I will be applying to many top colleges, and I have a rather weird question that probably hasn’t been asked before. On my private instagram account (typically called a finsta), I got into a joke fight with my friend in the comments on one of my pictures where I called him a few swear/curse words in the context of our SAT scores (as a joke, I will say again). This account is NOT related to my main personal account, its more of a parody account, and I have since deleted it. Many people following this account know what schools I am applying to, and I have a very minimal risk, but possible indication that someone may have emailed these screenshots to college admissions offices.
Now, they might not have done this at all (and thats probably the case) and I’m just overthinking this heavily. But for all practical purposes, lets assume they did; what would happen? Would colleges blacklist me instantly? Would they put any of this into consideration when reviewing my application?
I know this is a REALLY weird question, but its genuinely what I am freaking out about right now.
Cussing is not something to get upset about, even if a school were to receive some sort of anonymous “tip” from other students hoping to sabotage an applicant’s candidacy. It sounds more likely that your classmates are trying to get under you skin by “threatening” to expose your finsta.
At the same time, students should realize that racist or misogynist rants, bullying, or the like on social media could be an issue, even after acceptance.
Remember when all the boring adults told you the internet is forever and you should be careful about what you post? Turns out the internet is forever and you should be careful about what you post.
IF someone sent screenshots and IF an AO pays any attention to things that come in that aren’t an official part of the application and IF the AO is certain that it’s actually from your account (that’s a lot of ifs) while I’m not an AO, I’d be surprised if this is a problem. They know teenagers swear and joke around. Many of them swear and joke around, too. I’m assuming you didn’t say things that could reasonably be construed as racist, sexist, homophobic, etc as I think that might be viewed differently.
But take this little scare as a reminder. If you don’t want your parents or your future potential employers or admissions committees to see it, don’t put it on the internet, no matter how private you think it might be.
@slushymods I don’t think colleges would like it that somebody tried to sabotage one of their applicants. The college would probably have very few students if they investigated everyone’s social media. Don’t worry, but from now on don’t write anything on social media you wouldn’t want to see published on the front page of the newspaper!
Nobody cares about cussing (unless it’s racist, misogynist, homophobic, etc.), and any adult who thinks teenagers don’t swear is far too disconnected from society to have a job in an admissions office.
Good advice here from the the others. I will just add that sadly I’ve found some “friends” are competitive rather than supporting in the admissions process during your senior year. I would suggest not being forthcoming about where you are applying if you are not sure you can trust the people you know. Be vague or even throw them off with the schools you are not applying to. Sad that we have to think like this but it’s taken me a long time to realize many are not so kind.
The fact that you were in a texting cuss battle about your SAT scores of all things might be seen as a plus. Just kidding, but that amused me that that’s what it was about. Agree with everyone else, try not to worry. ALthough do you have “friends” who would try to sabotage your college apps? That’s something to worry about, sadly.
Take a deep breath, there are many things to worry about at this stage of your life, does it pay to spend your limited energies on imaging some possible (yes it is possible but is it likely?) saboteur(s) on something that at most would be considered silly teenager antics (which like it or not, is a given).
But do take the advices posted here and be weary about social media.
I agree, it doesn’t sound like something that could cause trouble.
Don’t let other kids know where you’re applying, especially “friends” that have access to your social media accounts but apparently want to do you harm. You might reconsider those friendships, both online and IRL.
But right now, go back and go through all your social media accounts. Clean up what you can.
And remember those warnings you’ve heard time and time again: Once you post it, it’s there forever. Don’t ever post anything that you wouldn’t be comfortable posting on the front page of the NY Times, or sending to your grandmother.
Who is going to waste their time sending a screenshot to admissions offices, and who in admissions is going to waste their time paying attention to it?
@jym626
But how did the Harvard administration know about the group of admitted kids who were talking very offensively in a (presumably) closed group chat if it was not someone in the group took a screenshot and sent on?
Of course, that was a very different case than what OP described here.
And @makemesmart there is a difference between sending something from the already admitted students’ facebook group to being petty and trying to snitch on a fellow applicant. That could backfire.
AO’s don’t have time to check more than a handful, at best. It’s more likely some kid who claims a venture that sounds too good to be true. Or some major award, when the rest of the app doesn’t point to those strengths. Still, they’d need to be VERY interested in this candidate to do so. Not ordinary Joe or Josie who claims something.
And adcoms know kids in ways most people don’t, reviewing thousands, year after year, dealing with so many different hgh schools. There was a survey a few years ago that alarmed some posters- but it was, “Have you ever…,” not whether it’s routine.
The higher the tier of targets, the more a kid should be a solid thinker.
While true for college admissions, further down the road, employers will look at more than a handful. A good rule of thumb is not to post anything you don’t want your grandparents to see.
In terms of the OP, it’s fine.
Attempts to sabotage an application, which have been around since the dawn of time) will just backfire on the kid (because you know it’s going to be another applicant or his/her parent) reporting, not the kid being reported. And no AO is going to pay attention to an anonymous report.