The Video Submission is recommended with your application, but it is not required.
Video Submission Overview
- Determine and refine what you want to say and how you will make your video.
- Create and edit your 2-4 minute video.
- Upload your video to YouTube and make viewable.
- Include the YouTube link in your application.
Video Philosophy
- We want your video to reveal more about you, especially in ways that cannot be easily conveyed in your application essays.
- We want you to show rather than tell. Your video should not be an essay read aloud. Take advantage of the medium to demonstrate and explain.
- We are not looking for a professionally-edited video. A video with good content and basic editing can be much more effective than a fancy one.
Video Topic Suggestions
We are looking more for a short demonstration followed by an explanation, not a complete performance that fills the majority of your video. Keep the “do” portion to 30 seconds or fewer, and take the next few minutes to elaborate or explain it to a novice. Your video may address one of the following topics, a combination, or a topic of choice:
- Personal talent, such as a piece of a performance, sport, art, hobby, or other
- Service activity, such as community service, Scouts, tutoring, or other
- Research, such as Science and STEM Fairs, lab internships, summer programs, or other
- A passion or interest
Video Storyboard and Design
- Making a good video can be time-consuming. Like many parts of your application, you should be brainstorming ideas, writing outlines and scripts, and preparing long before the application is due.
- Your final video must be within the allotted 2-4 minute range, but you will likely need to take more footage and edit it down.
- We want to learn more about you, so you should not simply duplicate your application essays. You can expand on activities listed in your application or choose something new.
- Be dynamic. There is no need to repeat a list of grades, test scores, and accomplishments we can see in other parts of your application. Use your video to demonstrate and explain in ways that cannot be easily conveyed in text alone.
- Be concise. Everything you say should be purposeful, focused; sometimes less is more.
Video Technical Details
- Your final video must be within the allotted 2-4 minute range.
- You can use whatever video recording and editing software you want.
- You can use transitions and meaningful effects, but we are not looking for a professionally edited video.
- Upload your final video to YouTube. You will need a YouTube or Google account.
- YouTube should be able to accept and convert most common file formats. See YouTube guides if you have any problems with video file formats.
- Make sure your YouTube video is viewable to anyone with the link so that our application committee can see it, but it does not need to be publicly searchable.
- Have someone double-check that your video link works and is viewable.