Typically the message to students regarding social media is: “watch what you post.” But now many parents, students, and colleges are turning social media from something to be feared during admissions to something that can help.

A recent article from the St. Cloud Times highlighted opinions from students and processes for admission from many area colleges as they relate to social media. It discussed how students can use social media to help during admissions, both in selling themselves but also in gaining awareness of a future college or university.

Many of the high school students interviewed by SCTimes weren’t aware that colleges or employers are looking at their social media accounts. On the flipside, some future St. Cloud State students are using #futurehusky or #stcloudstate in tweets to “develop a community before they’re on campus.”

At the heart of the discussion is the issue of digital literacy. CMLE knows that many Media Specialists, Librarians, and Library staff are at the front line of Digital Citizenship for many students.

“A student’s digital literacy depends on the family and school, she said, and much of the time it’s overlooked by both.”

What types of things are you teaching your students about social media? Should students be wary of social media? Or should students be using it to their advantage?

Image credit: http://tinyurl.com/kpm6w6b, licensed under CC BY 2.0