How to Leverage Social Media for College and Grad School
Are you tired of hearing that social media is a waste of time? Well, good news: According to a US News article, social media is also a great tool for prospective students to connect with business schools. In fact, social media is a great way to see if a certain school or program is a good fit for you. You’re probably tired of hearing the term “brand,” but branding is a modern way for businesses and professionals to show the world who they are and what they stand for.
Joanna Zisis, a former senior associate director of MBA admissions at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business says that social media "is a really great way for schools to give prospective students a look into their brand or look into the everyday happenings of the school."
Take a look at the prospective college or program’s branded content. What are they doing that other schools are not? What trends are they following? What does student life look like day to day? What kind of research is the school funding? Answering these questions, among others, will help you get a sense of how your interests will align with the school’s. This will help you immensely while dealing with the overwhelming task of deciding on which schools you should apply to.
Same goes for undergrad!
Though this article is talking about business schools, there is no reason to believe that this advice isn’t important for students applying to undergraduate programs as well. Even if your focus is narrowed to one specific college, you should look through their social media accounts to see what stands out to you. Are they presenting themselves in the way that piques your attention? Are they offering the experience that you would like to gain? Keep these questions in mind while scrolling through the school’s platforms.
Some tips to get you started:
Take a look at the different social media platforms. Schools will post different content across different platforms because the audience will be different. For example, many parents, and people of a certain generation, will focus on Facebook, while prospective students might pay more attention to Tik Tok or Snapchat. To get the most out of this process, check out the different platforms and see what the school is posting and how it might affect or interest you.
Keep in mind that social media is a two-way street! Just as colleges are conscious of their brand and the content they post, so should you be. Spend some time and think about your brand. How do you want to portray yourself? What do you want prospective colleges to see? How can you use social media to show that you are a dedicated student while highlighting your academic and professional interests? Here’s a tip: If you wouldn’t want your grandparents to see the content, then you probably don’t want colleges to see it either. So don’t post it.
So log on and find out what your potential school has to offer you. Just don’t do it in class!
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