Stop me if you already know this. You’re online reading this blog, so I assume you have a fundamental understanding of social media (e.g., Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, etc.). Perhaps you even have Web pages of your own. However, for those of you who are new to the game, I’m going to do a cursory overview of Facebook, a phenomenon that is changing the way many of our children interact with prospective colleges.
Facebook started at a university (Harvard University, to be precise), as a way for students to link to other students and create a sense of community. I suppose it gets awfully cold in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in the winter, and getting together for a cup of coffee and a chat seems like a daunting task when you have to dig your way through the snow to get to the coffee shop. Facebook made it easier to keep tabs on friends—in winter and beyond. The site, which allows people to create virtual bulletin boards that include everything from pictures to journal entries and links to favorite Web sites, erupted in popularity and grew to include those beyond the Ivy League.
Of course, Facebook still thrives on college campuses. Not only does it allow students to find others with similar interests and backgrounds once they get to school, but also before the school year even begins. Thanks to online and in-person meet-ups facilitated by Facebook, students are forging friendships before college orientation. Needless to say, this is great for freshman, as transitioning to college (and, in turn, adulthood) is jarring. Wouldn’t it have been nice to show up for the first day of class and already have someone to sit with?
Universities themselves are getting into the act, too. Most colleges have Facebook pages of their own, virtual brochures about campus life, events, and admissions calendars. Some create pages that are “hosted” by their school mascots, be they official or unofficial. They are often light-hearted representations of the school that are meant to balance the often stodgy official sites directed at parents.
To its benefit (as well as detriment), Facebook is characterized by its informality, making it a tricky marketing tool. Many universities (and companies) don’t know how best to utilize it, and they are making up the rules as they go along. This is creating some problems in the college admission process. While official university Facebook pages that illustrate the school’s vibe are great, other online connections are blurring the lines between informational hub and expectations of preferential treatment. For this reason, 30 percent of colleges and universities say they are developing social media policies for their admissions staff. And none too soon! In a recent survey, 71 percent of college admissions officers reported that prospective students tried to “friend” (connect with) them on Facebook or MySpace.
We can hope that none of those admissions officers accepted the invitations for virtual friendship, but the situation makes me wonder. How will these informal social media shape the way students and parents research universities? Further, how will our universities maintain their respectability when measured by the online company they keep?