Using Social Media to Your Advantage in Admissions

67% of the admissions officers say they believe an applicant’s social media is “fair game” when evaluating an application.

Social media, whether you like it or not, is part of the admissions process—and applicants should assume that admissions officers will assess their online presence.

Kimberly Hoey, an admissions consultant at mbaMission, recently explained how B-school applicants can build a positive online presence and use social media to their advantage.

GOOGLE YOURSELF

Admissions officers will typically do an online search of you to see if there are any red flags. Experts recommend doing a Google search of yourself to delete anything that could be questionable.

“Take note of any unfavorable mentions or inappropriate content that you find, and make sure to remove it from your social media,” Lana Silanteva, a featured contributor at mba.com, says. “Content involving drugs, profanity, and sexual comments should be removed. Admissions would like to see that you can be a professional, public-facing member of the community and having your name associated with inappropriate content does not inspire confidence in your ability to become a future leader following your MBA.”

HIGHLIGHT YOUR INTERESTS

Social media platforms, such as LinkedIn, can be a great opportunity showcase your interests and add color to your B-school application.

“Ideally, you want your business school application to indicate to the admissions committee that you are a multidimensional, dynamic person who participates in and contributes positively to society,” Hoey says. “Social media can be a powerful platform through which to showcase your passions and interests, allowing you to post photos from a humanitarian trip abroad, a review of a hot new restaurant from your ‘foodie’ perspective, or a video of your recent musical performance.”

CONNECT WITH B-SCHOOLS

Almost all top B-schools have a social media presence. Hoey recommends following your business schools of interest to assess fit and demonstrate interest.

“By participating in conversations about a school’s blog posts, video content, or press releases via thoughtful, relevant, and intelligent commentary, you can demonstrate your genuine interest in the program,” Hoey says. “This is also a great way to stay up-to-date on key admissions events and information and to show the school that you are someone who will be actively involved with the community as part of the MBA program.”

Sources: mbaMission, mba.com