facebook acount-universities.?

[James]

hey, a friend of mine told me that universities that u have sent ur applications to always check ur facebook acount. is it true.? and if so, should i delete it, or change my name or something??

[elf_boy4000]

DO...
Use Facebook to stay in touch with friends and make new ones.
Use Facebook to create your best image, since anyone with access to an ".edu" account can see your page. Google yourself every once in a while to check on your public image.
Use Facebook to get involved with the campus community and learn what’s happening.
Use Facebook to advertise your organization's events.
Use Facebook's privacy settings on your account to monitor who can look at your profile.
Use Facebook's customer support page since it contains valuable information about privacy controls and other important safety information.
Use good judgment with your Facebook account and postings! What do you want future employers, administrators, faculty, and maybe even your parents to see?
Remember that UNH administrators are not monitoring Facebook, but may act on any violations of law or University policy if brought to their attention. Just because you don’t want them to look at your page doesn’t mean they can't or won't.

DON’T...
Post overly personal information like cell phone numbers, dorm address, class schedule, etc. unless you feel comfortable being contacted by strangers. Students have been stalked by uninvited viewers of their Facebook pages when they posted overly personal information.
Post pictures of your friends without their permission. It may be considered a legitimate invasion of their privacy, or may jeopardize their chances for a job, or their scholarships.
Think that just because you have to have an ".edu" account, that you are safe from any harm or consequences for the content of your page.
Forget that once you post something, it may live forever, even if you take it down.
Think that Facebook is the only website of concern. These same principles apply to MySpace.com, Friendster.com, etc.
Be afraid to get creative with your profile. Have fun and express yourself legally and responsibly. There are plenty of ways you can create a positive self image. You can impress your peers and community members and abide by all university polices, and laws!

[Jen F]

They may or may not, some employers do this to potential new employees as well. If you have things that are really that incriminating on your page I would delete them, or make your profile private so only the people you want to can see it. I come from the days where you had to be in college to even get facebook so I guess it was a non-issue for me then.

[Dave]

False. Do you know how many thousands of applications schools get? It would be highly impratical for them to check all of the facebooks. Occasionally some schools will check the facebook accounts of CURRENT students to monitor for illicit activity, but that rarely happens...and even less so with new privacy features offered from facebook. Just make your page friends only and don't accept any random friend requests from people you don't k now.

The only instance I could think of that they would check your facebook page upon applying is if they're planning to give you some sort of full-ride scholarship at a prestigious university.


However, if applying for a job/internship with a reputable company, they will often check your facebook page/google your name.


My school actually had a class during orientation recommending that we create facebook accounts if we didn't already have them.

[rjain]

I have heard before that employers sometimes check up on potential employees by looking at their facebook pages, but I've never heard that colleges/universities are doing it. But I would not rule it out.
I personally don't agree with that practice and would not want someone checking up on me to see if I was a legit candidate for school or employment by looking at my facebook page. facebook is first and foremost a social networking site and I would not want any random person looking into my personal life.
It seems I've gone a a bit of a rant.I just really don't like that some people are doing this.

To answer your question, you don't have to change your name or really do anything. Most people have their facebook pages as private so that only friends and accepted individuals can view the content of your page. So if your info is private, they wouldn't even be able to get any info about you (other than maybe your name and location - if you don't have that as private)

Oh and don't delete your facebook page on account of this. Although ther emight be many privacy issues, it is a fun palce to socialize and the only reason you would want to delete it is if you actually want to be sans-facebook.