More students are logging out of Naviance and back onto Facebook.

“When students in high school search for posts on social media about ‘blogs of college students’ days’ it seems to give a lot more information about college social life and tells the real story,” explains Beth Arey, College and Career oordinator.

U.S. News reports that 55% of surveyed students use Facebook more than any other social media site. Facebook can be an essential tool for colleges to promote the school’s culture and campus life experience.

“When colleges use Facebook and Twitter it is mostly for publicizing events with pictures and to show life and activity on campus,” explains Arey.

The same survey showed that 45% of those surveyed have been swayed by a school’s online activity.

Students’ personal online profiles may also provide insight into a different side of college. The social scene at a school can often be determined just by looking at recent photos.

“Everyone’s experience at college is individualized,” states Ella Fies, junior. “From social media, I don’t think it’s fair to make a generalization about the school that a person is attending based upon their Facebook profile.”

A useful tool to find an overall perspective of colleges is the Fiske Guide to Colleges, which gives students an understanding of the culture of colleges. Arey says that it combines information about campus life with academic information to best educate students about universities.

However, Arey explains that the experience of finding the best fit will be different for every person. “Anything in the college search process has to do with fit and personality. The experience when you are at a college is going to be unique to each individual.”