Clair Blog · Admissions ·

How to Stand Out in a College Video Introduction or Recorded Interview

Learn why some schools now require a video component and how you can use this to your advantage.

For years, the college application has been dominated by written materials: grades, activities, essays and recommendations.

Now, some colleges are asking applicants to add something different -- a short video introduction, recorded interview or video response.

For students, that can feel unfamiliar. What should you say? Where should you record it? Should you memorize your answers? Do you need professional lighting and editing?

Probably not.

The goal isn't to create a professional social media production. It's to give the admissions office another opportunity to see the person behind the application.

That requires a different approach from writing an essay.

Why Are More Colleges Asking for Video?

Why are some colleges asking applicants to submit a short video introduction or recorded interview?

The answer goes beyond simply wanting to see what a student looks like on camera. Video gives admissions offices another source of information about an applicant, one that can capture voice, communication style, personality, and interests in ways a transcript, résumé, or written essay may not.

Brown University, for example, says its video introduction is designed to help the admissions office learn more about applicants “in your voice,” beyond the information already included in the application.

1. It Adds Information to an Already Crowded Application

A college application already contains substantial academic and extracurricular information.

Grades show academic performance.
Course selection shows academic preparation.
Activities show involvement.
Essays provide written reflection.
Recommendations provide another person's perspective.

Admissions officers, however, may still have limited opportunities to experience how a student communicates naturally.

A short video can add another dimension. It can show how a student explains an idea, expresses enthusiasm, tells a story, or talks about an interest that may otherwise appear only as a line on a resume.

That makes video less of a replacement for the written application and more of an additional data point in a holistic review process.

2. Video Can Reveal Personality and Communication

Written applications are highly edited by design. Students can revise an essay repeatedly before submitting it.

A video is different.

Admissions officers can hear a student's voice, see their expressions, and observe how they communicate in real time. That can provide information about qualities such as enthusiasm, thoughtfulness, humor, or confidence that are difficult to capture through a list of activities.

College admissions professionals have long emphasized the importance of understanding the person behind the application, rather than simply evaluating credentials. Video creates another way to do that.

3. It Can Help Colleges Distinguish Between Similar Applications

At highly selective colleges, many applicants have strong grades, rigorous courses, impressive activities, and polished essays.

When academic credentials are strong across a large applicant pool, additional information can become useful.

A video may help an admissions reader answer questions such as:

  • What excites this student?

  • How does the student communicate?

  • What interests them beyond their résumé?

  • What would this student contribute to a campus community?

  • What do I understand about this applicant now that I didn't understand from the written application?

That doesn't mean a great video can compensate for weak academic preparation. Rather, it can provide more context for an applicant who is already being evaluated holistically.

4. Video May Also Help Colleges Gather More Comparable Information

There is another practical consideration: a short, standardized video prompt can give colleges an additional piece of information from applicants in a relatively consistent format.

This is particularly relevant for recorded interview formats, where applicants may receive the same or similar questions and have a defined amount of time to respond.

Research on asynchronous recorded interviews in professional school admissions has found that these formats can allow institutions to interview more applicants while reducing some of the time and travel constraints associated with traditional interviews.

That doesn't mean every undergraduate college uses video for the same reason, but it illustrates why recorded formats can be attractive to admissions offices -- they can expand opportunities to hear from applicants without requiring every student to participate in a traditional live interview.

5. The AI Era Makes Authenticity an Increasingly Important Question

There is also a newer issue colleges must consider -- how much of an applicant's written application reflects the student's own voice.

That makes direct forms of communication potentially more valuable.

A video isn't automatically proof that an application is authentic, and colleges have not universally stated that video is being adopted as an “AI detector.” A student's own spoken response, however, gives admissions officers another piece of information that is harder to outsource than a polished written essay.

The broader trend is toward giving colleges more ways to understand the applicant directly, not simply evaluating increasingly polished written materials.

What This Means for Students

The important takeaway is that colleges aren't necessarily asking for video because they want a professional production.

In fact, Brown says its video is an opportunity to share more about who you are and why you are interested in the college, while Babson's admissions guidance describes the video as another medium for communicating the student's story and personality, not a production exercise.

Think of the video as another piece of evidence about who you are.

Don't use it to repeat your resume.

Don't turn it into a commercial.

And don't assume better editing means a better application.

Instead, ask, “what can an admissions officer learn about me from seeing and hearing me that they wouldn't learn from the rest of my application?”

That's where the video can become valuable.

First, Know What Kind of Video You're Making

Not all college video components are the same.

A prepared video introduction may give you an opportunity to speak freely about yourself, an interest or an experience.

A timed recorded response may present a question and give you a limited amount of time to prepare before recording your answer.

A live interview is a conversation with another person.

Those formats require different preparation.

Before you practice, make sure you understand:

  • How much time you have

  • Whether you can record more than once

  • Whether you see the question in advance

  • How long you have to prepare

  • Whether the video is optional or required

  • What topics or materials the college allows

  • Whether there are specific technical requirements

Don't prepare for a live interview the same way you would prepare for a 90-second personal introduction.

Don't Memorize a Script

One of the biggest mistakes students can make is trying to memorize every word. It may seem like the safest approach. After all, you know exactly what you're going to say. On camera, however, a memorized answer can quickly sound memorized.

Instead, prepare talking points.

Know the story, examples and ideas you want to communicate. Practice explaining them in several different ways. You should be able to answer:

  • What do I want the admissions officer to learn about me?

  • What example illustrates that quality?

  • Why is this experience meaningful to me?

  • What would I naturally say if someone asked me about this in conversation?

Then practice until you are comfortable enough that you don't need to remember every sentence.

The goal is not perfection.

The goal is to sound like yourself on your best day.

Don't Repeat Your Application

Your video is another opportunity to add dimension to your application.

Use it.

If your Activities section already explains that you founded a robotics club, your video doesn't necessarily need to become a two-minute summary of the club. Instead, think about what the written application can't easily capture.

Maybe you are the student who spends weekends taking apart old electronics just to understand how they work.

Maybe you research obscure baseball statistics.

Maybe you teach yourself guitar and can explain why you became fascinated with a particular style of music.

Maybe you have a dry sense of humor that never comes through in your resume.

Those details may seem small. They can also make you memorable.

A strong video should leave an admissions officer thinking, “now I understand something about this student that I didn't get from the rest of the application.”

Show, Don't Just Tell

Video gives you an advantage that written applications don't have --

You can show things.

If the format allows it, consider incorporating something meaningful from your everyday life.

That could be:

  • A musical instrument

  • A science or engineering project

  • A collection

  • Artwork

  • A favorite book

  • A workspace

  • Equipment from a hobby

  • Something you built

  • An object connected to an important experience

For example, instead of saying, “I'm curious about how things work,” a student interested in engineering might briefly show a project sitting on their desk and explain what went wrong while building it, and why they kept working on it.

The object isn't the point.

The story behind it is.

A Little Creativity Can Go a Long Way

For open ended video introductions, students don't necessarily have to stand in front of a blank wall and speak directly into the camera. If the college gives you creative freedom, you can think about formats you already see online.

One student, for example, could use a “What's in My Bag?” style format. Instead of simply introducing herself, she could pull out a few objects she carries every day and use each one to reveal something about her interests, personality or experiences.

A sketchbook could lead to a discussion about drawing.

A pair of running shoes could introduce a story about cross-country.

A battered notebook could reveal an independent project.

The format becomes a vehicle for telling her story.

Creativity should serve the content, however, not replace it.

Make sure to always follow the college's specific instructions.

Practice Talking to a Camera

Talking to a camera can feel surprisingly unnatural. The solution is simple: Practice on camera.

Record yourself answering several questions. Then watch the recordings. Look for things you may not notice while speaking:

  • Are you speaking too quickly?

  • Are your answers too long?

  • Are you looking at the camera?

  • Do you sound engaged?

  • Are you using filler words repeatedly?

  • Can the listener easily follow your story?

  • Do you sound conversational?

You don't need to eliminate every “um” or pause. In fact, trying to eliminate every imperfection can make you sound less natural.

Instead, focus on being clear, comfortable and concise.

Don't Obsess Over Production Quality

You don't need a film studio.

You don't need expensive equipment.

You don't need to turn your college application video into a professional social media production.

Instead, make sure the basics are handled:

  • Reasonable lighting

  • Clear audio

  • A stable camera

  • An uncluttered setting

  • Appropriate clothing

  • A quiet environment

After that, focus on what you're actually saying.

A creative idea can make a video more memorable, but production quality isn't a substitute for substance.

In fact, an overly produced video can sometimes distract from the very thing the college is trying to learn:

Who are you?

Think Conversation, Not Performance

This may be the most useful mindset for students.

You're not auditioning for a television show.

You're not trying to become an influencer.

You're having a short conversation with someone who wants to learn more about you.

Imagine that an admissions officer has just asked, “tell me something about yourself that I wouldn't learn from reading your application.”

What would you say?

This question can lead you toward the kind of content that works well on video. Talk about something you genuinely care about. Tell a story. Show some enthusiasm. Let your sense of humor come through if that's part of who you are.

Don't be afraid to let the person on the screen look like a real teenager rather than a perfectly polished spokesperson.

Before You Record

Run through this checklist:

Format: Do I understand exactly what the college is asking me to submit?

Content: Am I adding something new rather than repeating my application?

Authenticity: Does this sound like me?

Specificity: Am I giving examples rather than making generic claims?

Practice: Have I recorded enough practice responses to feel comfortable?

Clarity: Can the viewer understand my main point quickly?

Production: Is the audio clear and the video easy to watch?

Creativity: If I'm trying something different, does it actually help tell my story?

The Bottom Line

A college video component isn't just another box to check. It can be one of the few parts of the application where admissions officers can actually hear your voice, see your expressions and experience a little bit of your personality.

That makes it different from an essay.

So prepare, but don't over-rehearse.

Be thoughtful, but don't sound scripted.

Be creative, but don't let production overshadow substance.

Most importantly, don't treat the video as an afterthought.

The goal isn't to make the perfect video. It's to make the admissions officer feel like they've met you.

Want experienced feedback on your video before you submit? Reach out to us here.