A Picture is Worth a Million Consequences

September 28, 2009 • Lindsey Laski, Managing Editor  
Filed under Journalism

Now is the time that all of the seniors are applying to colleges and scholarships.  They have so many things on their mind: money, grades, graduation, dances, clubs, and now, one more item can be added to the list, Facebook.

            Colleges are now looking into Myspace and Facebook for more references on the potential freshman.  Many admissions officers are confirming that they go to all of the social networking sites.  It is no longer all about the good grades and being book-smart; intelligence online is a very important too. 

            It has been said that 10 percent of prestigious universities have taken a look at Facebook and Myspace to evaluate the college-bound seniors.  The universities that have used the networks have said that 38 percent have had a negative effect on the students and their admission.

            “I am very cautious with what I put on my Facebook because I know how it could hurt me in the long run,” said Senior, Alexandra Beckett. 

            It has also been said that it will affect their admissions and sometimes, if it is too explicit, they will reject students.  Although most of the time it has a negative affect on their college future, sometimes it can help them.  It was found that 21 percent of the colleges use the social-networking sites for drafting prospects and gathering information about the student. 

For example, they are used when one is applying or being awarded a scholarship.  This is because they want to keep their brand name clean.  They would not want to give a scholarship to someone who will not use it wisely. 

When it comes down to the wire, facebook and myspace help make those little decisions that could have a big affect on someone’s future.  Next time when you come to the point of uploading pictures, think about it; One picture could cost you your future.

Tags: Journalism

 Email This Post        Print This Post