather recommendations, bear in mind the importance of presenting yourself professionally online.

Glossary:
These Key SAT Words are Expertly Identified by Sentia Tutors:

Transgression: violation of a law; command; etc.
Propriety: appropriate behavior

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