Clean up your Facebook page before sending out those college applications

According to a recent study by Kaplan Test Prep, an increasing number of college admissions offices are looking to the internet as a means of finding out more about prospective students. A survey of 359 of the nation's top 500 colleges has found that 24 percent of colleges check Facebook or other social networking pages to learn more about an applicant.

"College applicants need to be particularly mindful of what they post, and may even want to search online to make sure their digital footprint is clean," said Jeff Olson, vice president of research at Kaplan Test Prep.

While these checks are not mandatory parts of a college's admissions process, it's something that potential students should keep in mind. Making sure that one's profile is free of potentially controversial pictures and posts should be one of the first things a person does before applying for college.

This could also play a huge role when applying for college scholarships and grants, so students should be especially mindful of what is online and how it can affect their higher education aspirations.  

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