Can Colleges Look At My TikTok?

Can colleges look at your TikTok? 

Absolutely.

Will they? 

That’s more complicated. 

TikTok has been at the center of national and geopolitical controversies this summer. U.S. government agencies and large companies have banned their employees from accessing the app due to privacy concerns, and the President has even suggested banning the app from the country altogether. 

In the meantime, though, most of us are still using it to learn viral dances, take part in workout challenges with celebrities, and show off our quarantine meals. 

Like anything you put on the internet, it’s possible for college admissions officers to access your TikTok. Setting your account to private does not guarantee that your videos will stay that way. 

Checking your TikTok is not a top priority for admissions officers. They’re much more interested in your grades, test scores, essays, extracurricular activities, and recommendations. It’s unlikely that they’ll choose to look at your feed, but crucial that you remember that they could. 

As long as you’re not uploading anything illegal, discriminatory, or otherwise offensive, sharing your dancing talents (or lack thereof) shouldn’t hinder your chances of admission, though!

Check out our post on harnessing the power of social media for good.