For high school students applying to competitive colleges, social media has become a major source of admissions advice. TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube are filled with students, consultants, and self-proclaimed admissions experts offering tips on essays, extracurriculars, test scores, and getting into top universities. While some of this advice can be useful, misleading information can spread quickly when it comes from someone with a large following.
One major problem is that being accepted to a top college does not necessarily make someone an admissions expert. Students who attend schools such as Harvard, Yale, Stanford, or other highly selective universities may share what they believe helped them get accepted, but they generally do not know exactly why an admissions committee chose them. Nevertheless, social media posts can make their personal experiences appear to be a universal formula for admission.
There have already been examples of misleading claims reaching large audiences. In 2026, the Common Application publicly corrected a Harvard student and admissions influencer who claimed that the Common App could terminate an applicant’s account and notify every college if an admissions officer believed the student had used artificial intelligence. Common App said the claim was misleading and was causing unnecessary panic.
Other influencers have promoted the idea that students need to begin building carefully planned extracurricular activities years before applying to college. This can encourage students to view high school as a checklist instead of a time to explore their actual interests. Admissions professionals have also warned that social media contributes to myths about what colleges require and what makes an applicant competitive.
The problem can become even greater when influencers make money from their advice. Some creators sell courses, essay reviews, or personalized consulting. This creates an incentive to make the admissions process seem complicated or frightening because anxiety can attract views and customers.
Social media can still be a valuable resource for students, especially those who do not have access to expensive private counselors. However, students should treat influencer advice as personal experience rather than official admissions information. Claims about requirements, policies, deadlines, and what colleges want should be checked against the university’s official website or the Common Application.
Read More
- The Harvard Crimson, “Admissions Influencers Have Gone Too Far”
Harvard Crimson article - Inside Higher Ed, “Will Admissions Misinformation Ever Die?”
Inside Higher Ed article - Times Higher Education, “I Get My University Application Advice From TikTok”
Times Higher Education article - Harvard Magazine, “We’re All Harvard Influencers, Like It or Not”
Harvard Magazine article - Common Application, Application Fraud Policy
Common App fraud policy