Increasingly, a successful college application will include a high GPA, strong test scores, a well-written essay—and a self-recorded video introduction.
Even before ChatGPT’s debut in November 2022, the authenticity of personal essays was in doubt. Well-resourced students hired tutors (and eager parents edited), leaving admissions teams to guess where the teenager’s voice ended and adult help began. With AI now a common writing aid—a survey suggests about 30% of students use AI to enhance essays—sorting real from manufactured has only gotten harder.
“AI is the nail in the coffin,” says Terry Crawford, CEO of InitialView, which offers Glimpse, a platform that hosts student applicant videos for colleges to review. “Once students had ChatGPT, admissions officers were like, yeah, we need something more.”
From interview substitute to standard supplement
Some universities have reviewed student videos for years. In 2018–2019, Brown University created the Brown Video Introduction, a self-recorded clip offered as an alternative to an alumni interview.
“There weren’t enough alumni interviewers for all students interested in having one, and we didn’t want applicants to feel they were at a disadvantage if we were unable to provide the interview opportunity,” says Connie Livingston, a former Brown admissions officer and founder of Livingston College Counseling.
When the pandemic suspended alumni interviews, video submissions grew. The spontaneous, unscripted format gave officers another way to assess qualified students beyond paperwork.
“In the ever increasing competitive nature of college admissions and volume of applications, students are thinking, ‘what else can we do to stand out?’” says Livingston. “And how can we, as admissions officers, get to know these prospective students and determine their ‘fit’ for us?”
According to a poll run by the student-run Brown Daily Herald, 84% of students accepted in the Class of 2027 submitted a video introduction.
More schools add optional video supplements
Brown is hardly alone in inviting students to submit videos as a supplemental option. A growing number of universities are offering students the chance to show who they really are, behind their application.
Duke University was an early Glimpse adopter, offering students an opportunity to “share a 60-90 second video, helping us to get to know you better.” Vanderbilt University says the short video “is meant to give a ‘glimpse’ into your life and who you are.” Babson College lets students answer a supplement via a one-minute video instead of an essay. Wake Forest University provides speaking prompts plus practical tips on lighting, wardrobe, and audio. However it’s framed, the goal is the same: see who the applicant is.
“It’s the desire for authenticity,” says InitialView’s Crawford. “The desire to get a sense of the student is really inherent.”
According to Crawford, more than 30 schools have signed up for Glimpse since its 2023 launch, and he expects tens of thousands of submissions this cycle. Students record 60–90 seconds on a phone or laptop and send the video to schools much like test scores.
Authenticity valued over preparation and polish
Unlike essays, heavy coaching can backfire on video. As with viral TikToks, the more real, the better. “We have had introverts that do a phenomenal job,” says Crawford. “It’s just you and the computer.”
Livingston and Crawford agree essays aren’t going completely away, even as AI spreads. But video will likely keep growing—not only because it can help an applicant stand out in an application, but because the skill itself is becoming essential. With Zoom ubiquitous at work and YouTube central to learning, on-camera fluency is edging from being a plus to becoming a necessity.
“Going forward, the way you engage with decision makers is going to be through video,” Crawford says. “You are honing skills you will need in life. We are in a video world.”