All You Need to Know about Optional College Videos
All You Need to Know about Optional College Videos
Before the proliferation of personal computers and home internet, students had to send in all their college essays, test scores, transcripts, and other forms through snail mail.Can you imagine how nerve-wracking it would be to not only wait to hear back from colleges, but to also be uncertain about whether they even received your application in the first place? Phew!Nowadays, technology has streamlined the whole process. You can submit your applications to colleges all around the world at the click of a button. If you are missing any component, they will send you an automated email about what information you need to supply. In keeping up with technological trends, some colleges have opted to allow students to submit personal videos as part of their application. Babson University gives applicants the choice of either answering their supplement in a 1-minute video or 500-word essay. The University of Chicago did away with the alumni interview altogether, inviting students to submit 2-minute video introductions instead. So, how should you approach these personal videos for colleges? Read on to learn more!
Optional Truly Means Optional
Think of college videos as icing on the cake. Unless you are applying to film school, they are optional so you should focus first on what is required. Make sure that the core parts of your application—your personal statement, grades, test scores, and supplemental essays—are rock solid before you start putting together a college video.In most cases, submitting optional materials can help you demonstrate interest in a school and set you apart from other equally qualified candidates, so do film a video if you have time. But make sure that your video sheds light on your positive qualifies like intellectual curiosity, humor, friendliness, and kindness. If you get camera shy, feel free to skip this optional step and demonstrate interest through other means—like writing an update letter.
Show Them Your Personality
College videos serve as a great way for admissions officers to get a feel of what you are like in person and, very importantly, what kind of friend or classmate you would be.Compared to personal statements, college videos can be more informal and light-hearted—though they can take on a serious tone too. Share interesting facts about your life, tell your favorite jokes, or show them what you like to do during your down time. Have fun with it!Here are some good examples of college videos where students’ personalities shine through:
One way to find an angle for your video is to take a look at your application to see what personal qualities have not been covered and try to capture that missing element.
Aim for Good Production Quality
Your video does not have to be cinema quality. Home made films have a special charm in how they are not perfectly pieced together. But that charm loses its appeal when the audio does not come through clearly or the shots are out of focus.When you film, make sure that you have good lighting and the mic captures everything you are saying. Do some test runs to see how things look and sound before you shoot the whole thing.Smart phones could work as the video camera—just make sure the frame is still and not shaking (which happens often if someone is holding the phone to record). Here is a helpful article on how to record great videos using an iPhone. If you have a digital video camera, that may be a better option for a recording device.
Check Out ZeeMee
Colleges that allow you to submit optional videos may ask you to upload them through SlideRoom or YouTube. Another platform that you might come across is ZeeMee, an up-and-coming app that, among other features, allows students to record short (30-seconds or less) videos answering questions alumni interviewers usually ask. The app is designed to bring your application to life, putting a face and voice to your application.About 200 universities and colleges have partnered with ZeeMee so far, including Washington University in St. Louis, which has an entry in their supplement section of the Common App for students to share their ZeeMee link.If you choose to create an account, remember that quality is better than quantity. Give thought to your answers and practice them a few times before you record.
Be Mindful of Social Media Posts
Colleges that do not partner with ZeeMee, however, may browse your social media profiles to find out more about you. As a general rule of life, you should be mindful of what you post on the internet. Most things that get published on the web cannot be taken back, and even if admissions officers do not look at social media feed, future employers may dig up an old post.You could definitely change your profile settings to private, but it is best to use colleges admissions as a litmus test for what personal content you make available on the world wide web. If the idea of your admissions officer reading something you post online makes you nervous, think twice about whether you should upload it. Your future self will thank you for refraining!
Ready, Set, Action!
Video supplements for college applications can be incredibly rewarding. We remind students to “show” rather than “tell” in their personal essays. With a video, you can quite literally show admissions officers your world, personality, and values. So when it comes time to film, grab a camera and have fun recording capturing a piece of your life to share!The expert admissions consultants at Wise World Prep have helped hundreds of students maximize their potential of being admitted to their top choice colleges and universities. Over 20 years, we have successfully guided students through each stage of the application process – from choosing competitive high school courses to building an appropriate college list to drafting winning essays to writing persuasive update and appeals letters. We would be happy to answer your questions and partner with you to create a successful admissions roadmap.Ready to get started? Schedule a complimentary 20-minute conversation today!Want to stay informed? Subscribe to our newsletter.See what others are saying about us