Do schools check students' facebooks?

[mohad]

I've heard that employers check facebooks before hiring, but do schools check facebooks of applicants? Basically, I lost a bet with some friends, and I had to wear a friend's dress and do a small photoshoot. I was wearing a tshirt and jeans underneath, so they're not bad. I don't particularly mind them either since i lost a bet and it's only fair to not whine, but I just wouldn't want schools to find them just cause that would make things a bit awkward.

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[Neurocentric]

I've heard that employers check facebooks before hiring, but do schools check facebooks of applicants? Basically, I lost a bet with some friends, and I had to wear a friend's dress and do a small photoshoot. I was wearing a tshirt and jeans underneath, so they're not bad. I don't particularly mind them either since i lost a bet and it's only fair to not whine, but I just wouldn't want schools to find them just cause that would make things a bit awkward.

Personally, I make sure that anything I post or have is only able to be seen by friends. I also wouldn't want anyone other than my friends to see a picture like that, medical school or not.

I'm not sure if medical schools look at a prospective applicants' FB page, but I keep most of my stuff Friends Only, like I said, so I wouldn't be worried myself.

 

[StoicJosher]

 

[loljkttyl]

I served on an admissions committee as a fourth year med student, and I would occasionally check Facebooks of applicants just for kicks to see if I would uncover any red flags...so the answer to your question is yes.

 

[Neurocentric]

I served on an admissions committee as a fourth year med student, and I would occasionally check Facebooks of applicants just for kicks to see if I would uncover any red flags...so the answer to your question is yes.

Just curious - I don't have any incriminating on my page - but what were those red flags? Was it pictures of drinking, statuses with foul language, etc?

 

[mohad]

thanks for this.

I served on an admissions committee as a fourth year med student, and I would occasionally check Facebooks of applicants just for kicks to see if I would uncover any red flags...so the answer to your question is yes.

am i a red flag...?

 

[BluegrassDancin]

My friend who works HR at a big company outside of DC told me the company has a way to view everything on your Facebook, private (even the "only me" setting) or not. I doubt medical school admissions committees have the time or the resources for something like that, but it's probably good practice in general to not post something online that you wouldn't want people to see.

 

[Neurocentric]

My friend who works HR at a big company outside of DC told me the company has a way to view everything on your Facebook, private (even the "only me" setting) or not. I doubt medical school admissions committees have the time or the resources for something like that, but it's probably good practice in general to not post something online that you wouldn't want people to see.

This I don't like. If I end up posting something I want private, it should stay private. I know it's the internet, but if there are options to keep something private, then it should stay that way.

 

[StoicJosher]

My friend who works HR at a big company outside of DC told me the company has a way to view everything on your Facebook, private (even the "only me" setting) or not. I doubt medical school admissions committees have the time or the resources for something like that, but it's probably good practice in general to not post something online that you wouldn't want people to see.

Something that big would've made big news against Facebook.

 

[mohad]

Sure the picture is embarrassing, but I personally don't think it's particularly bad. With that being said, i don't mind it being up there. I'm just wondering if employers and in this case schools, would consider that questionable behaviour or a red flag, etc

 

[Neurocentric]

Sure the picture is embarrassing, but I personally don't think it's particularly bad. With that being said, i don't mind it being up there. I'm just wondering if employers and in this case schools, would consider that questionable behaviour or a red flag, etc

Red flag, I don't think so. Questionable behavior, maybe. It's really hard to say. If you have doubts, though, hide it. That would be my protocol.

I can only imagine the bet you lost, though.

 

[mohad]

Red flag, I don't think so. Questionable behavior, maybe. It's really hard to say. If you have doubts, though, hide it. That would be my protocol.

I can only imagine the bet you lost, though.

Haha it wasn't that bad. Me and some friends went bowling, and I was doing pretty well the first game (comparatively), and so the next game someone came up with the idea that the winner makes the loser do something embarrassing. The next round, I was doing really well, and then I started talking trash to everyone and got like 4 gutterballs in a row afterward and couldn't catch back up. I guess it was karma.

 

[LifeTake2]

My friend who works HR at a big company outside of DC told me the company has a way to view everything on your Facebook, private (even the "only me" setting) or not. I doubt medical school admissions committees have the time or the resources for something like that, but it's probably good practice in general to not post something online that you wouldn't want people to see.

I would strongly suggest finding better friends that don't embellish, pass along hearsay or flat out lie.

Employers have no option other than to see your public profile. End of discussion as beyond that would require a court order. While FB is great at giving your information away...they don't cater to companies wanting to spy.

 

[AllDaWEI]

Honestly I think this practice is ridiculous. Yes, of course pre-meds should use judgement and not post idiotic things for the whole world to see. In fact, this doesn't only apply to pre-meds, but it applies to everyone!

However, some students are so paranoid that they refuse to have a picture taken of them holding an alcoholic beverage, even if they are older than 21!

Here is something to think about. Let's pretend you have a bunch of undergrads graduating from a top business program, let's say at Indiana University. Indiana is considered a huge party school today, and probably was years ago. There were countless undergrads who graduated with accounting degrees in the 1990s (pre-web 2.0). They ended up working for top companies and did a good job. There were never any major complaints from their superiors. Many of them probably partied extensively during undergrad, since it big party school. The photos of them getting sh*tfaced probably never made it anywhere public.

Now fast-forward to 2000s. You have same undergrads at Indiana doing same accounting program. They can go on to work at big accounting firms, and end up doing the same great job that the 1990s undergrads did. But... Some of the applicants do not end up making it, because photos of them partying are now on social media sites. These very same people that would have done great job now never make it, because there are photos of them getting sh*tfaced or something else considered bad.

Now think about it, do you think that there would be a difference between the 1990s and 2000s employees in the workplace (private lives aside)? Probably not. You just see people being rejected because their lives now public because of Facebook. All of a sudden, their irrelevant private lives (for most at least) can be the difference between acceptance and rejection.

I am sure no one wants to see photos of their surgeon getting drunk. I am sure they would use common sense and not post stupid things. But some of this paranoia is beyond me.

 

[gettheleadout]

From what's been said on SDN it seems that some schools' adcoms do this but some don't, the people checking are usually student adcom members, and the only people that this affects are the ones that don't thoroughly set their privacy settings. I think you'll be fine, OP.

 

[RollTide22]

However, some students are so paranoid that they refuse to have a picture taken of them holding an alcoholic beverage, even if they are older than 21!

I know a ton of people who actually delete their Facebooks during the application cycle or change their names so schools can't look them up. Kids these days...

 

[AllDaWEI]

I know a ton of people who actually delete their Facebooks during the application cycle or change their names so schools can't look them up. Kids these days...

LOLZ! Sounds stupid but some of the game's rules can be kind of stupid.

Hey did you hear about this new thing that was recently invented when Facebook came along? It's called a college... party? Very cool concept! It obviously never took place before Facebook existed!

 

[gettheleadout]

I know a ton of people who actually delete their Facebooks during the application cycle or change their names so schools can't look them up. Kids these days...

For anyone thinking of doing this or changing their Facebook name or something, you can set your profile to be unsearchable and continue to use it normally.

 

[Neurocentric]

LOLZ! Sounds stupid but some of the game's rules can be kind of stupid.

Hey did you hear about this new thing that was recently invented when Facebook came along? It's called a college... party? Very cool concept! It obviously never took place before Facebook existed!

What's a party? I'm pre-med, so I spend every day reading all of my textbooks till it's all memorized. I even have photocopies of each page taped to every inch of my room walls.

 

[RollTide22]

Hey did you hear about this new thing that was recently invented when Facebook came along? It's called a college... party? Very cool concept! It obviously never took place before Facebook existed!

Haha. You know, when I interviewed at Drexel, half of their yearbooks were just pictures of the med students getting hammered drunk... I don't get why applicants can't just chill out.

For anyone thinking of doing this or changing their Facebook name or something, you can set your profile to be unsearchable and continue to use it normally.

For some people, applying to med school induces neuroses defined by paranoid irrationality.

 

[mohad]

Hahaha, I know I'm being neurotic. It helps me relax if other people can agree that I'm being paranoid and silly for worrying.

 

[AllDaWEI]

For some people, applying to med school induces neuroses defined by paranoid irrationality.

I'm not so sure. It is a vicious game with ridiculous rules.

Sometimes it might not be a picture with alcohol that will get them in trouble.

Imagine a student complaining about how much they hate their ECs on Facebook. When a pre-med submits the PS and says how much they loved volunteering in the ER and how they plan on doing it forever and ever, which source do you think the ADCOM will believe? This can hurt you badly, who knows what other schools they might be talking to?

Sometimes its easier said than done to think before writing something. Even someone with a 4.0 GPA and 45 MCAT can screw this up.

 

[RollTide22]

I'm not so sure. It is a vicious game with ridiculous rules.

Sometimes it might not be a picture with alcohol that will get them in trouble.

Imagine a student complaining about how much they hate their ECs on Facebook. When a pre-med submits the PS and says how much they loved volunteering in the ER and how they plan on doing it forever and ever, which source do you think the ADCOM will believe? This can hurt you badly, who knows what other schools they might be talking to?

Sometimes its easier said than done to think before writing something. Even someone with a 4.0 GPA and 45 MCAT can screw this up.

No, I completely agree with you. The neurotic pre-meds I was referring to were the people I know who delete their Facebooks even though they can simply change their privacy settings. Sorry for the confusion lol

 

[tantacles]

I know a ton of people who actually delete their Facebooks during the application cycle or change their names so schools can't look them up. Kids these days...

Some of us who deleted our facebooks because we hate facebook. You know, the ones who kept complaining every time facebook changed its user interface? And then we finally realized that it wasn't worth it so we just got rid of our accounts. Of course, then we used the medical application cycle as an excuse. And what an excuse it was!

 

[RollTide22]

Hahaha, I know I'm being neurotic. It helps me relax if other people can agree that I'm being paranoid and silly for worrying.

You're fine! I think this is an entirely rational topic to be concerned about. Just don't become so neurotic that it turns you into paranoid schizophrenic like some other applicants out there haha

Some of us who deleted our facebooks because we hate facebook. You know, the ones who kept complaining every time facebook changed its user interface? And then we finally realized that it wasn't worth it so we just got rid of our accounts. Of course, then we used the medical application cycle as an excuse. And what an excuse it was!

Oh, you sneaky non-conformist!

 

[Neurocentric]

Are medical schools cracking down on applicants who have facebook? Is it bad to have a facebook account (even if you have many friends on facebook)?

Welcome to SDN. Check out this thread made earlier: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=881508

A good rule of thumb is to check the search engine. Great way to find out if your question has already been posted

 

[sliceofbread136]

Use common sense. It will only matter if the adcoms look at your profile and you have a picture of you punching a baby or something.

 

[Isoprop]

Yes facebook is evil.

 

[Ismet]

There is no problem with having a facebook account. The issue is having pictures of yourself with beers in each hand, compromising stuff written on your wall, etc. Maintain a clean fb account, be careful of what you are tagged in, and you're fine.

 

[Neurocentric]

There is no problem with having a facebook account. The issue is having pictures of yourself with beers in each hand, compromising stuff written on your wall, etc. Maintain a clean fb account, be careful of what you are tagged in, and you're fine.

I think what helps me is having some family members on my FB page. I tend to keep the clean status up for them, and make anything private or certain friends only for things I wouldn't want them to see. That way, everything clean and nice can be public and it's okay. It's just common sense, definitely.

 

[Isoprop]

No no facebook is evil. You are all sheep.

 

[Neurocentric]

No no facebook is evil. You are all sheep.

Baa.

 

[Isoprop]

 

[glasshalfMD]

No no facebook is evil. You are all sheep.

Sheep are a good thing if you recall the family who came in to talk during MBM about their child who passed away. Thanks for the compliment, Iso!

 

[Isoprop]

Sheep are a good thing if you recall the family who came in to talk during MBM about their child who passed away. Thanks for the compliment, Iso!

Yeahhhhh, I don't go to class so I don't really know what you're talking about.

But you're welcome for the compliment. FB is stlll evil though.

 

[1TB4RKSB4CK]

I'll prob deactivate it when the time comes.

 

[235788]

I'll prob deactivate it when the time comes.

there is an option that makes it so you can't be looked up. I'd suggest to go that route instead.

 

[mauberley]

Yeahhhhh, I don't go to class so I don't really know what you're talking about.

But you're welcome for the compliment. FB is stlll evil though.

It's only as evil as how you choose to engage in it.

 

[Neurocentric]

It's only as evil as how you choose to engage in it.

Like those Facebook games? My goodness, the spam I get from my friends.. it's insane.

 

[Isoprop]

It's only as evil as how you choose to engage in it.

Nope. It's evil.

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2010/04/facebook-timeline/

 

[EM_Rebuilder]

Just curious - I don't have any incriminating on my page - but what were those red flags? Was it pictures of drinking, statuses with foul language, etc?

Like Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart once said in regards to the definition of Pornography... "I know it when I see it".

We looked at applicants FB pages when applying to residency.. I am certain someone somewhere does the same for people applying to medical school.

 

[Neurocentric]

Like Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart once said in regards to the definition of Pornography... "I know it when I see it".

We looked at applicants FB pages when applying to residency.. I am certain someone somewhere does the same for people applying to medical school.

Wow. Definitely interesting, and something to keep in mind.

To be honest, Facebook is really dimming on me, much how MySpace did to, well, everyone.

 

[Arky]

Are medical schools cracking down on applicants who have facebook? Is it bad to have a facebook account (even if you have many friends on facebook)?

I kept my facebook up throughout the entire application process. I since have already been accepted. I have friends who deactivated theirs and there's a mix of people who were accepted and weren't. More important than worry about your facebook is worrying about making that application stand out. Concentrate on that and just keep ******* **** off your facebook (binge drinking, pictures of you ****faced and puking, you lifting up your bro for a kegstand, statuses saying "let's get f*cked up," etc) and you will be fine.
Look at it this way... if a school DOES look up your facebook stuff, and they can't find you, they will assume 1) You don't have a facebook and are a total weirdo, or 2) You wanted to hide your facebook from them, implying that you have things to hide (bad things). Instead, if it's searchable but not laden with immature content, they will assume you are a normal, responsible student.

Appearance is everything.

 

[Myuu]

Didn't we just have this thread? Didn't someone tell the OP to use the search function? No?

Well, then! The search function might be useful.

 

[Neurocentric]

Didn't we just have this thread? Didn't someone tell the OP to use the search function? No?

Well, then! The search function might be useful.

Yeah, that second thread came up after this one. This post was first, haha.

 

[RollTide22]

We looked at applicants FB pages when applying to residency.. I am certain someone somewhere does the same for people applying to medical school.

This actually reminds me of an honest question I've had in my mind all application season... would you see it as a red flag if an applicant didn't have a Facebook? Considering most people have one, would you reflexively get a feeling that he/she is antisocial or odd?

 

[Myuu]

Yeah, that second thread came up after this one. This post was first, haha.

Well, then. Merging redundant threads.

 

[Isoprop]

Look at it this way... if a school DOES look up your facebook stuff, and they can't find you, they will assume 1) You don't have a facebook and are a total weirdo, or 2) You wanted to hide your facebook from them, implying that you have things to hide (bad things). Instead, if it's searchable but not laden with immature content, they will assume you are a normal, responsible student.

Appearance is everything.

Yes the admissions office is really going to hold it against you if you don't have a FB account. </sarcasm>

Seriously, if someone holds it against you for valuing your privacy and wanting to socialize through *gasp* calling/emailing/meeting people, then THAT'S a red flag.

 

[mauberley]

Nope. It's evil.

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2010/04/facebook-timeline/

Like I said, Facebook is only as evil as how much you choose to engage in it.

 

[Celerity]

My premed adviser was director of admissions for a very popular school in Texas.
He said he checked FB routinely, especially when it came down to admitting off the waitlist.
Also, he said sometimes that when he called people off the waitlist, some of them had ridiculous voicemail greeting messages. Those people weren't admitted as well.
Bottom line:
Being a doctor requires they highest degree of public trust and professionalism. Med schools want pre-meds who fit this mold.