If you had mere seconds to change the course of your life — what would you say?
If you are submitting a video admissions essay as part of your college application, that question should be at the forefront of your mind. Research has shown that opinion, favorable or unfavorable, is largely determined within the first seven seconds of an interaction. An amazing finish can sometimes compensate for a poor introduction, but first impressions are crucial in all aspects of life.
While the video format promises an immediacy and degree of connection that is lacking in written essays, many students will be tempted to point their cameras at themselves, press record, and reel off a video essay that begins with “Hi! My name is…”
Rather than doing that, consider these tips, which can help you write a script for a winning video essay:
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1. View the video essay as an advertisement: Your video essay is, in some ways, a brief advertisement for yourself. Your audience is the admissions committee that is attempting to select a capable and diverse cohort of students.
Starting your video by stating your name is like beginning an advertisement by saying, “This is a pencil.” In other words, you are devoting the all-important first impression to sharing information that is already in your application. Instead, aim to do what advertisements do — establish the necessity of having you on campus next fall.
One of the benefits of compiling a college application is that it prompts you to list all of your accomplishments. Thus, before you start your video essay, you should already know what makes you a strong applicant.
You do not need to be better than the other applicants — you just need to add to the student body in a unique and interesting way. Allow your application data to speak for itself on paper, and instead concentrate on what makes you valuable beyond high test scores or a perfect average.
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2. Hook your viewer: Begin your script with a short sentence that captures your viewer’s attention. The ideal hook is a concise introduction that suggests a larger story.
For example, “My love of science started when I assisted on an ecology research project at Mount St. Helens,” is not a compelling hook — although it is better than a generic introduction.
Instead, set the scene in such a way that your viewer wants to find out what happened next. A sentence like, “In the summer of 2014, I was standing on the slope of a dormant volcano when a storm rolled over our research camp,” leaves several open questions that can only be answered by watching the rest of the video.
3. Explain why you chose this school: You will have a very small window to build your hook into a case for why you belong at a given school. Use your introductory sentence as the basis for the lesson that set you on the course toward college.
Think about questions like how this school will help you achieve your goals. Why is it on your short list? What do you hope to do during your time as a student, beyond simply earning a degree? Use positive terms like “curiosity” and “service” in your script.
4. Share your true motivation: Some people might define advertising as a form of lying. Certain advertisements certainly fit this mold, but the best ones present the truth in the most favorable light possible.
Your video should demonstrate real passion. If you are not genuinely motivated by a desire for public service, do not claim you are. It is absolutely all right to be motivated by a desire for excellence, a desire to build a secure future for your family or a desire to make a new life for yourself.
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5. Resist memorizing your script: The script you prepare will be your guide to the video you ultimately create. However, when you are filming, it is imperative that you do not read from a script.
If you must memorize your script word-for-word, ensure that you can recite it with life and energy in your voice. If you continually pause to remember your next word, take a break and start over. Regardless of how much practice you complete, it is important to sound fresh when you record.
Every person has a story to share. Even if you feel like an ordinary, boring high school student, you have a story. Your goal, in your video essay, is to share that story. Even if you do not have a key moment like a foreign exchange trip or a summer research expedition, there are still moments that are uniquely yours.
Choose an event that is meaningful to you, such as success or defeat in sports, the birth of a younger sibling, or a time when a teacher took special notice of your work. Then, use that moment to set the context of your video.
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5 Steps for Scripting a Video College Application Essay originally appeared on usnews.com
