READ: 5 MIN
There are not too many colleges that allow students to include a video profile as part of their application, but some big names do encourage this, including Brown University, the University of Chicago and Bowdoin College. The videos are optional, of course, and they won’t matter much in the application process if your academic stats are not in line with these places to begin with. But they also represent a rare chance to step outside the confines of the Common Application and show colleges who you really are.
If you’ve followed Union Hall Advising at all or attended any of our webinars, you know that we believe strongly in helping students create compelling personal narratives to stand out from the crowd. We work to help our kids craft stories that are full of energy and promise - and we position them to be, above all, likeable people. There is no better way to do this than with a personal video that hits the mark. Great written personal statements are a must, but a well-done video profile can bring it all together for an admissions officer.
We believe the number one most important thing to get right in an admissions profile video is to come across as “likeable.” Not impressive. Not brilliant. Not beautiful. Likeable.
It should come as no surprise then, that we believe the number one most important thing to get right in an admissions profile video is to come across as “likeable.” Not impressive. Not brilliant. Not beautiful. Likeable. We know this is a vague goal, but you know what likeable means when you see it yourself. There are some people whose first introduction to you is felt positively, and those who you feel indifferent about, or worse, negatively about. These videos are often positioned by the colleges as replacements for the alumni interview. And in those in-person interviews, the interviewer is deciding right away whether they like you or not. The rest of the interview might be about reinforcing or refuting that initial impression - but you don’t get that chance in these 2 minute videos. That makes them high risk and high reward. So let’s get a bit more specific about how you can come across as likeable:
Admissions officers spend half their time trying to determine who you are as an applicant. They are piecing together your family and academic background with your essays and your activities and your teacher recommendations. They are seeking a consistent picture of you as a person. Only then can they decide whether they want you in their college. Conflicting messages lead admissions officers to question whether they truly know who you are - and unless they love all of those conflicts, you’re not going to get admitted. Consistency is especially true for the personal video because it is a real-live depiction of you, not just words on a page. So if your history teacher wrote that your enthusiasm in the classroom amps up the good feelings in the room for everyone - but then your video is of you in a dark bedroom quietly talking through your favorite books, that is going to create inconsistency. Likeable people are often perceived as such because you believe they are being authentic when you meet them. The admissions officer already knows a bit about you. Now they want to see the real person. If that person in your video could not have been the person who wrote that essay, you’ll leave doubts.
On the energy meter, you want to be a 7 or an 8 (with a 1 being lethargic and a 10 selling a blender on TV). You should be excited about showing the admissions office who you are. Even if you consider yourself a reserved person, show your most energetic reserved self. You’d do the same in an in-person interview when talking about yourself, so also show it here in the video. Smiling and keeping eye contact with the camera in a natural way (again, as you would with an interviewer) is going to make you seem likeable.
Don’t repeat what is elsewhere in your application. Yes, there needs to be a consistency, but not repetition. If you’ve written your personal essay about how important watercolor painting is to you, then don’t repeat that in your video profile. It’s OK to hint that art is a big part of your life (maybe you film yourself in the art studio you set up in your garage), but talk to the admissions office about something else that is important to you and still fits with your broader narrative. If you start repeating things, the admissions team will assume you have nothing else to say. Instead, give them the opposite impression.
Think about your own attention span. Can you listen to someone drone on for 2 minutes about a single topic? Search up “Brown profile video” on YouTube and you’ll find a bunch of kids who have done just that. They sit at their desk and just talk at the camera for 2 minutes (or more!), rambling on. These videos are painful to watch and possibly the longest two minutes you may ever experience. Instead, think about your 2 minutes in increments of 15-20 seconds. That is about the right length of time to get across an idea or concept without it feeling rushed, but without boring anyone. String together these bite size concepts with simple cuts that have a different visual backdrop (inside/outside, etc.) Consider including other people in some of your mini cuts, as well, since people often judge how they feel about someone by watching how they interact with others. Remember, you’ll be much more likeable if you are not boring your audience.
It’s tricky to get the right level of production value in your video, but it’s a critical element. You need to make sure the sound is clear and the lighting is good. And you definitely don’t just want to talk into the camera for two minutes straight. On the other hand, you don’t want a video that is too polished with lots of jump cuts, animation, the pasting of hundreds of photos, a jarring soundtrack or other gimmicks. The star of this show is you, and not your video editing. Don’t let those elements distract from your message. Also, rather than have someone else film your video, do the filming selfie-style. It’s more intimate and feels as if you have recorded something just for the admissions office. And don’t read off a script. Practice, and have an idea of what you want to say, but the entire video should feel natural.
Finally, spend some time on YouTube viewing some college profile videos. You’ll quickly see what works and what doesn’t. And you’ll immediately be drawn to certain people that are likeable for their easy style and authentic energy. You’ll also likely be put off by more than a few students who either spend too much time on introductions or gimmicks, or those who bore the viewer with a monotone style.
The video profile offers a great opportunity to stand out from the crowd in a way that the Common Application can’t offer. But it takes thoughtful consideration and a nuanced style to make a great impression. Don’t let the opportunity go by.
