The double-Edged Sword

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, Vine, Snapchat, Whisper, Tinder, ooVoo...the list is endless. And if you are a typical American senior in high school, chances are your world involves one or more of these social media sites. This isn’t your parents’ high school days of after school chats with your best friend on a phone, tethered to a cord, of all things, to keep you confined to one spot. With the power of technology at your fingertips, cell phones, tablets, and now even watches provide the ability to communicate instantly with anybody from anywhere. 

Sure, some conscientious parents may monitor your social media sites, but are you aware that someone else is now watching also? That’s right, Colleges and Universities are paying closer attention to your online profile and using it as part of their admissions process. A recent study from Kaplan has found that 31% of college admission officers check social media to see if an applicant would make a good fit at their educational institution. The same study also reported that 12% of college admission applicants were rejected because of what the college saw on social media. 

If your parents or guidance counselor have not already cautioned you, then be aware that posting controversial material, or even an offhand remark, online can have long-term consequences for your college or career prospects. Consequently, in your junior year or earlier, start paying close attention to your online profiles — make them private, delete certain posts, remove name tags in photos, and even use pseudonyms. 

What happens on social media, stays on social media and utilizing it haphazardly, with no regard for who is reading it, can result in rejection notices from colleges and even future employers. Using it effectively can secure admission and employment upon graduation. For today's high school senior, the social media is, indeed, a powerful double-edged sword.

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