<p>I recently read a NYTimes piece about parents who send sabotage other students' applications by sending in damning or suspicious material about said students so that their own child has a better shot of going to that school. For instance, if you know a boy at your son's school had a few photos of him drinking at some party, you could send in those photos to Harvard (assuming your son was applying there as well as the guy) and sabotage his chances to increase that of your son's.</p>
<p>This has gotten me really paranoid. Like, really, really paranoid. My question is, I'm not a big fan of social networking as they are a pretty big distraction. However, I did have a Twitter account back in the day (Sophomore year) and I used some profane language and made a few crude jokes that I sure as heck wouldn't want a college admissions officer seeing. However, my twitter username was an ambiguous phrase - just as my current username is - something along the lines of woodstock69, essentially, and my profile picture was Kim Kardashian crying. For a name, I put a shortened "nickname" version of my first name. (ex: "Susie" instead of Susan, etc.) Kids at school knew it was me because I told them, but I had no identifiable information on it. </p>
<p>There have been instances or rather, one instance, where a girl has tried to get me suspended by fabricating stories to bring to school administration, only to have it backfire. She has kept screenshots of my tweets on her phone for two years. She told people her rationale for all of it was to keep me from getting scholarships, because she finds me to be too much competition for her, apparently?</p>
<p>My disciplinary record is spotless. I have never had a suspension, detention, tardy, or even an unexcused absence. I am considered to be in good standing with my principal, vice principal, and GC.</p>
<p>My question is, if colleges saw this because that girl decided to send it in, would it be substantial enough to cost me admissions. Would colleges even consider it?</p>
<p>Easy solution to twitter: Delete the tweets or delete the account. </p>
<p>Be quiet about your stats considering that’s one of the reasons why this girl is “black mailing” you. It’s sad to see someone so competitive that they would sabotage a peer. This won’t cost you admission to any school, however, be more aware of the consequences of your actions in the future.</p>
<p>So there isn’t really a problem then… If the twitter account is gone and there’s no proof of it actually being you, then how could photos of the tweets impact you in any way? I doubt that someone would vouch for the girl who took photos of them.</p>
<p>I’d also add that unless the information was something extreme, like a criminal conviction or evidence of ongoing drug use, it would not be all that likely to have an effect. Admissions officers are not naive. They know that kids sometimes do stupid things like drink at parties or make ridiculous Facebook posts.</p>
<p>On the flip side, I could see an AO being seriously irritated by someone who had ratted out a classmate or the classmate of their son/daughter. I think if they were to figure out who sent the information it would be enough to earn the tattler a thin envelope.</p>
<p>Of course the best course to take would simply not to do the dumb things in the first place. Don’t just present yourself as someone the college would want; be someone the college would want.</p>
<p>First, I’m going to hope that all of those pictures can be explained. I mean, as long as they aren’t really derogatory I’m sure they’ll understand. No college would reject someone for some pictures if their record is as clean as yours. Then, destroy the phone and don’t let her know which colleges you’re applying to =P?</p>
<p>That’s all? Unless it was cyberbullying or something like that, I seriously doubt they’d care even if they did find out. Just be more careful next time. They know people swear and tell crude jokes. They probably sit around in their admissions offices doing it.</p>