According to a new report by the National Association for College Admission Counseling, about a quarter of US colleges reported doing some research about applicants on social networking sites or through Internet search engines. The study, which included 10 California colleges, did not specify which schools acknowledged the practice or how often scholarships or enrollment offers might be nixed because of online postings. David Hawkins, director of public policy and research for the counselors group, said the moral is clear: "Don't post anything that you don't want your mother or father or college admission officer to see," he said. Colleges' use of such Internet sites raises ethical issues that need further study, including regarding whether online postings are genuine, Hawkins added.
