The Importance of LinkedIn to College Admission

At the height of the social media age which we are in, more high schools are encouraging students to take control of their online personas and ensuring that they present themselves in a professional way. One way many students are going about this is by creating a LinkedIn profile.

A simple google search of your full name will reveal your Facebook, Twitter and Instagram profiles, and grant access to your life, as told through pictures and text posts. Depending on your privacy settings, anyone can see this information about you. This is one of the many reasons why it is important to think twice (maybe even three times) before you post something online. A picture is worth a thousand words, and it may cost you a lot in the long run. In a survey completed by 381 college admission officers, 31% say they have “visited an applicant’s Facebook or other personal social media page to learn more about them.” Thirty percent of those who visited found information which negatively impacted the applicant’s chances of being accepted.

By creating a LinkedIn profile, or the “professional Facebook” as some call it, students are showing college admission officers that they are aware of the importance of their online reputation and have taken the time to present themselves in a positive way. This initiative is a highly valued trait that makes a candidate more desirable to colleges and even future employers.

A student from Washington was advised to do just this, and to include a link to  the profile on his resume. Not long after submitting his applications to Harvard, he received a notification that someone from the institution had looked at his LinkedIn profile. He was later accepted and is now a first year student. Although there is no direct proof that the profile is what “sealed the deal,” it certainly could not have done any harm.

For more information on creating a LinkedIn profile, please visit this link.

Amanda De Moraes

Boston Tutoring Services