Juliet questioned “What’s in a name?” And when it comes to communicating with the colleges, you may think that as well. But, what if you’re wrong?
Let’s say you decide you like Costalotta University and decide to send them an email asking about their biochemistry program, for example. This is a great idea. So, you send that email and the person who receives your email at Costalotta U sees in their email inbox your email from Lax4Lyfe Or what if it’s party4eva?
What if your email name makes you sound more like a slacker or a partier (which you’re not) than a potential candidate (which you are) they want to have on their campus?
Maybe your email address is a childhood nickname or based on an inside joke, like 9andahalftoes? When it comes time to look over your file, do you really want the admissions folks to think of you as “cuddlybear”?
And what if your screen name could be considered offensive or just plain weird?
The solution? Create a “just for college” email address using your name or your first initial and last name – you get the idea. You can always forward the emails to your more personal email address that you can continue to use with friends or use a mail management program like Microsoft’s Outlook or Apple’s Mail to automatically check all of your email accounts.
Your “name only” email account might be boring, but it won’t give colleges (or future employers) a bad first impression.
Another place to stay on top of when it comes to where you might make an impression is Facebook. They say a picture is worth a thousand words – but you might not ever get to say 10 words to even begin explaining some wacky photo that you or one of your friends posted to your wall. Colleges (and future employers) could check out your page (because you “liked” the college’s page) to learn a little more about you than what is in your application.
If you said in your application that you love community service but on your Facebook page you posted a status saying you skipped out (again) on your scheduled time volunteering at the library, what do you think that might do to your application?
You only get one chance to make a first impression. Part of your Smart Plan For College should include some strategies to make sure that the impression you make with the colleges is a good one.
Your Smart Plan For College Assignment:
Take stock of all the places a college might get a “first impression” – your email address, your Facebook page, your Twitter account, Pinterest, Google + — wherever.
Give your online presence the “Grandma” test – if you wouldn’t want your grandmother to see it, then you need to make some changes!
Then, change your email address, delete questionable photos or statements, block so-called friends who think it’s hilarious to post dumb things on your wall – do whatever it takes to make sure your first impression is a good one. It is your name, after all.
Jeanmarie Keller has helped thousands of students get into colleges they love while making sure their parents save a fortune on the bill. Jeanmarie is the creator of the Smart Plan For College System which teaches her client-families how to get noticed in the admissions office, get in at the colleges right for them and how to get the money they need to help pay the bill.
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