Online Activities’ Influence on College Admissions

DEREK WU
Staff Writer

In light of college apps season, the New York Times wrote an article about a high school senior who attended a Bowdoin College information session last year. Later, she was rejected after admissions officers found her social media account, in which she belittled fellow attendees at the presentation.

It is not uncommon for college admissions to use social media outlets to filter applicants based on their posts, GPA and other information. About 80 percent of college admissions officers consider students partly based on their activity on social media accounts, according to a 2012 Kaplan survey of college admissions officers.

However, others argue that this is an inaccurate way of judging students.

“Looking at someone’s Facebook profile won’t always give an accurate depiction of a person. As long as the student shows promising academic standings and expresses a desire to learn, they should be given a chance to attend the university,” sophomore Ivy Kwok said.

Students who know about admission officers checking their social media accounts have the option of keeping their accounts private, though some students can take advantage of admission officers viewing their profiles. For example, students can post pictures of their academic achievements.

“I see no real reason to be afraid of this. [H]aving an online presence is important because it reflects that we are ‘social,’” senior Jeffrey Lee said.

According to the website About, students are suggested to monitor their online activity more closely should admissions officers find their accounts.