Your Online Self

Are you on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, or any of the other multitude of social networking sites and how do you portray yourself?

Do you use Facebook or Instagram to post pictures of the wild party you had last weekend?  Do you live tweet about how boring class was or make inappropriate comments about your friends, family, fellow students, teachers, etc.?  Do you use language on these sites that you maybe wouldn't in front of adults like your parents and teachers?

It is important to think carefully about how you portray yourself on the internet.  I'm sure you've heard this all before ..."once it's online, it's never really gone;" "employers can see those pictures;" or "privacy settings are always changing" ... blah, blah, blah, right?  But social media can actually affect your lives now - even in the college application process.


The New York Times recently published an article called "They Loved Your G.P.A. Then They Saw Your Tweets."  This article states that many college admissions counselors (who are often young and tech-savvy) are using Facebook and Twitter and other websites to learn about their applicants' lives.  While colleges do not base their admissions decisions solely on social networking sites, there have been individuals who were denied acceptance due to the content of their personal websites.

So, be careful what you post on the internet.  This doesn't mean that we want to be someone you are not, or to present an untrue version of yourself just for the benefit of admissions counselors or potential employers; however, being wise about your internet use is always a good idea.  Do your best to avoid inappropriate photos, coarse or rude language, gossip, bullying ... basically, if in doubt, don't put it on the internet.