In this day and age, it’s extremely rare to not have a social media presence; you probably have accounts with multiple social media channels, such as LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, to name a few. So, what are the implications of your social media presence when it comes to business school applications?
This is a question that arises often. While your social media presence is not a component of the formal business school application for a majority of MBA programs, it is always something that schools can take a look at, if they so desire. As a result, follow the suggestions below when it comes to social media.
Show consistency between your applications and what is on your social media profiles
It’s important that what you mention in your social media profiles is consistent with what you are conveying in your business school application materials. For example, your professional history (i.e., companies where you have worked, your title/role, and employment dates) on LinkedIn should match with what is on your resume and the application data forms. The same is true when it comes to your educational history and the institutions you have attended. Therefore, it’s worth taking some time to go through your social media profiles to ensure that there are no discrepancies. After all, the last thing you want is doubt being shed on your candidacy because something may not be tying to what is noted on your application.
Use social media to showcase your interests
A lot of candidates will shy away from using social media during the business school application process, just to be safe, but there is no need to do that! Use social media as a platform to showcase your interests. For instance, if environmental sustainability is a passion of yours, maybe you can share articles that you have read on the topic to educate your followers or put up a post about an interesting event taking place so that others can attend and learn more. Doing such things will help to reaffirm your passions and indicate to the Admissions Committee your desire to engage with your community.
Do not be offensive
Always be considerate of others and mindful of what you are posting on your social media channels. Do not be offensive or attack others. This may seem obvious, but sometimes other people’s comments may trigger a response and without even realizing it, heated language is being traded back and forth. Remember that YOU control your social media presence; don’t let it control you.
Since your social media accounts may have been up for awhile, take some time to peruse older comments/posts to make sure that everything looks fine.
In summary, leverage your social media channels to complement and enhance your business school applications!
About Ivy Groupe:
Ivy Groupe is a boutique MBA admissions consulting company founded by Shaifali Aggarwal, who has been recognized as a top MBA admissions consultant by Business Insider and Poets & Quants. She received her MBA from Harvard Business School and undergraduate degree from Princeton University. Shaifali’s philosophy focuses on authenticity and storytelling to help clients craft compelling and differentiated applications that stand out. With this approach, Shaifali’s clients have gained admission to top-tier MBA programs such as Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Kellogg, MIT, Columbia, Booth, Tuck, and Yale, among others.
Click on the links to learn more about our company and how you can work with us to maximize your chances of gaining admission to the MBA programs of your choice.
Sign up for our emails at the bottom of the page to get more tips!
Comments