A recent study from UMass Amherst shows that 100% of colleges and universities are using social media in their efforts to market their schools and engage students. This is up from the 61% of schools that used social media in the 2007 - 2008 academic year. The study shows that 98% of colleges use Facebook, and 84% use Twitter. The study also looked at LinkedIn, blogging, YouTube, MySpace, bulletin boards and Foursquare.
The numbers really aren't all that surprising given the pervasiveness of social media in any current marketing efforts. However, the UMass study does show that today's college applicants are navigating a different admissions landscape than students were just a few years ago. On the plus side, communication with colleges is dynamic, immediate, and easy. At the same time, careless students can sabotage their chances of getting accepted if they use social media in foolish ways.
To make sure you're using social media to strengthen your application rather than torpedo it, these articles can help:
- 12 Facebook photos you should delete right now
- 15 Facebook photos that can make you look good
- Tips for cleaning up your social media presence
Comments
Hi Allen,
Where do you think college recruitment and admissions are lacking in social media? Where do you see the admissions trend going as social media influences only get stronger?
Thanks for your posts!