Get ready to keep this company on speed dial OP because your kid will be doing asynchronous interviews senior year to land a job.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hmmm.
Are they looking for something in these videos?
Race, perhaps? How extroverted/social/articulate/interesting you appear?

I'm curious...
These are the selective schools:
Duke
Brown
UChicago
WashU
Wake
Bowdoin

who else wants these? My kid is applying to 3 of these schools so its front of mind.

It helps in all aspects of life if you are good looking and well spoken.

They want to know if you are Black. DUH.

Black like Vijay Chokal-Ingam black?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hmmm.
Are they looking for something in these videos?
Race, perhaps? How extroverted/social/articulate/interesting you appear?

I'm curious...
These are the selective schools:
Duke
Brown
UChicago
WashU
Wake
Bowdoin

who else wants these? My kid is applying to 3 of these schools so its front of mind.

It helps in all aspects of life if you are good looking and well spoken.

They want to know if you are Black. DUH.

I would not recommend being extravagant unless that is your kid’s talent and hobby. I really think that would work against a kid, being too polished is not a positive imo and makes everything else seem less authentic. They are very clear it is not a contest for video editing skills. With the shotgunning going on, test optional, increased applications they can’t interview everyone. My kid just shot with his iPhone and used iMovie app to do a little editing. Just talking to the camera is fine too.

Also, you don't HAVE to submit. My DC admitted to UChicago without submitting.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:it strikes me that they are filtering for something here.

Here are a few successful ones:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hK1aItRvr78
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bR73Z2iyj1c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urs16KaDLP8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sy5M4hwN7Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4g_8uNuqw2g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-av2fcdtv
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pC9cF7waU1E

I think personality can really, really tip the scales

These are really cute and they look like the videos they make for social media. They don't look like a professional was involved.

+1

Kids and their phones.

Yup. Mine did hers on her phone and used basic editing software that allowed her to cut stuff together and add titles.

The ones that seem more cinematic or polished are often by kids who are interested in film, so that makes sense to me.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know UChicago used to offer interviews and now offers videos as an option instead. I dont see a real difference between schools that offer video options vs schools that highly recommend interviews. In either case, the school will see what you look like or how well you can speak, answer questions etc. Videos certainly do not have to be a big production (literally). My kid just spoke about a topic they enjoyed.

Thinking about this more, it also makes things more accessible for people who can't travel for an interview and removes some of the problems with local alumni interviews.

They are generally looking for social, well-adjusted well-spoken kids - important if they don't your HS and can't trust your LOR.

Anonymous wrote:I know UChicago used to offer interviews and now offers videos as an option instead. I dont see a real difference between schools that offer video options vs schools that highly recommend interviews. In either case, the school will see what you look like or how well you can speak, answer questions etc. Videos certainly do not have to be a big production (literally). My kid just spoke about a topic they enjoyed.

Thinking about this more, it also makes things more accessible for people who can't travel for an interview and removes some of the problems with local alumni interviews.

Omg some of these are so good

https://youtu.be/eR_XUIbpZN8

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:it strikes me that they are filtering for something here.

Here are a few successful ones:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hK1aItRvr78
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bR73Z2iyj1c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urs16KaDLP8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sy5M4hwN7Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4g_8uNuqw2g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-av2fcdtv
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pC9cF7waU1E

I think personality can really, really tip the scales

These are really cute and they look like the videos they make for social media. They don't look like a professional was involved.

+1

Kids and their phones.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:it strikes me that they are filtering for something here.

Here are a few successful ones:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hK1aItRvr78
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bR73Z2iyj1c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urs16KaDLP8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sy5M4hwN7Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4g_8uNuqw2g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-av2fcdtv
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pC9cF7waU1E

I think personality can really, really tip the scales

These are really cute and they look like the videos they make for social media. They don't look like a professional was involved.

Anonymous wrote:Our essay coach, whom we were referred to by our SAT prep tutor, recommended a production team for the video submissions.

So we have an entire team, but sadly they couldn't supply us with a gaffer, so our DS stepped in and plugged some lights in. He's going to put that down as an EC on his common app. Sometimes opportunities just fall into one's lap!!!

Nice. Now create a 501(c)(3) to help unprivileged kids in Bolivia create video submissions for T25 US college applications. Now DS has a passion project!

Anonymous wrote:it strikes me that they are filtering for something here.

ESL. Colleges have been burned by international kids who can't speak fluent enough English for college classes, but use essay consultants so essays look good. and TOEFL isn't hard. Or international kids who are they don't realize are international because their day students at private and catholic high schools all across the US. This is hugely popular.

Anonymous wrote:Hmmm.
Are they looking for something in these videos?
Race, perhaps? How extroverted/social/articulate/interesting you appear?

I'm curious...
These are the selective schools:
Duke
Brown
UChicago
WashU
Wake
Bowdoin

who else wants these? My kid is applying to 3 of these schools so its front of mind.

Tempted to have my kid copy the Elle Woods video submission word for word and shot for shot.

I know UChicago used to offer interviews and now offers videos as an option instead. I dont see a real difference between schools that offer video options vs schools that highly recommend interviews. In either case, the school will see what you look like or how well you can speak, answer questions etc. Videos certainly do not have to be a big production (literally). My kid just spoke about a topic they enjoyed.