As college application season approaches, many students focus on perfecting their essays, gathering recommendation letters, and boosting their extracurricular activities. However, there’s another critical aspect of the application process that often gets overlooked: your digital footprint.
Colleges and universities increasingly review applicants’ online presence to gain a fuller picture of who they are.
A negative or careless digital footprint can hurt your chances of admission, while a clean and positive one can set you apart.
In this article, we’ll explore how to clean up your digital footprint before submitting college applications, ensuring your online presence reflects the best version of yourself.
1. Why Colleges Care About Your Digital Footprint
Colleges aren’t just interested in your grades and test scores—they want to know who you are as a person. Your digital footprint can provide insights into your character, values, and behavior that aren’t always evident in your application.
Here’s why colleges pay attention to your online presence:
- Assessing Character: Colleges want to admit students who align with their values and contribute positively to their community. Your online behavior can reveal whether you’re respectful, responsible, and mature.
- Avoiding Red Flags: Inappropriate posts, offensive comments, or evidence of bad behavior can raise concerns about your judgment and integrity.
- Verifying Information: Colleges may use your online presence to verify the information in your application, such as your extracurricular activities or achievements.
A clean digital footprint can reinforce the positive image you present in your application, while a problematic one can undermine it.
2. Steps to Clean Up Your Digital Footprint
Cleaning up your digital footprint doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By following these steps, you can ensure your online presence is polished and professional before college applications.
a) Audit Your Social Media Accounts
Start by reviewing all your social media accounts, including Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, Snapchat, and LinkedIn. Look for:
- Inappropriate Posts: Delete any posts that contain offensive language, controversial opinions, or inappropriate content.
- Embarrassing Photos: Remove photos that show you in a negative light, such as partying, underage drinking, or engaging in risky behavior.
- Offensive Comments: Delete or edit comments that could be seen as disrespectful, discriminatory, or unkind.
b) Google Yourself
Search your name on Google and see what comes up. Look at the first few pages of results to identify any content that could harm your reputation. If you find something problematic:
- Remove It: If the content is on a platform you control (like your social media accounts), delete it immediately.
- Request Removal: If the content is on someone else’s account or website, politely ask them to take it down.
- Report It: If the content violates a platform’s guidelines, report it to have it removed.
c) Adjust Privacy Settings
Make sure your social media accounts are set to private so only approved followers can see your posts. Here’s how to adjust privacy settings on popular platforms:
- Instagram: Go to Settings > Privacy > Account Privacy and toggle on “Private Account.”
- Facebook: Go to Settings & Privacy > Settings > Privacy and adjust who can see your posts and friend requests.
- Twitter: Go to Settings and Privacy > Privacy and Safety > Audience and Tagging and enable “Protect Your Tweets.”
- Snapchat: Go to Settings > Who Can > Contact Me and View My Story and select “My Friends” or “Custom.”
d) Clean Up Your Friends and Followers
Review your friends and followers list and remove anyone you don’t know or trust. This reduces the risk of strangers accessing your content or using it against you.
e) Delete Old Accounts
If you have old social media accounts or profiles you no longer use, delete them. These accounts can still show up in search results and may contain outdated or embarrassing content.
f) Monitor Tagged Posts
Even if your accounts are private, you can still be tagged in posts by others. Regularly review tagged posts and remove any that could harm your reputation. On Instagram, for example, you can enable “Manual Approval” for tags in Settings > Privacy > Tags.
g) Create a Positive Online Presence
Cleaning up your digital footprint isn’t just about removing negative content—it’s also about adding positive content that reflects your achievements and character. Here’s how:
- Share Accomplishments: Post about your academic achievements, extracurricular activities, and volunteer work.
- Highlight Hobbies and Interests: Share content that showcases your passions, like art, music, sports, or coding.
- Engage Positively: Comment on posts in a respectful and supportive way, and share content that aligns with your values.
3. Building a Professional Online Presence
In addition to cleaning up your digital footprint, consider building a professional online presence that colleges will admire. Here’s how:
a) Create a LinkedIn Profile
LinkedIn is a professional networking platform that can help you showcase your achievements and connect with colleges, mentors, and potential employers. Here’s what to include:
- Profile Photo: Use a professional-looking headshot.
- Headline: Write a concise headline that highlights your goals, like “High School Senior | Aspiring Engineer | Volunteer Tutor.”
- Summary: Write a brief summary that describes your interests, achievements, and aspirations.
- Experience: List your extracurricular activities, volunteer work, internships, and part-time jobs.
- Skills: Add skills that are relevant to your goals, like leadership, public speaking, or coding.
b) Start a Blog or Portfolio
If you’re passionate about writing, art, photography, or another creative field, consider starting a blog or online portfolio. This can demonstrate your skills and dedication to colleges. For example:
- A blog about your experiences volunteering could showcase your commitment to community service.
- An online portfolio of your artwork or photography could highlight your creativity and talent.
c) Participate in Online Communities
Join online forums, groups, or communities related to your interests. For example:
- If you’re interested in science, participate in online science fairs or forums.
- If you’re passionate about social justice, join groups that advocate for causes you care about.
4. What to Avoid in Your Digital Footprint
As you clean up your digital footprint, keep an eye out for these common red flags that colleges may look for:
- Inappropriate Language: Avoid using offensive, discriminatory, or disrespectful language in your posts or comments.
- Controversial Opinions: Be cautious about sharing polarizing opinions on topics like politics, religion, or social issues.
- Evidence of Rule-Breaking: Remove any content that shows you breaking rules, like underage drinking, cheating, or vandalism.
- Negative Behavior: Avoid posts that show you being unkind, disrespectful, or bullying others.
5. Tools to Help You Clean Up Your Digital Footprint
There are several tools and resources available to help you manage and clean up your digital footprint:
- Google Alerts: Set up Google Alerts for your name to monitor new content that appears online.
- Social Media Cleanup Tools: Apps like Cleaner for Instagram or TweetDelete can help you delete old posts and comments.
- Password Managers: Use a password manager like LastPass or Dashlane to create and store strong, unique passwords for your accounts.
- Online Reputation Services: Services like BrandYourself or ReputationDefender can help you monitor and improve your online presence.
6. The Long-Term Benefits of a Clean Digital Footprint
Cleaning up your digital footprint isn’t just about getting into college—it’s about setting yourself up for long-term success. Here’s how a clean digital footprint can benefit you:
- College Admissions: A positive online presence can reinforce the strengths and achievements highlighted in your application.
- Job Opportunities: Employers often review candidates’ online presence during the hiring process. A clean digital footprint can make you a more attractive candidate.
- Scholarships and Internships: Many scholarship committees and internship programs review applicants’ online activity. A professional digital footprint can increase your chances of being selected.
- Personal Relationships: A clean digital footprint can help you build strong, trusting relationships with friends, family, and colleagues.
7. Maintaining a Clean Digital Footprint
Once you’ve cleaned up your digital footprint, it’s important to maintain it. Here’s how:
- Think Before You Post: Always consider how your posts and comments might be perceived by others.
- Regularly Review Your Accounts: Periodically review your social media accounts and Google search results to ensure your online presence remains positive.
- Stay Informed: Keep up with the latest trends and best practices for online safety and privacy.
Conclusion
Your digital footprint is an extension of who you are, and it can have a significant impact on your college applications and future opportunities.
By taking the time to clean up your online presence, you can ensure that your digital footprint reflects the best version of yourself. Remember, the internet is forever—so think before you post, stay informed, and take control of your digital footprint.
With a clean and positive online presence, you’ll be well-prepared to impress colleges, employers, and anyone else who searches for you online. So go ahead, clean up your digital footprint, and put your best foot forward!