Thankfully, technology has also enabled more options to set yourself apart from the thousands of applications every year. Surprisingly, one interesting way to set yourself apart from other people is through LinkedIn.

Why You Should Message Admissions Officers on LinkedIn

Because LinkedIn is a professional network, it is the easiest way to get in touch with professionals from industries, including education. While it is possible to get in touch with admissions officers in other ways such as email or phone calls, messaging them on LinkedIn puts your name on their radar in a unique, unintrusive way.

By messaging admissions officers on LinkedIn, you have the opportunity to build personal connections. In addition, you can also lead them to your LinkedIn profile, which can showcase more about you as a person than a simple CV could.

What to Do Before Messaging Admissions Officers on LinkedIn

Before messaging an admissions officer on LinkedIn, it’s best to make sure that your profile reflects the persona you want the admissions officer to see. Aside from your work experience, make sure to also update your education, internships, extracurricular activities, profile summary, and so on.

In fact, you may also want to change your headline on LinkedIn into something that can catch their attention. Even as a prospective student, you can still change your headline to reflect your aspirations, what industry you want to work in, or any relevant internships you may hold.

Alternatively, you can also update your pronouns on your LinkedIn profile so that they will know how to address you properly when they respond. Similarly, you should also make sure to check their profiles for their preferred pronouns so that you can address them correctly in your message.

How to Find Admissions Officers on LinkedIn

There are several methods you can try to get in touch with an admission officer on LinkedIn. Here’s a suggested route you can take to do so:

Check your university website for admissions officer names. Use the LinkedIn search bar to find their name or role. Alternatively, go to the university’s LinkedIn page (if applicable) and look through the list of current employees. Send a LinkedIn InMail introducing yourself as a prospective student. Wait until they respond.

What to Say to a Potential Admissions Officer on LinkedIn

Aside from clarifying things like application requirements, you can also get in touch with admissions officers on LinkedIn to ask for advice on how to improve your application.

For example, you can ask when the best time is to submit your application, the kind of recommendation letters they are looking for, more information about the program, scholarship opportunities, and student housing.

Alternatively, you can also ask them for information that cannot normally be found online, which may be critical to your decision-making process. Some examples include where their alumni normally end up, student life, and what makes the university different from others.

In addition, remember that you are also fishing for information on if the university is the right place for you. After all, admission is a two-way street. As much as you want to make a good impression, you should also remember that universities are also on the lookout for great students.

When approaching an admissions officer on LinkedIn, remember to be respectful and patient. It’s important to understand that getting in touch with them will not necessarily mean your application will be given any special treatment or that they will even respond at all.

However, it’s important to remember that there’s not much to lose when it comes to messaging admissions officers on LinkedIn. The worst case is that they ignore you, while the best is that they can help you make a better application.