1. Join college communities
Like colleges on facebook to learn about specific programs or majors, hear and see what is going on around campus, and get a sense of what it would be like to go there.
2. Go to the videotape
YouTube's Education section has a fairly comprehensive list of colleges covered by such videos and can provide a very useful alternative when an actual visit is just not possible.
3. Follow the tweets
Some colleges send tweet reminders, like when the acceptance deadline is due. But don't rely on tweeting to communicate with a college or make an impression.
4. Don't friend college officials
What are the rules? It's definitely not the same as connecting with friends and family. Even if you are confident there is nothing embarrassing on your profile, you cant be sure how it might be interpreted by someone in that capacity.
5. Be careful about what you are posting
Some colleges monitor social media to check up on applicants and may even base a rejection on what they found on an applicant's social media profile or posting. (Employers do this too)
6. Don't put too much faith in matchmakers
Sites like Cappex or Zinch create a profile for you on their site and a program matches you to colleges that "fit" based on what the colleges tell the site you are looking for. This approach can lead to good colleges to explore, but dont rely on it to do your search for you or to build your final list of colleges.
7. Dont take a chance on "chance me"
Beware of "chance me" sites where a "jury" of other students judge your chances of getting into a college. What you are really chancing is being discouraged by people who dont know what they are talking about. Leave your admission chances to the experts.
8. Learn what real students think, but remember they dont know it all
Sites like College Prowler or Unigo provide student reviews and ratings of colleges. These sites can often give the unvarnished truth about the social scene or what food is like. But dont rely solely on student reviews or the opinions of your friends. Its not likely they can truly know what is best for you or steer you to all the best colleges, so keep your school counslor in the mix.
9. Save time with mashups and RSS feeds
It can take too long to do all this online research one school at a time. Social media mashup sites help by bringing together all the reviews, blogs, videos, and real-time tweets about a college into one place.
10. Keep coming back
Consistently following colleges online is a good way to see what they are like and if you can see yourself fitting in there. After you've been acccepted, social media sites are even more useful as a way to find classmates and begin to feel part of the school before showing up for orientation.
Like colleges on facebook to learn about specific programs or majors, hear and see what is going on around campus, and get a sense of what it would be like to go there.
2. Go to the videotape
YouTube's Education section has a fairly comprehensive list of colleges covered by such videos and can provide a very useful alternative when an actual visit is just not possible.
3. Follow the tweets
Some colleges send tweet reminders, like when the acceptance deadline is due. But don't rely on tweeting to communicate with a college or make an impression.
4. Don't friend college officials
What are the rules? It's definitely not the same as connecting with friends and family. Even if you are confident there is nothing embarrassing on your profile, you cant be sure how it might be interpreted by someone in that capacity.
5. Be careful about what you are posting
Some colleges monitor social media to check up on applicants and may even base a rejection on what they found on an applicant's social media profile or posting. (Employers do this too)
6. Don't put too much faith in matchmakers
Sites like Cappex or Zinch create a profile for you on their site and a program matches you to colleges that "fit" based on what the colleges tell the site you are looking for. This approach can lead to good colleges to explore, but dont rely on it to do your search for you or to build your final list of colleges.
7. Dont take a chance on "chance me"
Beware of "chance me" sites where a "jury" of other students judge your chances of getting into a college. What you are really chancing is being discouraged by people who dont know what they are talking about. Leave your admission chances to the experts.
8. Learn what real students think, but remember they dont know it all
Sites like College Prowler or Unigo provide student reviews and ratings of colleges. These sites can often give the unvarnished truth about the social scene or what food is like. But dont rely solely on student reviews or the opinions of your friends. Its not likely they can truly know what is best for you or steer you to all the best colleges, so keep your school counslor in the mix.
9. Save time with mashups and RSS feeds
It can take too long to do all this online research one school at a time. Social media mashup sites help by bringing together all the reviews, blogs, videos, and real-time tweets about a college into one place.
10. Keep coming back
Consistently following colleges online is a good way to see what they are like and if you can see yourself fitting in there. After you've been acccepted, social media sites are even more useful as a way to find classmates and begin to feel part of the school before showing up for orientation.