Hi all - Just received this email from my undergrad advisor and although she talks about pre-med apps I think it applies to all pre-prof disciplines as well as those applying for jobs after graduation. Who knows which employer, internship/residency director will have access to check your profile...
" Hi Students,
This is urgent. At the conference for admissions officers and preprofessional health advisors in Santa Fe, we spent several sessions talking about the use of Face Book in medical school admissions and many do check. Please accept these suggestions as serious and urgent.
1. Don't post anything you wouldn't want your mother, your boss, an admissions officer, or me to see. (Please don't block me or I won't be able to warn you if something could hurt you.)
2. Go through all your pictures of anything that might be even slightly inappropriate (folks looking drunk, holding bottles of liquor, in revealing clothes, discussing parts of anatomy, using foul language, etc) and take off all the tags--especially of people applying to health prof. schools. Even if the picture itself is ok, take off the tags if it is in a group of pictures that might lead one to believe the person was at an inappropriate place/party.
3. Then go back and erase any of those kinds of pictures or pix of friends in groups of those pictures.
4. Take out any comments that look like you are trying to be sneaky, or you wouldn't want the schools you or your friends are applying to to see.
5. Some of your friends are applying now, so don't wait.
I realize everyone is enjoying all the fun stuff (and you should) at the end of school, but you also don't want to brand * Your School* as a party school of students who might not show the best judgement in posting on Facebook because YOU ARE FROM * Your School* AND WILL BE JUDGED AS A PRODUCT OF THAT SCHOOL --Best wishes on your finals and have fun (but be discrete)"
Sorry to hijack the thread, but I have to comment on this!
This is my personal take on this issue...
I think it is absolutely ridiculous that there is this phenomenon that schools/jobs can convince
adults that going to a party and *gasp* drinking, or "wearing revealing clothes" or "holding bottles of liquor" are all things that are "inappropriate" and should be hidden.
I know the line is fine on what should be considered appropriate and what is not. I'm not claiming I know where the line should be. And everyone's idea of "appropriate" is different. But, since it has been mentioned at my school that our admin looks through our profiles, I make the
choice not to post pictures that I wouldn't show them personally. But, for me, I personally would show them a picture of me at a party "holding a bottle of liquor", considering I don't find that drinking liquor is an inappropriate activity (also considering we have school banquets that admin have attend where alcohol is served and music is played that some would consider inappropriate). If schools are concerned that having students engage in normal adult activities and posting them on facebook would make them look bad, I believe it should be spelled out in the code of conduct, that every student agrees to when entering, that those activities (i.e drinking, smoking, having tattoos, whatever) are prohibited (or should not be posted on a public forum). Otherwise, I believe I am entitled to to behave as I choose.
So, I guess when it comes down to it, it's up to you what you feel comfortable with admin/admissions/boss knowing about you. But, speaking for myself, I'm not going to be ashamed of normal adult activities. I'm sure there are plenty of instances that a boss or resident director has held a bottle of liquor or worn a low cut shirt in a place that that would be appropriate to do so. Also, if it isn't considered appropriate to show pictures of myself drinking on a public forum, is it also not appropriate for me to drink in a restaurant where I could just as easily be seen by a client/admissions person/boss?
Though I understand that despite the fact that I don't believe these things
should make a difference, I realize they often do. I guess my point here is, I think it is our choice as adults as to what we are comfortable with people seeing. For me, I am comfortable with them seeing me drinking. For others, maybe not. But I think the issue is with the
choice. It's not right that we are bullied into feeling like we don't have a choice but to hide certain activities we are comfortable with because they are viewed as wrong or inappropriate. I know that me just saying this doesn't change the fact that they
do judge, and I would also be concerned about not getting into vet school if someone was telling me my profile might affect my chances. So, I know there is no easy answer, but I just wanted to get it out there that I don't think it is something people should so easily accept.
Other opinions are welcomed!
