Social Media, email, etc.

Prep School Admissions
1

<p>We're going through the prep school application process this fall for the first time. I've read and learned so much here on this board, but I have a couple of questions about email and social media, as it relates to the app process.</p>

<p>First...I've noticed some applications ask for the student's email address. My child has an email account for school, which is restricted to only send/receive emails from within the school community. Beyond that, we've resisted email and social media accounts for a 13 year old. Is it necessary or advisable that the student should have their own email and/or social media accounts for the application process?</p>

<p>Second...I've seen suggestions here to attend school events and open houses of schools to show that you're really interested in them. What about social media? Is it advisable to LIKE the school on Facebook or follow them on Twitter? Can't they see if we're following multiple schools, and will that matter?</p>

<p>And I guess there's a third related question...As a family, we've generally kept a low profile online (minimal Facebook presence, no twitter, no linked in). Should we increase our online presence? Do schools check out the family online? Are there important elements about ourselves that we should be sure they can find (parent's education, work history, etc.)?</p>

2

<p>I’ll take a stab.</p>

<p>1) No, it’s not necessary. Remember, high school students are also applying. If the school asks for an email address, I’d recommend you give them an address which will reach an adult. An adult who reads his/her email. You don’t want an inquiry after missing application materials to sit in your 8th grader’s inbox.</p>

<p>If your child has an email account, there’s no harm in his using it to correspond with students who give him tours, and/or to send a thank-you note to his interviewer. You might want to set up a weekly to-do item of, “check Kid’s emails for information from prep schools.” </p>

<p>In our experience, most of the schools do try to copy parents in on any important information. </p>

<p>As I’m thinking of this, you could also set up an innocuous email address for applications, which both you and your child can read. Choose an address which the child can use when applying to colleges (at which point you won’t need to read his/her email.) </p>

<p>2) I would not worry about liking the schools on Facebook, and following them on Twitter. Liking will give you access to news of the school, and announcements of planned happenings on campus. These schools will expect you to apply to more than one school. </p>

<p>3) It wouldn’t do any harm to search online for your name, and your child’s name, just to make sure there isn’t anything embarassing. If you’re Mary Smith, though, I assume there are so many Mary Smiths that no one can find you. If you’re on Linked In, I suppose they could find work history if they wished.</p>

<p>I don’t expect the schools to run an online search. After all, they’ll have more information on hand about you and your child than would turn up in any search. They also have the ability to pick up the phone and call your child’s guidance counselor. </p>

<p>I would not recommend anyone try to increase their online presence. </p>

3

<p>My DS didn’t have an email account either when we began this process last year. I don’t think it was a big deal. One school was surprised that he didn’t, but it wasn’t surprise in a bad way. I think it’s fine to let them know that you have restrictions on that kind of thing.</p>

4

<p>You can always look at a school’s FB, flickr, Instagram or twitter without liking or following. </p>

<p>I think it’s a great idea for prospective students ( and parents) to look at these pages and accounts. You will learn a lot. Check out YouTube, too. Most BS’s have posted videos ( or have their own channel ) and it’s a great way to see a school in action. </p>

<p>Students applying to BS should always tidy up their FB page. Check your settings and lock it down. :slight_smile: </p>

5

<p>As a coach/activity leader at a boarding school, I have to contact kids for the admissions office occasionally. I’m often replying to a parent email rather than a student, so no worries there; it’s not unheard of, and it’s not a problem.</p>

<p>As far as other social media presence, I’d say it’s absolutely not necessary. Families are coming from such a wide range of backgrounds and not all have easy internet access, or are interested in social media. I can’t imagine a boarding school penalizing applicants for not having an online presence, nor can I imagine that liking a school on facebook makes any difference at all come admission time. </p>

<p>PhotographerMom’s suggestions to check out schools on You Tube is a great one. I turned down a job at a school in part after watching their You Tube videos. It wasn’t anything scandalous, I just got a sense of the kids and the culture and knew that it wasn’t the right fit for me.</p>

6

<p>Do boarding schools look at our Facebook?</p>

7

<p>The admissions officers at many of the big boarding schools have their own Twitter IDs or Facebook pages. It wouldn’t hurt to “like” or “follow” as many of these people as possible. Tweet/post occasionally if you have questions. Its just another means to get your questions answered. </p>

<p>That being said, the Ad officers generally do like to know you are interested in their school. Being active on social media is just another way to show your interest. The admissions office at Andover I know is particularly active on Twitter. </p>

<p>If your child is an athlete, each of the individual school teams also have their own Facebook/Twitter. There is no harm in also following the school teams. This is one way to let the coaches know you are interested as well.</p>

<p>Finally one other suggestion is to meet some of the admissions officers during travel season (now until end of Nov). Go to each schools’ admissions website and see if there are any fairs near you. Also look at the TSAO website to see if there are any events in your area. If so drop by and meet them. This is a great way to meet the people who will be reading your child’s application.</p>

8

<p>@mathman1201- Some BS’s do and some don’t. I think the big question ( for everyone) is: What does your FB page say about you? If everything looks good ( and I’m sure it does), you have nothing to worry about. FYI- Some BS student tour guides do send Friend Requests to applicants. I recommend kids discuss this with their family (if it happens) before you accept. </p>

<p>Before my kids applied to JBS, I sat down with them and looked at their FB account . Their accounts were fine but I did find myself removing ( with their blessing) some ( knucklehead ) stuff their friends posted on their wall. :)</p>

<p>Also- I think this goes without saying but just in case: If you’re a teenager and your FB is Public- you should think about locking down your account now: Not for BS Admissions but for your own privacy and safety. </p>

9

<p>Thanks everyone for your responses. Especially @PhotographerMom, thanks for the reminder to check YouTube.</p>