Hi, I'm Dave. Really...
Are you who you say you are? Really?
We wanted to alert you to some shadiness out there -- if you're a kid looking for a college, or if you're a parent trying to help a kid find a college, you need to know that you know who is who, and who isn't who. And those trying to help you need to know that you are you.
(1) Beware Facebook and MySpace. They are great tools for connecting -- to an extent. But, considering companies can set up fake people to promote stuff they are selling, it's a vast, un-filtered morass of identities. Some true, some not.
Note that college admissions folks are using both but are doing so with a very critical eye.
But think about this next time you post a picture of yourself partying. These days, when image still matters, online image is most of everything.
(2) Beware just about everything else. One of the E-Lists I follow -- which has both college admissions folks AND your college counselors checking in -- was recently hit with an email blast from a "reporter." Or, in this case, a "grad student" who was working on a research project.
Actually, neither was the case -- it was someone from the company itself trying to drum up business.
(3) Learn to use the phone. I'm as guilty as the next guy or gal -- it is much easier to email blast the universe, or my own "sphere" of influence, and tell them what's going on. But the phone adds a human touch. It's trite, but darnit, it's true.
It's also a lot easier to figure out that the person you're talking to is the person you're talking to if they're on the other line.
Gotta run. I, Dave, am going to ignore MySpace and make a phone call.
We wanted to alert you to some shadiness out there -- if you're a kid looking for a college, or if you're a parent trying to help a kid find a college, you need to know that you know who is who, and who isn't who. And those trying to help you need to know that you are you.
(1) Beware Facebook and MySpace. They are great tools for connecting -- to an extent. But, considering companies can set up fake people to promote stuff they are selling, it's a vast, un-filtered morass of identities. Some true, some not.
Note that college admissions folks are using both but are doing so with a very critical eye.
But think about this next time you post a picture of yourself partying. These days, when image still matters, online image is most of everything.
(2) Beware just about everything else. One of the E-Lists I follow -- which has both college admissions folks AND your college counselors checking in -- was recently hit with an email blast from a "reporter." Or, in this case, a "grad student" who was working on a research project.
Actually, neither was the case -- it was someone from the company itself trying to drum up business.
(3) Learn to use the phone. I'm as guilty as the next guy or gal -- it is much easier to email blast the universe, or my own "sphere" of influence, and tell them what's going on. But the phone adds a human touch. It's trite, but darnit, it's true.
It's also a lot easier to figure out that the person you're talking to is the person you're talking to if they're on the other line.
Gotta run. I, Dave, am going to ignore MySpace and make a phone call.
posted by Dave Van de Walle at
9:46 AM
4 Comments:
You said, there "...was recently hit with an email blast from a 'reporter.' Or, in this case, a 'grad student' who was working on a research project."
Are you sure that it was a business? Or maybe it really was a grad student who was a reporter? How did they figure it was a business? Is this a large list server--and how would a "student" get access to it in the first place?
Are you hinting that colleges are calling students, but may not actually be a college? Confused.
If it is the NSCAC list, I am surprised anyone would give a "student" or non-academic business any opportunity to join. See the regulations at: http://www.nacacnet.org/MemberPortal/ProfessionalResources/Elist/default.htm#advertising
Hi from Dave. Really, it's Dave.
In all seriousness, the "business" in question, which shall remain nameless, has now been called on the carpet a couple of times on this same list -- first for making available a document that they lifted from a copyrighted piece, and then for this person posing as a reporter/grad student, of which s/he was neither.
We prefer our approach: I'm never gonna send an email pretending to be something I'm not.
And we encourage students to have the same diligence with their online persona.
(Now, as for SecondLife, well, you're on your own there...)
No kidding! I downloaded that SecondLife Program and now it's stuck--not kidding--on my computer. I guess if you want to live out a "second life" you should open an account (like my grandmother) at Sims Online, not college halls. Now what granny does online is well between her and her (cough) 35 year old username. And she wanted me to hook up internet in the nursing home--shesh! :)
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