- The Leg Up
- Posts
- Gap Year
Gap Year
Is a Gap Year for You?
The official e-newsletter of The Equestrian College Advisor.
From the blog:
I would like to point out, readers, that long before Malia Obama ever commenced her college search and certainly before she made the noteworthy (and apparently newsworthy) decision to take a gap year before entering Harvard, educational consultants like myself were already talking with students about the possibilities offered by gap years. (I even blogged about it in 2014 and there’s discussion of it in my book, Horses for Courses.) But as with anything else, it took the good old-fashioned gap year making headlines as part of the 24-hour news cycle to start everyone talking about it anew. (Honestly, when Prince William took his gap year, I don’t remember it causing such a stir – but then, in Britain, the gap year has long been a standard part of their educational calendar for a large number of students transitioning to university.)Read More
Is test optional
really
test optional - or is there a catch?
The true cost of attendance at a college or university has a serious impact on the amount of debt students incur.
Social Media for College Applicants
Social media is a way of life for most teenagers. Interacting with friends and family, following athletes or actors, sharing opinions – it’s all done through popular channels like Twitter, Snapchat, Facebook, and Instagram.But when it comes time to apply to college, can the photos, web links, and opinions you’ve shared harm your chances of admission?The short answer is: yes.That doesn't mean every college admission officer in the country spends hours combing through the Internet footprints of every single applicant who ends up in their read pile. (We all know that’s an impossible and impractical exercise.) It does, however, mean that college personnel are looking at these things and that what they find shapes their opinion of you.Here’s what you need to know:
Your web presence is your first impression. College admission staffers, coaches, and even student tour guides don’t know you – they may not even have met you in person by the time you apply. Thus, your online profile is what informs the first impression they have of you – not the “you” they meet at a college fair or on a campus recruiting visit. Make it a good one and you’ll be better off in the long run!
Privacy settings are your friend. Does the Internet-surfing public really need to know that the ham and cheese sandwich you had for lunch last week changed your life? Or that your spirit animal is Chris Pratt? Not really – so limit your audience to only those people who know you offline and keep your public details to a bare minimum. (And that means what your friends share about you too!)
Pictures really are worth a thousand words – or more! Even with your privacy settings at maximum strength, chances are anyone can see your profile picture, so keep it classy. The picture shouldn’t bring up any questions for the viewer about who you are or what you really believe in – and if it does, you should be fully prepared to answer them!
Your social media footprint is permanent. It’s said all the time and worth repeating: once something (an image, a phrase) is on the Internet, it’s there permanently. So if you don’t want a silly mistake from sophomore year to come back and bite you when you apply to medical school, DON’T POST IT. Period.
Social media can be a wonderful tool when used well and a tripwire that can cause a host of problems when it isn’t. Use caution in all of your postings and limit your audience to only those you know well and you’ll be less likely to encounter problems.
