Admissions: Social Posts are 'Fair Game'

Adweek: "The trend of college admissions officers visiting the social media profiles of applicants is back on the upswing, according to the latest survey from Kaplan Test Prep. The educational and career-services provider polled nearly 300 college admissions officers and found that 36% of them turn to applicants’ profiles on social platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube to learn more about them, up from 25% last year."

"Kaplan added that since reaching a high of 40% three years ago, the trend had been downward, caused in part by the emergence of newer platforms such as TikTok and Twitch and in part by prominent use of content that is not publicly accessible or disappears after a certain period of time, such as Stories on Snapchat and Instagram. The company said 19% of respondents who view applicants’ social media profiles do so 'often,' up from 11% in Kaplan’s 2015 survey."

"Kaplan said 59% of admissions officers believe visiting applicants’ social media profiles is “fair game,” up slightly from 57% last year, while 41% called it 'an invasion of privacy that shouldn’t be done.' A separate survey found that 70% of applicants were OK with their profiles being viewed by admissions officers. Finally, the results of those profile viewings were mixed, as Kaplan said 38% of respondents were impacted positively by what they saw, while 32% were impacted negatively."

FAFSA & The Draft: Only if You're Over 18

USA Today: "On social media, some expressed concern that filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, which asks men whether they have registered with the Selective Service System, could prioritize them in case of a draft ... But filling out the federal aid form won’t get you drafted, experts say. For one, there’s currently no draft in place. Secondly, most men between the ages of 18 and 25 — regardless of whether they are applying for college financial aid through the FAFSA — are required to register with the Selective Service System, the government agency that registers eligible men in case of a draft."

"The confusion comes from question 22 on the FAFSA form, which states, 'Most male students must register with the Selective Service System to receive federal aid. If you are male, are age 18-25, and have not registered, fill in the circle and we will register you' ... Essentially, the FAFSA is checking whether eligible men have registered with the Selective Service System, but it won’t increase the chances of getting drafted."

"However, there’s a bigger issue for young men who need assistance to pay for college: If they don’t register for the Selective Service, they aren’t eligible to receive federal financial aid. And neglecting to register could be the start of a host of challenges, with a USA TODAY story finding that men who don’t register by their 26th birthday forever close the door on benefits like student aid, a government job or citizenship."

Lehigh Plans Business College Expansion

The Morning Call: "A place for young companies to grow. Big data labs. Technological-equipped classrooms that will attract students and business executives who want to learn about real-time business trends and where those trends are going. That’s the idea behind Lehigh University’s newest plans to expand the College of Business in south Bethlehem, a stone’s throw from the historic South Side Business District ... The center will take up the entire third floor where Lehigh will offer immersive and research-based programs about today’s business trends and more. The expansion will also allow Lehigh to introduce a business incubator in partnership with the Baker Center for Entrepreneurship."

"The project comes as Lehigh undertakes an ambitious plan to increase student enrollment and programs, including the new College of Health. Last year, Lehigh broke ground on the Health, Science & Technology building, which is scheduled to open in 2021 ... Also, SouthSide Commons, a new five-story student living facility at Brodhead and Packer avenues, officially opened last year, providing apartment-style living for 428 students. There are 5,178 undergraduate and 1,775 graduate students, according to Lehigh’s web site."