Social Media: A Warning to Students!

We have written before about the Dos and Don’ts of using social media, and it continues to be a hot topic. While social media can be used to present your “brand” and connect with potential colleges or employers, it can also backfire fairly easily. 

In times of social or political unrest, people often go to social media to post their reactions. At first glance, there is nothing wrong with using platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, FaceBook, etc. to express your opinions or show solidarity. But, you need to be careful with what you say and how you say it. Your published opinions can be hard to retract and lead to some unintended consequences.

For example, take the NYU law student who was recently in the news for posting their opinion on the current Middle East situation in a series of posts. As a consequence, the student was voted out of his position as President of the Student Bar Association. Additionally, he had a job offer from a top New York law firm rescinded. This student is not alone. 

Viet Thanh Nguyen, the Pulitzer-prize winning author recently had an NYC literary event canceled for posting his opinions publicly. This goes to show that no one is immune to these consequences, even those with a Pulitzer. 

In 2017, Harvard famously rescinded the offers of 10 admitted students after discovering offensive statements in the students’ Facebook posts. 

In fact, according to a survey by Kaplan, a global education services company, college admissions officers do check the social media accounts of applicants during the admissions process. What they find and and will impact their decision. Ivy Link’s founder, Adam Nguyen, sat down with Town & Country earlier this year to discuss this exact topic. 

Now, we are not trying to silence or censor you. Nor are we trying to persuade you to take one position or another. We are simply stating that what you post online does matter. Colleges and potential employers look at your social media to gain a sense of who you are and to see your “brand.” If they see things they don’t like or things that they feel would not represent their brand in a good light, they will not accept or hire you. It’s as simple as that. 

So if you are going to use social media, make sure you are using it to represent you in the best way possible. Follow our social media Dos and Don’ts to help you determine what is and is not appropriate. And if you’re in doubt, ask us, or better yet, DON’T post it.