The innocent night with a few friends and some parents ended early.  But not before some photos were snapped up and uploaded with your name tagged in each one of them.  Suddenly, a good moment in life now looks like you are a boozing derelict.

ALERT: Social media profiles are being perused up and down by college admissions officers.  Despite some strict policies during the vetting process at many universities that may instruct a hands-off social media approach, these decision makers are looking anyway.

This should be the greatest fear of every high school senior waiting to hear which university is about to welcome you into their pedigreed path and into the fold.  A public post on facebook, instagram and twitter could put a snag into the entire operation according to Stephen Friedfield, CEO of AcceptU.com, a leading consulting firm tapped by countless families to help guide students into their college years.

AcceptU.com is the brainchild of college admissions officers who have a constant pulse of subtle distinctions in admissions criteria that can make or break your chance at attending the school of your dreams.  He says there are some tips to follow to ensure a compromising public social media post about you doesn’t derail you destiny.

From AcceptU.com:

The 5 Things Every College Applicant Needs to Know:

1) Take a close look at your social media pages as if you are meeting yourself for the first time. What do they say about you?
2) Set Privacy Settings so only friends see what you post, not the general public
3) Delete anything that is inappropriate
4) We’ve all done, but time to do it again. Google yourself and see what comes up except this time add in your school name and hometown.
5) Use your digital footprint to your advantage.  Be truthful and authentic when you post and share youtube and vimeo videos that are flattering.  See more at AcceptU.com.