Admission Officer Essay

In the 21st century, social networks have become a commonplace for teens and adults to post their thoughts, pictures, and interests. Greg, a high school student, regularly vented his thoughts on Facebook and often used explicit language to convey his emotions. His account also contained a large collection of pictures, most of them displaying him at parties. When he entered his senior year, he applied to a variety of universities. Even though Greg submitted exemplary CV’s, universities rejected his applications because his social accounts provided a dark, candid aspect of his life that extended beyond perfect grades, athletic achievements, and exemplary service hours. Admission officers should examine social networking accounts before they admit

Admission Officers have limited time to decide whether to accept or reject applicants, so the first impression they get from the applicant’s facebook account is a prominent factor in their decision. In a recent survey, 30 percent of admission officers admit that “they had discovered information online which negatively affected an applicant’s prospects.” Facebook sets 13 as the minimum age a person can use its services, but a person’s personality changes drastically from his early teenage years to his late teenage years; so his facebook profile at the age of 13 would not represent him at 18. If the applicant does not use or update his Facebook account often, the posts and pictures that admission officers discover might provide an incorrect impression of him; thus institutions might reject him based on false misconceptions. Even so, facebook profiles can help a university pick applicants who will represent the school well. For those who do not use facebook often, people still get a first impression of them from their account. Sitting alone in the serene cafe located by the cool, expansive beach, Nathaniel contemplated on which university he should attend. When he stumbled upon one he liked, he searched on Facebook for students who attended that university. The profiles he viewed imprinted a negative impression of the university; as a result, he continued to