Many colleges are known for getting creative with their essay prompts, sometimes asking weird and wacky questions to encourage students to dig for thoughtful, creative responses. Another way some colleges are shaking up the college admissions process is with college application videos.
More colleges — such as Brown University, Bowdoin College, Case Western Reserve University, Claremont McKenna College, Duke University, Swarthmore College, the University of Chicago, Vanderbilt University, and Wake Forest University — ask for videos as part of the application process. However, this is entirely optional in many cases, and your chances of admission won’t be impacted if you decide not to submit one.
College admissions officers are interested in knowing who you are beyond academics, and submitting a video can be a great way for them to put a face and voice to your application. It’s also another way to show demonstrated interest, since you made the extra effort. If you are feeling uncertain about to how approach recording a college application video, here are some tips.
1. Choose a Quiet Space with an Appropriate Background
While your video isn’t expected to be professional quality, it’s important to be mindful of where exactly you’re recording and the overall look of the video. Find a quiet space with minimal background noise — after all, the admissions officers need to hear what you’re saying — and ensure the backdrop is appropriate. You don’t want to tell a college how much you want to attend with inappropriate posters (or another college’s pennant!) hanging in the background.
2. Get Creative
Some colleges will want a simple recorded response to a prompt, so keeping your location and background in mind is extremely important. Other schools encourage students to get creative with their videos. Maybe you address the prompt with multiple shots at different locations that are important to you. Maybe you create a music video. It’s important to follow the directions given, but don’t be afraid to get creative if given the opportunity!
3. Look Your Best
It’s important to be yourself in these college application videos. That said it’s also important to appear as the cleaned-up version of yourself. Don’t record your video in your pajamas. Think of this as an informal college admissions interview — you still want to make a good first impression, right? Wear a top that’s clean and appropriate. It’s not necessary to wear a blazer or a tie, but if that’s what you normally wear then go for it! You want to be comfortable but also put together.
4. Be Natural
Ever notice how boring a presentation can be when someone is just reading information from a paper or note cards? The same applies to college application videos. It’s important to think about your response, practice it, and make sure you hit all the points you want to make. But reading your response from cards off-screen, or even just regurgitating your memorized script, is distracting and comes off as bland or stale.
5. Address the Prompt
Sometimes students get so caught up in the creative process of recording a college video, they forget to answer the prompts provided. A great quality video with fun effects isn’t going to get you in if you don’t address the prompt. No matter how you put the video together, address the prompt using specific details, information about yourself that can’t be found anywhere else in the application, and information that’s tailored to the school you’re applying to. Treat this as you would a supplemental essay or an admissions interview. Be specific and tailor your responses.
6. Let Your Personality Shine Through
Remember, this is another way for the admissions office to get to know you! Be yourself and let them get a sense of who you are, what your interests are, and why you think you’re a good fit for the institution. Recording a video can be intimidating and cause some students to hold back. Try to relax! Practice so you’re comfortable and able to be yourself. Don’t try to make yourself the applicant you think the college wants — be the best version of yourself and help the admissions committee learn more about you.
With a bit of practice, you can confidently record a strong college application video and have fun in the process! Whether you need guidance for your video or any other part of your college application, IvyWise is here to help. All our college admissions counselors have direct admissions experience at some of the top colleges in the U.S., so they know exactly what colleges want and how to help you stand out.
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