Why Every High School Student Needs to be on LinkedIn

by | Jul 6, 2018 | Social Media

Do you have a high school senior applying to college this fall? Or a sophomore or junior starting to gear up for college apps?

In any event, you and your student are busy. Academics. Athletics. Activities. Test prep. Community service. College apps. Family. Friends. And so on.

The Common Application for the 2018-19 college application cycle opens on August 1. It’s the same date for the University of California and many others.

As a high school parent, just thinking about it all makes me want to stop and take a break.

As a corporate VP with a side gig writing, researching and speaking about career building through social media, it gets my wheels turning.

There may be an aspect of college prep we’re missing. What is it? Social media.

No, this isn’t the post warning you about all the bad things that could happen on social media. You know about those. And your student isn’t the type of person anyway to disparage others or do things in poor taste, whether it’s on social media or IRL (in real life).

No, this post is all about the good things that can come from being active on social media, and LinkedIn in particular. (Note: opinions expressed in this blog are my own).

There are more than 560 million people on LinkedIn. That includes college admissions officers, college application readers, internship recruiters, corporate recruiters and many more.

That makes LinkedIn the perfect place for a high school student to tell their unique story … the one only they can tell.

Here are the benefits for a high student of creating a LinkedIn profile …

An unlimited opportunity to share interests, passions and accomplishments … in words, images, videos and links. That’s much more than the 650-word limit in the Common App essay prompts. A LinkedIn profile can become a supplemental portfolio of accomplishments, awards and interests.

The ability to explore colleges and demonstrate interest through University Pages. Beyond visiting a college campus, being active on a University Page shows interest. Students can engage in content by engaging in content on a university page by liking and commenting on content, as well as asking questions.

The chance to begin building a professional network. This can include friends, friends’ parents, community leaders from activities like scouting and athletics, and many more. Be aware that sometimes teachers must wait until a student is 18 before they can connect with them on social media.

What does this all add up to? A powerful ability for a high-school student to shape and control their narrative in our highly social world.

Why does it matter? Because “more than two-thirds (68%) of colleges say it’s ‘fair game’ for them to visit applicants’ social media profiles to help them decide who gets in.”

That’s according to a 2018 Kaplan Test Prep Survey of 388 admissions officers from top schools. CNN reported on the prior year’s survey, saying that social media can help a student’s college prospects.

Another study by AACRAO, the American Association of Collegiate Registrars Admissions Officers, says more than 75% of colleges are looking at social media, according to Social Assurity, a firm advising students on social media.

Of course, you never know for sure if an admissions officer or application reader will look at a student’s LinkedIn profile or other social media activity.

But students can certainly include a link to their profile in their application (tip: create a customized LinkedIn URL with the student’s name). They can be active on the University Pages of colleges of interest. They can share compelling content that establishes their personal narrative and a digital presence.

Anyone who’s 16 or older can start a LinkedIn profile. Several of my previous posts can help you and your student take the first steps:

And this post may turn into a series of posts specifically for high school students and their parents. What could be ahead? How-to info on:

  • Starting a LinkedIn profile
  • Building a professional network
  • Telling a story through content
  • Engaging with University Pages
  • Bringing other social media into the mix

What else do you or your student want to know?

Let’s get started!

College App Weekend

by | Nov 28, 2015 | Change, Learning, Work/Life

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It’s crunch time.

College apps for many California schools are due on Nov. 30. If you have a high school senior, as I do, this makes for an interesting Thanksgiving weekend.

Thankfully, the University of California and California State University apps are done. Now it’s on to the other schools with a variety of submission dates.

But all of the heavy lifting is done. The college visits. The standardized tests. Three years of academic high school courses. Extracurriculars. Volunteering. Work experience.

And that was all on my daughter’s part. For my part, it’s been encouraging, advising and a lot of driving. Okay, and a little nagging – no, actually, a lot – along the way.

As part of my learning project, what have I learned through this process?

Where you go to school does not define you. Opportunities are available wherever you are. You just have to look for them.

This applies in life; not just in college. Wherever you are today, there are opportunities. As Thomas Edison said, however, they may be disguised as hard work.

  • Put in the work. The real work happens every day. It involves having a vision for your life, setting goals and working toward them every day.

Making consistent progress toward goals is what makes people happy. Read more about how that applies to work in Teresa Amabile‘s The Progress Principle.

  • Follow the directions, and push the boundaries. A lot of school and life consists of following directions. That’s especially important in navigating any big bureaucracy.

But it’s also important to learn how you can push the boundaries in an ethical way, to make your own unique contribution.

In college applications, this is where the essays become so important. Rather than simply being a number with a GPA and SAT scores, your teen can show their unique approach to life and learning.

In life, it’s constantly asking how you could do things better. What would delight your family, your colleagues and your customers? What would delight you?

  • Don’t be afraid to make a change. Our culture places a huge premium on tenacity and perseverance. I’m one of the biggest adherents. There’s rarely a problem that can’t be solved through intense effort.

Yet there’s also wisdom in knowing when to cut your losses and make a change. I learned this when I ended up at the wrong college for me.

Instead of hunkering down and trying to make it work, I transferred to another school. I ended up in a better place for me. And it made all the difference.

(That’s one of my beloved alma maters, UCLA, pictured above. It feels only slightly ironic to be writing this on the day when my two alma maters are facing off in college football.)

This change principle can apply to anything in life – a career, an exercise program or a volunteer activity.

This blog started out as a way to explore the future of corporate communications. Many changes in my life this year – both personal and professional – have altered my course.

This blog has evolved. It’s still evolving. Just as life is constantly doing the same.

It’s part of finding the way to the future – just as college serves the same exploratory purpose. The next posts are still to be written.

What will they hold?