Tips for College Essays or Videos

As high school seniors round up college applications, recommendation letters and personal essays, a few less traditional college admissions requirements might slip in there. According to a recent Washington Post article, some schools now accept personal video essays in lieu of interviews or written papers.

It's not news that our culture's communication incorporates multimedia elements. Broadcast news anchors quote twitter accounts, online newspapers include video, and even printed articles often have online versions with comments and reader feedback. Now some college admissions offices have joined the bandwagon.

Whether your student is creating a video or writing a traditional essay to apply to college, remind them of the following tips:

Be genuine. College admissions offices aren't looking for lofty language and long lists of academic accolades. The application is your student's chance to give them a glimpse of who she is and why they'd be lucky to have her. You can start by looking at examples of high caliber graduate school essays or medical school statement from admissionsessays.com, there are plenty here to give you great ideas on the topic and structure of your essay. If the essay or video doesn't capture your student's personality and voice, there's a good chance the admissions office will know it - even if they've never met her.

Be tedious. If there were ever a time to triple-check for grammar and spelling mistakes, this is it. Encourage your student to let at least three people edit her essay and provide her with feedback. If she's producing a video, the same applies. Three different people might notice a dip in sound quality, poor resolution or bad lighting.

Be focused. Your student has a limited word count or video timeframe. By keeping the scope and focus of the essay or video small, she'll be able to be thorough and detailed without overwhelming her audience. Just like with any paper - or commercial, for that matter - there should be a single thesis or message.

Be concise. Along those same lines, don't use three sentences when three words will do. And if your student is creating a video, a picture can be more valuable than any words. For example, the sentence, "For as long as I can remember, my teachers, parents and friends have told me that I have a gift for painting and using bright colors," can be replaced with a much more impactful one: "I live to paint." And even better, a video can showcase beautiful art that will speak for itself.

Be excited. As daunting as applying for college can seem, this is your student's opportunity to have a little fun. There aren't many assignments in high school or college that encourage students to put the spotlight on themselves. Incorporating just the right touch of humor, passion and emotion in an essay or video can help drive the point home to college admissions staff.