Person typing on a laptop keyboard with a wedding ring on their finger.

The real question is not whether someone will look up your child online. It is: What will they find when they do?

Today, it is common for people to look someone up after receiving an application, meeting them, or considering them for an opportunity. When someone searches your child’s name online, they should find something that clearly introduces who your child is.

A Spotlight podcast-style interview helps your child find the words — and creates something worth finding when someone looks them up.

Online presence is already part of the
evaluation ecosystem.

1 in 3

1 in 3 college applicants used AI to help write their application essays. Admissions officers now question whether written materials reflect who an applicant actually is.

Source: Education Week, 2024

98%

98% of employers perform online research about candidates. Almost every hiring decision now includes a quick search of the applicant’s name.

Source: SSR Recruiting Statistics

28%

28% of admissions officers have searched applicants online — and 58% formed a negative impression when they visited a profile. 

Most students have nothing worth finding.

Source: Crimson Education Survey

Portrait of Grace Heinzman, a young woman in a blue dress, standing on her toes with one arm over her head, inside a circular frame. The background is dark with lime green and purple accents. The text beside the portrait reads: "This is the first year I've ever done an interview - and it was for college. Having this opportunity in ninth, tenth, or eleventh grade, before the pressure hits, would be absolutely wonderful." The bottom text says: "Grace Heinzman, AP Homeschoolers, Austin, Texas."

A Spotlight feature can support your child in many situations where someone wants to better understand who they are. Examples include:

  • Many colleges and programs search applicants online before or after reviewing their application. A Spotlight feature gives your child something credible to find — a clear, professional introduction that reflects who they actually are, not just what they've done.

  • Scholarship committees want to know who they're investing in. A Spotlight feature helps your child stand out by showing how they think, what they care about, and why they're worth backing — in their own words.

  • Most high school students have no professional online presence. When an internship coordinator searches your child's name, a Spotlight feature gives them a confident first impression before any interview happens.

  • Research programs look for students who can articulate their curiosity and perspective — not just their grades. A Spotlight feature captures how your child thinks and what they're genuinely interested in exploring.

  • Competitive summer programs receive hundreds of applications. A Spotlight feature helps your child be remembered as a real person — not just a list of activities on a form.

  • Mentors choose students they connect with. A Spotlight feature gives potential mentors a genuine sense of who your child is and what drives them — before the first conversation even happens.

  • Leadership programs want students who can speak about themselves with clarity and confidence. Spotlight helps your child practice exactly that — and leaves them with something professional to show for it.

  • When someone meets your child and later searches their name, they should find something worth remembering. A Spotlight feature ensures that first impression holds up online.

student Spotlight

Resumes and applications summarize activities. Spotlight captures the person behind those activities and makes them discoverable. Spotlight features reveal:

❋ How Your Child Reflects

❋ How They Think

❋ How They Communicate

❋ Who They Are