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" &amp;quot;Can what I post on Facebook affect my chances of getting accepted?&amp;quot;   Can it? Sure. Will it? Probably not... in most cases You should think of anything you post on the web as accessible by anybody - including college and university officials. Will they access it? Probably not in most situations, but it depends. At some institutions - generally private and smaller, but not always - someone may try to confirm whether or not something you share on your application is true or significant. Facebook could be one place they look. Think more broadly about &amp;#039;admissions&amp;#039; though...also consider your interests in being &amp;#039;accepted&amp;#039; by particular groups, clubs, sororities/fraternities, etc.  -Philip Ballinger - Director of Admissions, University of Washington Using poor judgment online can affect a student&amp;#039;s admission In admitting students to campus communities, admission committees consider objective measures of achievement but also factor in subjective elements like good citizenship and social maturity. Given such holistic evaluation, students send in supportive letters, articles touting successes and links to personal blogs. Conversely, when confronted with evidence that students behaved badly and were immature enough to broadcast it, colleges can hardly ignore it. Occasionally rival classmates and meddlesome parents send information anonymously, and sometimes-young admission officers spending free time in the same networking environment as applicants, seek it out. Students should therefore be prudent in evaluating their online presence. - Andrea van Niekerk - Educational Consultant, College Goals Inappropriate information on Facebook is an accident waiting to happen Admissions folks neither have the time nor the desire to spend hours checking profiles, but it&amp;#039;s possible for a scorned girlfriend or an extremely competitive classmate to sabotage you. Pictures of your cherished beer can collection or unflattering party photos will do you a disservice. In the college admissions race, view your profile as your grandmother might, and clean up any language and photos she might find offensive. My grandmother used to say, &amp;quot;Wear clean underwear in case you get into an accident and have to go to the hospital.&amp;quot; You don&amp;#039;t want to get caught wearing ripped boxer shorts! -Suzan Reznick - Independent Educational Consultant, The College Connection Discretion and Caution are important when using online social media Most admission offices do not have the staffing resources to constantly check student online social media postings. However, students should be aware that anything posted could be seen and reported by others to a college and future employer. Each situation is different and can result in a variety of consequences, depending on the nature of an inappropriate posting. These consequences can result in denial of admission to college, legal ramifications, school expulsion or suspension and even loss of scholarship. Students are encouraged to use discretion and caution when using social media with friends, family, school or others. Many colleges utilize twitter, Facebook and other online forums so they embrace these interactions with students, but think of it as if you sent them a hand written letter or standing in front of them on campus. You probably want to make a good impression in those settings and therefore should think of the online social media as extension of that experience. -Kevin Witham - Sr. Associate Director of Admissions, Lawrence University The rise of social media in the admissions process has benefits and complications Colleges work hard to stay abreast of the entire spectrum of technology both for recruitment and the gathering of student information. Research shows that 21% of colleges use Facebook in these ways. Just like any other business, all colleges need to be at the top of their game in providing easy and attractive access to prospective students not just nationally but internationally. As for students, many report finding excellent information by linking to enrolled students. They feel they can get straightforward answers to their questions and receive the type of information they need to make an informed decision - information that might not be provided by the admissions office. -Linda Sturm - Director of Guidance, South Portland High school However unlikely, it&amp;#039;s better to be safe than sorry Admissions Officers are curious folks. Sometimes, something in an applicant&amp;#039;s file will grab a reviewer&amp;#039;s interest and they may want to learn more about the student. They may search on Google or on Facebook to see if they can get more information. Students need to remember that images and statements on the web are not private and are often much more permanent then they realize. If they would hesitate for their mother to see it or read it, they should probably not put it there for the world, or an Admissions Officer, to see. -Nancy McDuff - Associate VP for Admissions &amp;amp;amp; Enrollment, University of Georgia Get the full story from 36 more experts at www.unigo.com/expertnetwork. To send your questions, visit www.unigo.com/expertquestions! "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.seventeen.com/life/school/advice/a13817/social-networks-effect-on-college-acceptance/>