Admissions officers aren’t checking social media–here’s why

It appears college admissions officers aren’t visiting applicants’ social media profiles as much as in years past, and for a surprising reason, according to a new survey from Kaplan Test Prep.

In 2015, 40 percent of surveyed college admissions officers said they went to potential students’ social media profiles to learn more about them. But now, only 25 percent say they seek out applicants’ social media. A possible reason? Admissions officers can’t find the accounts.

Of the admissions officers who say they have visited applicants’ social media profiles, 52 percent say students have become savvier about hiding their social media presence over the past few years, or students have moved away from social communities where what they post is easy to find by people they don’t know.…Read More

The top 13 things college admissions officers want to see

Admissions officers are looking for commitment and impact in a student’s activities

admissionsresizedAll it takes is gumption, advanced planning, and guidance. Students frequently want to know what colleges are looking for. The reality is, there is no one perfect combination.

Colleges want a range of students to create a diverse campus community, so students need to present themselves as a whole, showing off their own unique mix of qualities in the best way possible. As there isn’t one perfect combination, but rather may different ones, students should focus on the following:

1. Choose the right high school classes. Take classes that are a challenge, including AP and IB, when possible. If a student takes classes that are all easy, this will not be very impressive. Students need to challenge themselves but not to the extent they are hurting themselves grade-wise. Students must also meet all high school course requirements for their chosen college and to meet statewide graduation requirements in order to earn a diploma.…Read More

INFOGRAPHIC: Social media and recruitment

See just how influential online platforms can be for recruitment

social-media-recruitmentIt seems reasonable that the best way to attract potential students is to use the social media platforms and online tools they use the most; namely, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. However, exactly how much of an influence does social media factor into recruitment?

According to data sourced from U.S. News, ABC News, Kaplan, Noodle, and others, Online Colleges revealed 6 interesting facts about exactly how much college admissions use social media to attract today’s Millennials.

For example, did you know that 92 percent of undergraduate admissions officers agree that social media is worth the investment they make in it? Or that 85 percent of all colleges use Facebook to recruit students?…Read More

To impress, Tufts prospects turn to YouTube

It is reading season at the Tufts University admissions office, time to plow through thousands of essays, transcripts, and recommendations—and this year, for the first time, short YouTube videos that students could post to supplement their application, reports the New York Times. About 1,000 of the 15,000 applicants submitted videos. There are videos showing off card tricks, horsemanship, jump rope, and stencils—and lots of rap songs. Some have gotten thousands of hits on YouTube. Tufts, which, like the University of Chicago, is known for its quirky applications, invited the YouTube videos. Lee Coffin, the dean of undergraduate admissions, said the idea came to him last spring as he watched a YouTube video someone had sent him. “I thought, ‘If this kid applied to Tufts, I’d admit him in a minute, without anything else,’” Coffin said. For their videos, some students sat in their bedrooms and talked earnestly into the camera, while others made day-in-the-life montages, featuring buddies, burgers, and lacrosse practice. A few were quite elaborate productions. Even without prompting, admissions officials say, a growing number of students submit videos. For Tufts, the videos have been a delightful way to get to know the applicants. “At heart, this is all about a conversation between a kid and an admissions officer,” Coffin said. “You see their floppy hair and their messy bedrooms, and you get a sense of who they are. We have a lot of information about applicants, but the videos let them share their voice.”

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