-This year, as future undergrads tried to get into their dream schools, they have a new tool, LinkedIn.
The professional social network recently launched University Pages, which offer online snapshots of colleges.
-You're in the right place.
That's right, LinkedIn.
-It just made sense to work in conjunction with the Universities so that they could communicate to say perspective students or help students understand where they could go post
graduation or help alumni re-engage back with the University.
-There are 23,000 pages representing universities all over the world.
Of those, about 1,500 pages are managed by the school themselves.
The University Pages can also reveal the types of students the school is seeking.
-I can such look at the freshmen sophomores of the university look at their profiles, how they develop their profile, what they put on there.
It starts to give me an idea of the breath of experiences they brought in.
-For young self-starters like
17-year-old Canadian student Patrick Mott, LinkedIn is a virtual career counselor.
-Well, it allows me to [unk] people in all honesty.
It allows me to find people that I think have a really cool job and see where they went to school, what their first job was, kind of, the path that they've taken to get to where they are today.
-But even with limited work experience, kids can create strong profiles using LinkedIn's student verticals feature.
-So we ask you to edit your profile, you can add things like course
work, things that you're learning in the classroom, publications that you've been quoted in.
High schooler should also emphasize volunteer work and tap their network for endorsements.
Another LinkedIn benefit, it could give you a direct connection with someone in admissions.
Jeff Shiffman of Tulane Admission says he recently received his first LinkedIn request from a perspective student.
He accepted it unlike the Facebook request sent his way.
-Whereas, Facebook is going to be, you know, pictures of your
social life and I think LinkedIn, I think it's universally recognized as a different form, a form that's much more for advancement in your career or allowing others to see your resume and your skill set and what your passion about, you know, in the workforce.
-Another reason to give your LinkedIn profile, the old college try.
In San Francisco, I'm Sumi Das, CNET for CBS News.
