The Social Networking Age Meets College Admissions

Social Networking Age Meets College Admissions

Welcome to the the age of social networking. This is an age where Facebook and Myspace are as much a part of people's social circle as friends at school and around the neighborhood. Social networking provides a way for users to keep in touch with family, friends, work associates and classmates as well as post work, post videos and photos, meet new people, blog, exchange news and ideas and much more. In regard to education, this allows a scholarship committee to familiarize themselves with the people that are the prospective winners of college scholarships better.

Recently, universities and colleges started turning to some of the social networking tools and the Internet for recruitment and school promotion. Potential students can already do a university and college search on the internet to get more information about schools and read through their web pages. College admissions criteria and recruitment information is available on the internet on school sites and other sites as well. A number of colleges and universities now offer and ask that test scores and admissions applications be submitted via the internet to streamline the process of applying. Networking trends are also easing the process for admissions screening and recruiting by allowing electronic submissions.

Not long ago, students were forced to primarily rely on good grade point averages and test scores to get noticed by admissions boards. Athletes relied heavily on college recruitment efforts, but those who lived in urban areas had a much higher chance of being noticed than those in rural areas. Athletes can now send highlight videos over the internet to prospective coaches and university recruiting officers all over the country. Athletes in areas of the country that don't receive a lot of attention from admissions boards or aren't scouted a lot can make themselves available using social networking and the Internet.

Services on the internet are bringing universities and potential students in a way that wasn't really possible in the past. The pinnacle of graduation for almost any high school student is getting accepted into college. Students and prospective students have more tools and resources than ever before via social networking so they can promote themselves to and develop connections with colleges and universities. While ACT/SAT scores and GPAs remain the primary criteria, students with less than perfect grade point averages and test scores have an opportunity to promote other things they are good at. College admission requirements and criteria is slowly being broadened to include prospective students' interests, activities, experiences, work experience, creativity as well as other determining factors. These factors have influenced college recruitment, but online services make it easier than ever for students to show thier talents and colleges have the chance to recognize and see them easily. Athletes who participate in volleyball, cheer, basketball, football, swimming, track, baseball, softball, soccer, hockey and others can send in highlight videos via the internet that can be easily dispersed to recruiting offices, admissions offices and coaches. Recruitment tools and resources can be used and accessed online.

Prospective students reap the benefits of social networking by creating peer networks and relationships. Students are able to share interests and thoughts with others who have similar talents and hobbies and then improve and develop them. A number of groups, organizations, and clubs exist in social network groups that bring students and prospective students together from all over the world. Prospective students and previous students are able to ask questions and give advice to help students that face college admissions.

Students can get connected with great schools all over the country through their entire experience in high school. College or university searches no longer require you to visit campuses, but students and prospective students can get college admissions and data from their own home. Students have the chance to present to college admissions boards what their aspirations and goals are, who they are as a person and what they've accomplished.

Author's Bio:Mr. Richard Lorence is an free lance writer. Zinch is one of the first sites on the internet that is really pushing to connect potential students in high school directly with college admissions boards and college recruiting offices in a way that's never previously been done, with social networking. The new targeted college search can totally transform the entire college admissions process.

R. Lorence is an freelance writer who has done writing and research for http://www.zinch.com. Get information and advice on college search and social networking.