Wake Forest wants a video?!

[Anonymous]

This is a super weird request. It almost feels like they are trying to filter for appearances or perhaps discriminate via a protected category (race, ethnicity, etc.)

I'm sure some dumb consultant told them that kids are on social media and love to make videos of themselves. WFU thinks its being hip and "meeting the customer" on their turf.

Why would a university even open this can of worms? It potentially exposes them to claims of discrimination. Not much potential upside, lots of potential downside.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So many essays are written by consultants and parents these days, I don’t blame the schools who are trying to meet the actual student, so to speak. Also, I imagine some kids are better able to express themselves in a video versus essay and this opens the door to them.

It's only a matter of time until videos are ghost-produced by consultants and parents. Or maybe they are already. I hope videos don't become a trend. Ugh.

[Anonymous]

Brown does it too. It is also “optional.” Some of the Brown Introduction Videos online look professionally produced. I think they are screening for appearances to a degree. I think they want to weed out super asocial kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is a super weird request. It almost feels like they are trying to filter for appearances or perhaps discriminate via a protected category (race, ethnicity, etc.)

I'm sure some dumb consultant told them that kids are on social media and love to make videos of themselves. WFU thinks its being hip and "meeting the customer" on their turf.

Why would a university even open this can of worms? It potentially exposes them to claims of discrimination. Not much potential upside, lots of potential downside.

This was my immediate reaction. It introduces all kinds of opportunities for implicit bias and seems like walking into a minefield on purpose.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is a super weird request. It almost feels like they are trying to filter for appearances or perhaps discriminate via a protected category (race, ethnicity, etc.)

I'm sure some dumb consultant told them that kids are on social media and love to make videos of themselves. WFU thinks its being hip and "meeting the customer" on their turf.

Why would a university even open this can of worms? It potentially exposes them to claims of discrimination. Not much potential upside, lots of potential downside.

Do other schools not request photos anymore? I specifically remember having to submit a photo of myself with my UVA app in the 90s.

[Anonymous]

Respectfully, Wake Forest, get a grip. This is ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

I see new businesses popping up everywhere: “hire us…we’ll help your kid produce a video that showcases what is super special about him and will get him into the school of his dreams.” GAG.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wake Forest demanded the most when my DCs applied 5 years ago. It’s not an Ivy people. Wasted a lot of time on their application.

Sour grapes. Small school. They only want the best.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So many essays are written by consultants and parents these days, I don’t blame the schools who are trying to meet the actual student, so to speak. Also, I imagine some kids are better able to express themselves in a video versus essay and this opens the door to them.

Yes, let’s turn it back onto a beauty contest.

The video doesn't have to be of the student talking like a newscaster. Think outside the box people.

[Anonymous]

If you do not want to do it then don’t. They are not the only school that makes these kinds of requests. All the schools that have supplements and other requests are all doing the same thing: in theory “getting a better idea of your student” but in reality weeding out people who don’t want to go the extra mile to be there. That way they have a class of incoming students that for the most part have already committed that they will be happy to be there or at least try to be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Brown does it too. It is also “optional.” Some of the Brown Introduction Videos online look professionally produced. I think they are screening for appearances to a degree. I think they want to weed out super asocial kids.

So being "asocial" is a liability now in college admissions?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Brown does it too. It is also “optional.” Some of the Brown Introduction Videos online look professionally produced. I think they are screening for appearances to a degree. I think they want to weed out super asocial kids.

So being "asocial" is a liability now in college admissions?

So us being black or ugly, which is why a video is insane.

[Anonymous]

I imagine these would look a lot like the Au Pair videos the agencies use. Cute but they all seem to follow the same script.

[Anonymous]

My DD got into Wake Forest ED. It was her first choice. No video submission and accepted. It truly is optional.

[Anonymous]

We toured Wake. So many attractive private school kids. Don’t judge by looks at all.