2008 Woodie Awards
Some colleges now profiling on Web sites
Katie Via
Issue date: 12/7/07 Section: News
Originally published: 12/6/07 at 6:10 PM EST
Last update: 12/6/07 at 6:09 PM EST
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Social networking is a concept that most, if not all, college students are intimately familiar with. Whether it be Facebook, Myspace, Xanga, LiveJournal or Friendster, students can spend hours a day updating their profiles, posting pictures of last night's big party, creating blogs and keeping in touch with friends.
Just a little harmless fun, right?
Not always.
An increasing number of college admissions departments are now looking at these online profiles with one question - does this applicant show a lack of responsibility?
Earlier this fall, a Dartmouth University study found that of 453 private and public universities, 26 percent actively research students through search engines such as Google, and 21 percent review applicants' online profiles as part of the admissions process.
But Plattsburgh State's prospective students can have some peace of mind.
"The admissions office is not currently using Facebook in its evaluation of applicants, and we do not have plans to do so," Carrie Woodward, assistant director of freshmen admissions at PSUC, said. "Our review of applicants is strictly an academic review."
In reviewing applicants, PSUC focuses most on student's high school transcripts, overall grades and standardized test scores.
"Our goal is determining whether a student can handle the academic rigor of a four-year college," she said.
What students do outside the classroom is not taken into consideration. The rare occasion that PSUC does review online profiles is in the hiring of campus tour guides. Tour guides act as ambassadors for the college, and incoming students will often seek them out through online networks. As role models for these students, PSUC strives to find students with clean and presentable profiles. Kristen Bourke, assistant director of communications, publications and technology for the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), said, "We do not believe that colleges and universities will adopt procedures to systematically review potential students' Web spaces."
Just a little harmless fun, right?
Not always.
An increasing number of college admissions departments are now looking at these online profiles with one question - does this applicant show a lack of responsibility?
Earlier this fall, a Dartmouth University study found that of 453 private and public universities, 26 percent actively research students through search engines such as Google, and 21 percent review applicants' online profiles as part of the admissions process.
But Plattsburgh State's prospective students can have some peace of mind.
"The admissions office is not currently using Facebook in its evaluation of applicants, and we do not have plans to do so," Carrie Woodward, assistant director of freshmen admissions at PSUC, said. "Our review of applicants is strictly an academic review."
In reviewing applicants, PSUC focuses most on student's high school transcripts, overall grades and standardized test scores.
"Our goal is determining whether a student can handle the academic rigor of a four-year college," she said.
What students do outside the classroom is not taken into consideration. The rare occasion that PSUC does review online profiles is in the hiring of campus tour guides. Tour guides act as ambassadors for the college, and incoming students will often seek them out through online networks. As role models for these students, PSUC strives to find students with clean and presentable profiles. Kristen Bourke, assistant director of communications, publications and technology for the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), said, "We do not believe that colleges and universities will adopt procedures to systematically review potential students' Web spaces."
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