Social media was a staple in the childhoods of many college students today. In fact, it was an influential part of the development of the entire generation.

In the years that followed their initial creation, these platforms were used for more than the social interaction for which they were originally intended. People flocked to digital communities housed within their phones, and corporations were quick to follow.

The mainstream populace finally caught on to the invasive techniques used by companies to target consumers — their online activity was being tracked. Most young Americans know this, and yet they’re often shocked and outraged by a popular proponent of that oversight: college admissions.

Colleges looking at your social media presence doesn’t have to be scary, though. If you’re responsible, there are ways you can take advantage of that.

It was always inevitable. The younger generations were spending considerable amounts of time building their presence online, and there came a time when colleges just couldn’t ignore these vast wells of information any longer. According to a 2017 survey administered by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, 11% of respondents said they “denied admission based on social media content” and another 7% rescinded offers for the same reason.

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It’s not just colleges looking at students’ social media, though. Even students are taking advantage of the very same resources. The 2017 Social Admissions Report found that 37% of students looked in to their prospective college’s social media when trying to make their own application decisions. Sixty percent have liked or followed a school in their consideration set.

It’s important for young social media users to learn about how their social media accounts can be used to advance their eligibility and help them stand out just as much as it can be used against them.

Syracuse University’s director of career services Michael LaMarche said that social media can be a double-edged sword.

“It’s a way for students to market themselves, and there are lots of benefits that come out of it, but there are also lots of ways for people to see negative behaviors and things that could really shed a bad light on you,” LaMarche said.

LaMarche also said the effects of a post can reach further than just your university.

“Kids are doing a thing called Facebook stalking or Instagram stalking, and employers are doing the same thing,” LaMarche said. “If they’re interested in you, nine times out of ten they’ll look you up on your LinkedIn or social media.”

Fortunately, there are plenty of options available for those looking to make themselves more presentable. First and foremost, everyone should learn to approach social media with much less levity than we’re used to. Although most people use the apps as a casual way of passing time, users’ public posts and activity are just that: public and available for all to see.

Although the prospect of being judged based off of your social media activity may initially seem alarming and scary, it is ultimately a good thing that our generation should work to accept and take advantage of.

According to LaMarche, a job applicant’s social media activity can be used to their advantage in the same way one would use a resume.

“A resume can only say so much about you. A cover letter can only say so much about you. A couple of 30-minute interviews can only say so much about you,” LaMarche said. “A lot of times, a LinkedIn profile can say a lot about you, and if students use it the right way it can give a lot of information that you wouldn’t be able to get across in just a couple interviews.”

Companies like Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and more allow you to build an online persona that, if used carefully, can reflect only the very best parts of your personality. You can be whoever you want to be and then show that off to others. Ultimately, the dangers and consequences of having an online persona only reinforce something that was true from day one: social media is a powerful tool, and if people are unwilling to take accountability for their actions on it then they shouldn’t be on it at all.

Dylan Williams is a freshman in the transmedia department. His column appears bi-weekly. He can be reached at dwilli39@syr.edu. He can be followed on Twitter @_DylanFox_.

Published on October 16, 2019 at 10:52 pm