Video Introduction

Updated: Dec 5, 2022

For universities and colleges that want to assess applicants':

identity and ways of expressing themselves
motivation to attend the university and the program
ability to communicate effectively in a verbal way
applicants' approach to delivering a succinct, yet unique introduction of who they are as a human being

Master academic content

Think critically and solve complex problems

Work collaboratively

Communicate effectively

Learn how to learn

Develop academic mindsets

Verbal communication: Using the video format to highlight the student's ability to communicate efficiently. Often when we think about creating a video, we need to devise a strategy to attract our audience's attention - in this case, the college admissions office. Since the video is of short nature, students need to be meticulous with every second spent, which can also showcase their attention to detail.
Promotes creativity and diversity: Video assessment is robust in promoting creativity and diversity. Since college applicants come from many different backgrounds, they have this opportunity to be creative about their vision and goals for college through a short video. Some people can choose to do a vlogging video telling about a day in their life, or the final product can be snippets of different scenes throughout their high school journey. Those who want to showcase their artistic talents can also use this video to show the admissions office their ability.
Practice makes perfect: One unintended consequence of these video presentations was that students often recorded several takes of their introduction and spent days editing the scenes because of the nature of video making. It helps admissions identify candidates who show deep persistence and commitment through rigorous practice.

Design

In 5 minutes, tell me about yourself. Who are you, and who do you want to become?
What are some of the work you have done during high school that you want to highlight?
Using the video format, tell me about a day in your life.
In 5 minutes, tell me about your biggest regret.

Interpretation/Analysis

What's unique about the applicant's video introduction? In a short period, how did they convey themselves?
From that short introduction, what can you tell about their personality? Are they good fit to your school culture? Are they embracing the mission and values of your university?

Creativity

Are there anything interesting in the applicant's introduction that is unique to him or her?
Is it a creative and original work? Do you see similarities/differences from other applicants' videos?

Production

Is the video over time-limit? (suggested limit is less than 5 minutes)
Is the production of the video of quality?
Minor details: smooth transitions, accessibility (closed caption), clear audio, background music, etc.