Dear Dr. Johnson,
I graduated from a top 25 program with a Bachelor’s in Computer Science. I had my heart set on going to grad school, but I keep getting rejected, and I can’t figure out why. Then it hit me: Could my political posts on social media be the problem?
I always thought what I posted online was my business and separate from my academic life. But now I’m wondering if admissions folks are checking out my social media profiles and not liking what they see. Do I have to choose between speaking my mind and chasing my academic dreams?
-Opinionated
From Dr. Vicki Johnson:
Right now, university campuses are alight with political protests from students and faculty alike, creating issues for campus peace and security, employee and alumni relations, fundraising, admissions, PR, grant-making and more. While universities may claim to be bastions of academic freedom, at their core, they are businesses focused on attracting enrollments, revenue, and faculty. So political activism on campus is problematic, to say the least.
Therefore, you can be certain that some graduate admissions committees are looking up their top applicants’ profiles and activities online before inviting them to an interview or making an acceptance offer. Controversial statements you are making online, including on your personal social media pages, can be viewed as a “red flag” for university administrators.
And when competitive programs have very few spots and more qualified applicants than ever, selection committees can be selective – they do not need to take a chance on an applicant who might cause problems on campus (even if that assumption is a HUGE stretch of the imagination).
So to your question, do I have to choose between speaking my mind and chasing my academic dreams?
If you feel that your political statements and activities are making a real difference in a positive way for the causes that you care about, I would be the first to tell you to keep fighting the fight while searching for graduate programs and fellowships that will support your work as an activist (they exist!).
However, if your political statements on social media or elsewhere are not making any real difference, then I would encourage you to take your opinions offline while applying to graduate school. There are many ways to discreetly support causes that you care about including private donations to organizations making an impact and volunteering your time to help impacted people in your local community. And you might find that these experiences are more fulfilling and productive than spending time on social media.
Dr. Vicki Johnson is Founder and Director of ProFellow, the world’s leading online resource for professional and academic fellowships. She is a four-time fellow, top Ph.D. scholar, Fulbright recipient, and an award-winning social entrepreneur. She is the creator of the Fully Funded Course and Mentorship Program which helps graduate school applicants enter top graduate schools with funding awards.
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