3 Overlooked Ways to Use Social Media to Research Colleges

You've likely heard about the downsides of social media and how oversharing and unprofessional comments can wreak havoc on your application. But social media can also be a great tool for college-bound students: It enables you to research prospective schools, connect with alumni groups and interact with admissions staff.

There are also less obvious ways that you can make Facebook, Twitter and other online connections more productive as you choose a college. Here are three ways college-bound students can use social media to research their school choices.

[Discover why high school students increasingly use social media for college search.]

1. Look beyond the obvious accounts: It is all too easy to copy and paste a Facebook profile or a Twitter handle from a college's website. If you simply follow these accounts and move on, however, you may miss useful information.

Schools are well aware of the importance of social media. A strong online presence can convince students to apply to their institutions, in part because high school students can connect with future classmates and professors, as well as less obvious resources. As a result, colleges and universities devote time and money to developing their online presence. Part of this outreach includes maintaining separate accounts for academic departments, branch campuses and offices.

The official Facebook page for the University of Washington, for example, has more than 330,000 likes. It can be difficult for one student to stand out in this environment, although it can be useful for general knowledge.

The university's School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences Facebook page, in contrast, has 350 likes, and its Twitter account has slightly more than 1,000 followers. If your passion is fisheries science, this is a great way to connect with a highly rated program.

Many academic departments and college offices -- such as the admissions office at the University of Wisconsin--Madison -- have their own social media accounts. To locate these subaccounts, try a simple text search for the name of the school and the departments relevant to your interests.

[Connect on social media to show colleges interest.]

2. Follow more of the college's network: Other articles have recommended that you connect with current students at your prospective schools on social media. This is great advice, but it is worth expanding beyond the schools' current students.

For instance, locate professors on Twitter who teach interesting classes or conduct groundbreaking research. U ndergraduate research is key to a career in science. Laboratories with active research programs will often have an online presence, and you can gauge how receptive they are to new students. If they ignore your overtures now, this could be a red flag that you will not be welcome as an enrolled student.

Students in arts, humanities and preprofessional programs likewise benefit from close contact with prospective instructors. Yes, they are busy -- and you should be brief and respectful in your contact -- but you can assess the openness of academic culture at the college or university.

If Greek life, intramural sports, student government or volunteerism interest you, look for their social media presence. If they are difficult to find or inactive, this may indicate that there is not much enthusiasm for these groups at the school.

3. Investigate less common platforms: There are important social media platforms beyond Facebook and Twitter. LinkedIn, for example, is the preferred network for professionals.

Your prospective schools will likely have a presence there, and it is an excellent platform for finding alumni, faculty and staff to contact. You will also find more substantive posts on LinkedIn, including recent news about the college or university.

Some schools also use YouTube to host videos of campus activities. Reddit has forums for nearly every school, and Instagram boasts both official accounts and active student communities.

Social media can be an excellent tool for research. Use it well, look beyond the obvious avenues and dig deep. With some work, you can gain a much deeper perspective on schools than their slick advertising copy allows.

Brian Witte is a professional SAT tutor with Varsity Tutors. He earned his Bachelor of Science from the University of Washington and holds a Ph.D. from Ohio State University.