Every fall, students (and a lot of parents) ask us if college admissions officers look students up on Facebook. That question is like asking if it’s safe to leave your car unlocked in a particular neighborhood. Why take the risk (or ask the question)? Just lock your car. If you lock down the privacy settings on your Facebook account, it won’t matter who tries to look you up.
This question went around our offices today via email. And the responses from our counselors (all of whom worked as admissions officers at selective colleges) were all virtually identical. Yes, admissions officers occasionally look at Facebook profiles. So the smartest move for any applicant is simply not to take the risk. Ratchet up your privacy settings or just get off Facebook all together.