College Admissions Videos: How to Make Yours Stand Out
This blog was written by Andrea Brody, an Emmy Award-winning broadcast journalist and college counselor at International College Counselors. With years of experience interviewing people and helping them tell their stories, Andrea knows what makes someone stand out on camera. Here, she shares her advice on how students can make the most of this opportunity to show colleges who they are beyond their applications.
3, 2, 1… Cue them!
Is this the countdown for a seasoned reporter going live from the field, or an 18-year-old applying to college from a childhood bedroom? These days, it could easily be the high school student.
Colleges including Duke, Vanderbilt, and Washington University allow applicants to introduce themselves through college admissions videos. As questions about AI’s role in application essays grow and some colleges struggle with interview availability, video offers another way for admissions officers to get to know students better.
College Admissions Videos: An Intentional Plan vs. an Afterthought
A college admissions video gives students another chance to connect with the admissions team, show their personality, and add something meaningful to the application. It also lets them choose what they most want to talk about. That said, if your student decides to submit one, they shouldn’t just hit record without a plan. While videos aren’t the core of the application, they shouldn’t be treated as an afterthought.
First, Know the College Video Supplement Requirements
Video requirements vary. Brown accepts direct uploads as well as Glimpse submissions, while Wake Forest asks students to respond to one of its prompts in a two-to-three-minute video. Always check each college’s current instructions and deadlines before recording.
For the rest of this article, let’s focus on Glimpse, offered by InitialView.
Glimpse works a little like the Common App essay in that one video can go to multiple colleges that accept it. Students can talk about anything they want, but the recording must be 60–90 seconds and unedited.
You can delete and re-record as many times as you want before submitting, but your final video must be one continuous take. No stopping and restarting to cut together the best parts.
Even for a television veteran, speaking clearly and with energy for 90 seconds involves a lot of preparation. Here are some of the same tips I offer my broadcast journalism students.
How to Make a Great College Admissions Video: Start with the Production Basics
Use Front Lighting
We want to see your eyes light up when you talk about the robot you built or the violin you treasure. Position a window or soft light in front of you. A bright window behind you can leave your face in shadow.
Keep the Camera at Eye Level
You shouldn’t be looking down or up at the lens. Think of the camera as a person in the room with you. You would be looking into their eyes, right?
Good Audio Matters
Don’t assume your phone or computer’s built-in microphone will deliver great sound. Test it before recording. An inexpensive wireless mic can make a world of difference! Clear audio makes it easier for admissions officers to focus on what you’re saying rather than struggling to hear you.
Wardrobe Counts
Bright, solid-colored shirts often look great on camera, even if that’s not your usual style. Choose something that looks good on screen but still feels like you.
What Should You Talk About in a College Admissions Video? Content Is King
Choose something you’re excited to talk about that adds a missing piece to the application puzzle. Do you knit as a hobby but that didn’t make it onto the 10 activities list? Tell us a story or explain why you love it!
Most importantly, be yourself rather than trying to be perfect! Colleges want to see authenticity, not polish. It’s okay to stumble, laugh, and be a little awkward or goofy.
Make Your College Application Video More Engaging: Leave Your Room and Move
Get out of your chair and find a backdrop that allows you to move and interact with your environment. It is really hard to be interesting and expressive for 90 seconds straight. Movement helps us add energy and variety to our delivery… plus it is more memorable.
If you work as a dog-walker, take us out with your pooches and tell us about that one crazy time! If you rock-climb, visit a climbing wall to tell us about all the places you’ve visited.
The Glimpse team confirms that students can ask someone else to film, and that many do move around and interact with their surroundings. This is an easy way to help students loosen up and bring more energy to their delivery.
Just remember to check each college’s video requirements. Not every school allows the same filming approach.
Write Your College Video Ideas Out, but Don’t Memorize
Writing down what you want to say helps you find a clear beginning, middle, and end. Practice your content a few times to make it familiar, then put the main ideas into bullet points to help you stay on track. The key is to seem comfortable, not rehearsed.
Glimpse specifically advises students not to read a script.
Look into the Camera Lens
It’s tempting to watch yourself on the screen or look at the person filming. When you’re speaking to the viewer, bring your eyes back to the lens. Imagine one interested person on the other side, listening to your story.
The video essay and interview team at ICC helps students figure out what they want to say and how to express it naturally on camera. Whether your student is struggling to choose a topic or just feels awkward in front of the camera, ICC can help your student feel comfortable and confident before hitting record.
Common College Admissions Video Mistakes to Avoid
Even students with great ideas can make mistakes when recording their college application videos.
Some of the most common include:
- Repeating the résumé. Admissions officers can already see your grades, leadership positions, awards, and extracurricular activities.
- Trying too hard to impress. Big words, dramatic statements, and exaggerated enthusiasm can make a video feel less genuine.
- Speaking too quickly. Students often rush because they’re worried about the time limit. A comfortable pace is easier to follow.
- Focusing too much on the college. Unless the prompt specifically asks why you want to attend, remember that the main subject is you.
- Forgetting the audience. Your friends may understand an inside joke or reference, but someone meeting you for the first time might not.
- Ignoring submission requirements. Video length, format, orientation, deadlines, and permitted content can vary by school.
One more thing: Don’t record your video 25 times simply because you dislike the way your voice sounds or notice a tiny imperfection.
Most people feel awkward watching themselves on camera.
What matters is whether the video communicates something meaningful about you. And that’s really what the entire college application process is about: helping colleges see who you are, what matters to you, and what you have to offer.
From the First College Questions to the Final Application, We’re Your Team
Telling your story is just one piece of the college admissions puzzle. Which classes should your student take? Are they doing enough outside the classroom? Where should they apply? And how can they make their application stand out? For parents, it can feel like there’s always something else to think about. That’s where we come in.
At International College Counselors, we’ve helped thousands of students and families navigate these very questions. Our team brings more than 350 years of combined experience and includes former admissions officers, veteran high school counselors, experienced college advisors, and writers who know how to help students put their best foot forward.
We help with everything from building a balanced college list and making the most of high school opportunities to writing standout essays, preparing for interviews, creating video supplements, and keeping track of application deadlines. And we’re here for parents, too. We answer questions, talk through concerns, and provide the guidance and reassurance families need along the way.
Whether your student is just starting high school or getting ready to submit applications, we’re here to help make the process more manageable, less stressful, and ultimately more rewarding.
Our goal is simple. We want colleges to see what makes your student special, while helping your family feel confident and supported every step of the way.
If you’d like to talk about how we can help your student and your family, contact International College Counselors to schedule a consultation with one of our advisors.
