Tuesday, June 10, 2014

College Applications and Your Internet Presence


students need to blog


Another topic often discussed at college 'preview' days is your internet presence.

College admissions officers always stress to students to make sure the information they share on the internet via social networking (Facebook, Instagram, etc) is something they would want a potential college choice to know.

As one admissions officer shared, "If you wouldn't want your grandmother to know, don't post it on the internet."

Everything you post tells something about you. 
If you share something online, don't consider it to be private.

Look at your email address.  Is it professional?  Or is it cutesy?  Like pinkprincess@hotmail or cooldude@yahoo?   If you don't have a professional email address, make one for all your college contact information.  Use your name and set up a gmail address.

Do you have a website or a blog?  No?  Why not?

I had been reading about the advantages of a student having a blog or website and wasn't sure it was necessary.  But, then, for the first time in ten years of college visits with students, I heard a college advisor say, "You (students) need to have a blog or website."

What?!

It is another way for colleges to get to know you.  Blog about your passion, about what interests you, or something.  But blog.  

Turns out, it's not that hard to do. 

My 17 year old came home from that college visit and started a blog.  You can read it here.

It is his project.  I don't edit or grade it.  He writes when he has something to say, but it lets the reader see what he is thinking and doing.  It lets them get to know him better.

Students- here is another summer project.  Start a blog.  There is a lot of information on the internet that tells you how to start a blog.  One way is to just do it.

A way that I recommend for students to start their blog is to go through the e-course,  
Blog to Your Talent , Click here to view more details , put together by Jonathan Harris.  He also has a course, 10KToTalent. , that will help students discover and develop their talent.

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