There is no question about the fact that social media has changed the way colleges communicate with students. Given that a central goal of the admissions process is making connection with prospective students, schools have made great efforts to reach theirs students in the way in which they are most comfortable. Whether it is through their institutional Facebook pages, direct email, video conference or interviews, or what have you, colleges are aggressively using social media to make contact with their prospective students and to enhance their image and presence in the community at large. At the same time they are also well aware of how students use it and how a student presents themselves on their Facebook page may be something that an admissions office is aware of and may influence their decision. Consequently, students should be fully aware of full range of ways in which the social media can be a part of the admissions process.
Social media has provided a quicker and cheaper way to get to students who are interested in a particular university or for admissions counselors to recruit students who may benefit from their universities mission statement. (Student Recruitment)
Yes, I believe it has. Be careful what you post on Facebook, Twitter, etc. Make sure that your profile is private, until you give permission. Also, be careful what your email address is. It gives colleges an impression of you.
Many college admissions offices are looking at student’s facebook, twitter accounts, and other online media. Make sure you don’t have anything on your accounts that are inappropriate or don’t reflect positively on you (from a responsible adults point of view). Many colleges are looking at advertising or link applications directly from facebook and other media sources. I think it’s going to be a trend that just continues to grow.
For many schools social media has really opened up a new outlet to convey a college’s “personality.” Many schools use student bloggers to offer candid student opinions to prospective students. Applicants often cite bloggers in supplemental essays to express “why College X?” Some schools have also attracted tremendous attention through viral videos (Why I chose Yale). Colleges have nearly unlimited options for sharing their “brand” though students should use social media carefully. All spokespeople, official and unofficial, for colleges are on a mission–to complain about something or to recruit students. What’s good about social media is it offers more information to prospective applicants to consider when trying to get a feel for a college to see if it’s a good match. Colleges are often diverse communities so an individual perspective typically doesn’t capture the real feel of the school. Being able to hear a range of voices through Facebook, Twitter, Blogs, and more allows the public to learn more about many facets of life at a school.
Social media is quickly growing as a medium of communicating with students, but it is something that is completely unavoidable considering the connections people outside of college make through social networks like Facebook or Twitter.
Yes.
Cappex, Kaarme, and Zinch has altered the playing field for college admissions and how colleges and students interact with one another. Consider these websites the “Facebook” of college admissions. Check out each website to learn more about the digitally connecting to your potential schools.
Social Networking is a wonderful way to stay connected, very popular with students, but definitely not the best source for personal, professional expertise to map out your strategy in an already confusing and convoluted environment. Colleges have spent time developing their “Social Networking Marketing Strategies” and are making their presence known. Go to Facebook or twitter, they’ve all got accounts and are willing to connect with you…just “like” them.
Absolutely and sometimes not in the most productive way. Make sure that your email address sounds professional and not too cutesy. I would suggest creating an email address specifically for college communications. First inital, last name is usually a good format. Also, be very careful what you put on your Facebook page. You should always remember that Facebook and any other social media sites present your very public face to the world including colleges and employers.
Without a doubt! I was in class the other night and received a text that there had been an attempted robbery on campus, forwarded via Twitter. Social media works both ways though – some schools are checking you out by looking you up on Facebook and using search engines to see what you have out there, and if that taints their impressions of you.
The vast majority of schools use social networking to recruit students; 85% use Facebook and 66% use YouTube to reach prospective students. It’s not relatively easy to reach a large number of potential students with immediate news, invitations, etc. This new media always the information to be more visual and interactive.
Absolutely!!! At a recent college fair, I personally went around to each admission’s rep to ask this exact question. There was a plethora of 35-40 schools. Some of the more common responses were:
Most definitely. Colleges are taking advantage of all of the opportunities to communicate with students including social media. Most colleges will have a facebook and twitter account at least. How they use it will vary from school to school. At my former school we let prospective and current students communicate with each other via facebook instead of getting involved with it.
A broad topic. One of the many points of impact is negative. That is where the admissions office or the college coaching staff combs through facebook, or other social sites looking for prospective candidates and their stunning online disclosures, exposures, and confessions.
You bet! Social media gives both colleges and students new ways to connect and communicate, whether it’s students deciding to visit a school based on campus photos on Flickr, or a college encouraging students to consider submitting a brief video clip as a part of their application. If I were an applicant today, one of the first things I’d do when researching schools would be to check out that school’s digital footprint… do they have a presence on iTunesU? Youtube? Flickr? Twitter? Facebook? Does the admissions office have a blog or sponsored student bloggers? The viewbook used to be the be-all and end-all; those days are gone.
Colleges are now able to connect more personally with students using social media and students are able to communicate in the same way. Colleges have recognized the value of this type of marketing and have begun to reach out to students and parents using the tools available in social media: Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube, Some colleges have even begun to text messages to students about the applications and acceptances. It’s a whole new college world out there.
Absolutely. Colleges use all means possible to communicate with students. They use FB, Twitter, and other social media to communicate what is new, what is cool, and what is great about their campuses. They provide immediacy, and are some of the only ways to get in touch with the college’s future customers. The more colleges rely on effective social media the more they can help attract potential students.
Everything that we are doing in higher ed is to try and get in front of the technology. We use Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, etc…. Everything we do, every email or picture we post, we keep social media in mind as to how we are going to recruit students.
I would say definitely. Colleges like to stay on top of the current trends in communication and using mediums such as Twitter and Facebook to share information is on the rise for all universities. The days of getting a college acceptance by mail have all but disappeared. Now you would most likely find out by email. Most schools have you create your own portal accounts to communicate with them as well. So being computer literate, in a positive way, is very essential to the college going experience right now.
Social media has greatly impacted the way that colleges communicate with students. Through social media, students can find pages or groups related to every aspect of any college. If the area that interests you is not already out there, then you can create a forum to address your concerns. This puts a lot of freedom in the hands of the students. On the flip side, social media can become a problem for the colleges. The dirty laundry of any school can be aired to the masses. Social media provides true exposure for an incoming student.
Social media really is a great tool. However, from my experiences colleges still communicate with students through mail, with email making a strong emergence. I have seen many institutions of higher education (IHE’s) that have social media sites, but they do not require their current students, or prospective students to subscribe to those sites in order to receive information.
Yes, colleges are able to communicate with students “where they are” Facebook, Twitter for example
Colleges are still adjusting to a world with social media. But almost all institutions use Facebook, most use YouTube and Twitter and many utilize FourSquare and other geosocial resources. These tools allow prospective students to interact in a much more open and informal way. This provides greater access to students, so certainly don’t hesitate to take advantage of this opportunity!
Yes it has. Many colleges and universities offer students information via their website, facebook, twitter or any other social means for students to reach out to them. It makes the school seem more reachable and less frightening. Many students feel that this is step is frightening, but with social medias so accesible, they feel more at ease in asking questions through a chat room or through a facebook page than they would in person.
Social media has absolutely impacted the way colleges communicate with students. Many, if not most, schools now Tweet on a regular basis and have Facebook pages. These websites enable colleges to share exciting developments, like new majors or study abroad locations, instantaneously. They also allow students to get a feel for the campus.
“Back in the day”–e.g. prior to social media–colleges communicated with students via postal mail, email, and phone calling. Now-a-days, however, whenever a student logs into Facebook, they will likely see a newsfeed story about any colleges they have “liked” on FB. So that is once change. Instead of getting a weekly or perhaps monthly communication from a college, now colleges communicate with students nearly every day.
Social media allows students to visit schools without having to physically be there. Students can be easily updated and connected online through online newsletters, yours, fairs and etc.
Absolutely. College have Facebook and Twitter accounts to get their names out there to many more potential students. Skype is also being used to interview potential students and answer questions that students may have in chats.
colleges are changing their way of conducting fairs and tours online those days. students can be easily updated and connected online through social media. such as online newsletter, tour, etc.,
Absolutely colleges have entered full force into the realm of social media. They have to be savvy about this form of communication to keep pace with today’s students.
Certainly social media has quickened the speed at which students can gather information about colleges. The opportunity exists for inquiring students to garner valuable suggestions and information from current students and faculty members already on campus. Students can connect with groups and organizations on campus through social media… even before they are actually enrolled… and thus helping them to feel a part of things even before move in day.
With the rise of social media — colleges have become much more adept at communicating with students, and prospective students have much more access to the daily happenings on campus. Prospective students can get a glimpse of the most current news, hot topics, and dominant issues that affect a school. However, it is important to remember that the information goes both ways. Be careful and use your good judgment when using social media. To put things bluntly, you don’t want to embarrass yourself by posting unsavory, misguided, or just plain stupid things online.
Social media has a huge impact on colleges and their students. During the application process some admission officers will check out your Facebook page or anything else you have posted online (so be sure the page could be viewed by your mom)! Nothing is private anymore. If you post a photo or a questionable comment, it may be seen. Applicants can join groups on Facebook and other sites particular to each college. Check out the Class of 2015 at xxxxx college! Meet future and current students online. Chat with admission people, attend interest sessions online as well. Colleges are visible in a big way in most social media, check out even YOUTUBE! Chances are not only the college has posted videos, so have students. For more information: http://collegeadventures.net/blog/2010/07/21/facebook-public/
The shortest answer is yes! But in positive and negative ways. Social media sites like facebook, collegelive, twitter and others have enabled colleges to reach a much larger student potential population than ever before. The negative impact however is that people still need that personal one on one conversation with an advisor, or recruitment officer. The personal connection is what has made many students feel that a certain college is the right fit for them.
It is the WORLD WIDE WEB! This means whatever you post on any social networking site can be viewed by the whole world. This includes college admissions people and future employers. I heard about a student who got a full scholarship to an NCAA division 1 school, then lost the scholarship when photos of them drinking at a party surfaced online. Colleges will look at your facebook pages.
Internet, facebook, texting and other electronic communications can keep colleges and prospective as well as current students up on the latest information.
Let’s face(book) it…social media has changed the way everyone communicates with everyone! While appropriate boundaries regarding prospective student interactions is still unfolding, the access to real-time news and updates undoubtedly helps students keep a finger on the pulse of their colleges of choice. (Evidence? My boarding school mascot just “friended” me on FB. He’s my new BFF.)
Just a few years ago schools were still learning about social media. In the past, very often the first point of contact a school had with a student was by mailing pretty brochures. Now schools subscribe to social media and today’s lunch menu can be found on line.
Yes, I would say that it has. A prospective student may be able to follow a college’s posts on Facebook and sometimes on twitter. Many colleges also connect through student blogs. Make sure you keep your own social media accounts squeaky clean. Do not post anything that you would be ashamed for your grandmother to see or read!
Absolutely! Colleges seek any opportunity to make connections with students. They want students to follow them on twitter, allow them to populate a news feed, and showcase great offerings 24/7. But, just as students recycle a direct mail piece, they are in the driver’s seat when it comes to social media communication campaigns. This fall at the National Association of College Admission Counselors annual conference in New Orleans, a student panel emphatically informed college representatives that they’d prefer social media be social. Colleges are all for posting on facebook and tweeting with hashtags, but it really all depends on whether or not students “like” them.
Absolutely, and the way that students communicate with colleges.
Social media has a huge impact on colleges and their students. During the application process some admission officers will check out your Facebook page or anything else you have posted online (so be sure the page could be viewed by your mom)! Nothing is private anymore. If you post a photo or a questionable comment, it may be seen. Applicants can join groups on Facebook and other sites particular to each college. Check out the Class of 2015 at xxxxx college! Meet future and current students online. Chat with admission people, attend interest sessions online as well. Colleges are visible in a big way in most social media, check out even YOUTUBE! Chances are not only the college has posted videos, so have students.
Facebook is a great way for colleges to speak at the same time to thier applicant pool and then later on to their admitted class. However as a stduent you should be very wary about joining them as everything on your page is then viewable to the admissions personnel. I have heard tell that a great Facebook page won’t enhance your admissability, but a bad one, or one showing you doing things you perhaps weren’t wise to do, will definitely hurt your chances. It is advisable therefore to have a separate account which only portrays you in the way that you would want the admissions team to see you!
Social media has had a dramatic effect on how colleges communicate with students. Blogging is one of the first major changes. Students expect many of their target schools to have blogs, either by admissions professionals or students, so they can keep up with the latest admissions or campus happenings. In this age of new media, colleges are turning to Facebook and Twitter as well. Brown, for example, sends out tweets on classes, alumni and articles of interest to prospective applicants. All in all, social media provides a very flexible and less expensive means of communication, a dramatic shift from the days of fat envelopes and visits to the mailbox. At the same time, social media can help or hinder a candidate’s chances of admission. Students at some schools are now permitted to submit videos. At the same time, colleges are sometimes checking out students’ Facebook pages. In this age of social media, anything is fair game.
I think the question is asked wrong: social media has definitely affected how students CHOOSE colleges, but not necessarily effectively who students get their information FROM colleges. They still use traditional means for getting information from colleges (websites, printed materials), but use social media interactions with PEERS to make decisions about college.
Getting admitted to college is about portraying yourself as the best possible candidate. Students spend countless hours refining their college application materials in order to shine the most favorable light on their academic achievements. Whether it’s spending Saturday night studying for the SAT, researching schools, or meeting with teachers about recommendations, students make huge investments in their future.
when students communicating with each other, colleges must pay attention to activities and public views about certain issues such as student services and academic advisory. The added positive impact on public relations will ultimately improve their decision making process.
Here is my video response to the question.
Of course. The professional ethics of admissions would keep admissions officers from becoming your personal friends, but social media offers admissions a way of connecting through groups, for example, or having you like the admissions office.
I do think so. Today, I think that some colleges measure a student’s demonstrated interest by how they interact with their social media presence.
THE SOCIAL MEDIA HAS IMPACTED THE WAY THAT STUDENTS COMUNICATE WITH THEIR COLLEGES IN A POSITIVE WAY. MANY STUDENTS CAN CONTACT THEIR PROFESORS AND HAVE BULLETINS ABOUT SCHOOL ACTIVITIES.
I’m not a social media expert, but it’s obviously had both positive & negative affects!
I’m not a social media expert, but I’m sure you’ll have no trouble finding several on Unigo!
Social media has impacted the college process in a number of ways. First, and most obvious, is that colleges can use it to keep in touch with students and to continue their marketing efforts to entice students to apply and, if accepted, enroll. One way that social media has impacted the process is not as good for students. Colleges now have access to your FaceBook page, your Twitter feed, and any other social media tools you use. This means that the colleges can make a judgment about the kind of person you are by seeing the pictures you post, those posted by your friends, the language you use, and the things you boast about on your personal sites. Much of this is not material that you want a prospective college or employer to see. Use great caution!
Colleges and Universities are still figuring out the role of social media as a means of communication, most are on the major networks (facebook, twitter, foursquare, linkedin, etc) but the effectiveness of use as a communication method is highly debated among higher education professionals. It can be great, for communication and collecting information about different people, but students can also be put off by it. Generally the best option for social media, especially facebook is an “opt in” method that gives students the option to join the facebook group or fan the fan page or follow the dean or admissions department on twitter, then once the student allows for this communication method it is great. The problem with social media is that many students want nothing serious to be done with facebook and in some cases students are put off by schools pushing social media.
Facebook and other social media forums absolutely impact the college search and application process. Despite the hype, young people listen to their friends – and their friends’ friends! My warning to clients is to “lock” their pages acknowledging that it is almost impossible to remove distasteful commentary about or by you. I always provide a checklist which includes “wash your face first” with deliberate attention to monitoring those you “add” to your circle of friends. Though some believe it is myth, admission personnel do review Facebook and other profiles. I do NOT believe they do so arbitrarily, but I strongly suspect they occasionally peruse candidates from curiosity. In sum, yes colleges, families and applicants all consider blogs, web profiles and stories, experiences and insights shared between and across various social media. If prospects look, then it makes sense that admission recruiters and staffs would also engage.
I’m not a social media expert, but but it’s obviously had both positive & negative affects!
Yes, very much so. Since social media has become the fastet growing means of communication, collges and universities have adapted to using social media to communicate more and more with students. Colleges and Universities are consistently using social media sources to stay connected with students and share important information. They use sources like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Linkd in to communicate with students about topics ranging from important academic dates and deadlines and grades to campus wide events or available scholarships. .
From Facebook to Twitter, colleges are using social networks to deliver everything from campus visit information to college acceptances. I worked at a college that used social media extensively to generate interest in campus events, admission visits to schools, and staying in touch with prospective students. Colleges also use the social media to inform them about potential candidates; therefore some information posted on Facebook could lead to a negative impression in the application process. Interviews are being scheduled online which is a great option for students who are unable to make it to campus. There are pro’s and con’s to the use of social media in college communications. It’s not going away, and ought to be addressed by The National Association for College Admission Counselors
Absolutely! Back in my admissions days, interested students would send in an inquiry card and we would mail them a viewbook or some glossy brochures promoting the university and encouraging them to apply. The process was tedious (it could often take several weeks for materials to go out in the mail) and cumbersome to track. Entering all the inquiry cards into a database was very time consuming work and one typo would ensure that a student would not receive their materials.
Social media has definitely impacted the way that colleges communicate with students. Tools such as Facebook and Twitter are fantastic tools for prospective students to use when trying to get a feel for a school. These are also wonderful for communicating with current students and staff, as well as alumni of an institution. Many schools use social media as a way to spread the word about campus events, school accolades, and new programs…all things that a prospective student should care about! If you’re interested in a particular school you should head on over to their Facebook page and click “Like”, or begin following their Twitter stream. Oh yeah…don’t be afraid to ask questions on both of these platforms as you may get a response faster than sending an email to the Office of Admission!
Yes! I could stop there, but social media is ever growing and as a professor I tend to use everything that I can to make learning not so boring. Making learning fun is an advantage that social media allows for those of us who use it. Knowing that students have varying learning styles and some have learning disabilities, social media is great to use within the classroom for all learning styles. So, with that said, social media from texting, tweeting to Face Book has impacted the way in which colleges interact with their students. Although not all professors interact using social media many of us do use it on occassion. There are times when I will use a blog to keep my students abreast of what’s going on with the topic we are discussing and to let them know of things happening in the news.
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