Social media—a burgeoning percentage of our society utilizes it, and we all intimately know how fun it is to connect and share on these networks. However, social media is also rapidly becoming a major source to connect professionally. Students who can transform the raw power of social media into commercial success will ultimately lead in their respective fields – and these are precisely the students that colleges and universities are seeking.
Incorporating social media into your application can serve to do more than merely garner attention; it can prove you will be successful. Here are several strategies to aid in making that statement.
Create a multimedia blog
This tactic is an increasingly popular one. It provides you with a wonderful method to expose institutions to an additional side of you as an applicant. However, you must determine a central professional theme for your blog. Do not discuss what you fixed for dinner or analyze your favorite sports teams. Instead, connect your blog to your major. If you plan to pursue a Business degree, discuss the latest business trends and marketing campaigns.
If you are a STEM student, post such projects. Here are 4 benefits of STEM studies that you may find interesting as well. Build a trebuchet (you can locate easy-to-assemble kits online) and upload videos of it in action. Post the blueprints, your procedure for constructing it, etc. If you have not yet decided on a major, blog about your experiences preparing for college and sitting for the ACT or SAT, as well as advice on applying. Make it your own, and make it creative.
Connect with professors and admissions counselors
Follow your desired institutions to learn of on-campus events, news, and student experiences – all of which can serve as fantastic material for your essay. Likewise, connecting with professors or admissions counselors can increase your name recognition. However, you must make sure to identify a legitimate reason to interact with them. Speak with individuals on LinkedIn, but only if you can add value to the discussion. Research what articles they post as well as the groups in which they’re active and give thoughtful responses. These are 3 things you must do after an admissions interview that you may find helpful.
Consider video applications
Video applications aren’t as original as they once were, but you can still gain creativity points with this strategy when applicable. Your video application does not replace your standard application. Instead, it is another way to get an admissions counselor’s attention. In your video, share your personality and discuss your hobbies, extracurricular activities, and world experiences – but most importantly, be original and tailor your video to the institution and your intended major. Here is a great last minute checklist before submitting your college application that you may want to take a look at.
Do something big, and do something creative
Admissions counselors view hundreds of thousands of applications, which means originality is key. If you can display creativity, you will impress them. For example, you could temporarily alter your entire Facebook page to resemble an application, with each post and photograph highlighting different, relevant features (projects, activities, sports teams, etc.). You could even go a step further and tailor it to the institution, rewriting your page to solely concern Harvard University admissions.
If you do not wish to change your Facebook page, perhaps you could create a Vine account with each short video detailing an activity of yours (playing an instrument, debating a case if you are on the debate team, dribbling a basketball, etc.). Again, you can rewrite your account to focus on the school to which you’re applying.
Clean up your accounts
It is safe to assume colleges and universities will investigate your existing social media accounts. Simply put, do not post anything you do not want college admissions counselors to view, and go back and delete any potentially incriminating posts. Google search your name to ensure the results are clean, as certain posts can remain in the search index for some time after you delete them.
