When it comes to college applications, colleges and universities make their decisions based on your records and essays with little opportunity to get to know you personally.

While for some of us this is a good thing -- I doubt my personality would have been an asset in my college admissions process -- others of you would prefer admissions officers knew you better, believing if they knew you, they would really LIKE you. Some schools have looked to remedy this by increasing the availability of interviews, and a few of us are trying something new (sort of): Including videos as part of the admissions process.

I wrote about videos as part of the college application process back in September. It doesn’t seem like that big of a deal to me. After all, even when I started in admissions (just after the invention of fire), we accepted videos if the students submitted them. They would come on these ancient devices called “Betamax Tapes.” (For those interested, I believe they unearthed a few samples from a dig in South America.) So imagine my surprise to find that some of my most illustrious colleagues have grave concerns about college application videos now.

The Boston Globe quoted Harvard’s Dean of Admissions, Bill Fitzsimmons, as saying, “Students from families with substantial financial resources are in a better position to provide such materials, so that’s something we have to be very careful with.”

Really? Harvard is worried that VIDEOS are causing a financial disparity in admissions? No mention of the correlation between income and SAT scores, the prevalence of admissions coaches drafting essays for their clients or the advantage legacies have in the process?

On the other hand, this got me thinking about Dean Fitzsimmons’ level of familiarity with YouTube. I have a hard time getting my mind around the image of the venerable and distinguished Dean giggling at the latest clip of a cat playing the piano.

But Fitzsimmons is not alone. In a US News & World Report article, in which I was also quoted, the President of the National Association for College Admission Counseling noted: “If accepting videos becomes commonplace, it will increase the divide between haves and have-nots."

I have enormous respect for both of these fine professionals and know them to be two of the most thoughtful, dedicated and committed individuals in the field of admissions. I would question them about this directly, but I’m not sure the rotary phones in their offices can connect with 2010. Just kidding! Although I’m not entirely sure they’re up to date on the accessibility of technology and how easy it is for most students to make these videos.

So, should we restrict students to written essays, easily plagarized, often written by coaches and limited to 500 words?  

In 20 years in admissions, I have reviewed some wonderful, but far more truly awful, written essays. However, the handful of videos I have reviewed have been thoughtful and insightful. I doubt video essays will degrade the college application process, and in fact it is reasonably possible this medium may, just possibly not bring about the end of civilization as we know it.

But what do you think? Do you see including a video in your college application as a way to add another dimension that could seal the deal for you, or do you think it adds additional stress to an already stressful process? Tell us in the comments below.

Be seeing you.

About Andrew Flagel

Truth: Submitting your application by the deadline is key. Most of the time, however, submitting your application earlier than the college requires does not guarantee you’ll be accepted. But, it’s always a good idea to plan ahead, allow for ample time to complete the application, and of course, write your essays.

But what if you already know which college you wish to attend? Getting a head start on your application can have its advantages. First, take a careful look at the many options available during the application process. Several colleges and universities provide an Early Decision Program for students who are certain of which colleges they wish to attend.  

What is an Early Decision Program?

An Early Decision program allows high school students the opportunity to get a jump-start on the application process. A word of caution: make sure you do your research and you are certain you want to go to a particular college, as most Early Decision programs require you to withdraw all applications at other schools and attend if you are accepted. Check with the admissions department to see if they offer an Early Decision program, and if so, what kind of restrictions apply.  

What are the benefits of an Early Decision Program?

• A better chance of getting into the college you want:

Statistics show many colleges let in more early decision applicants than regular applicants. This makes sense when you think about it. Colleges want students who are serious about attending their schools because this affects their "yield" (the percentage of students who enroll out of all the students who are accepted). Early decision applicants are often required to attend and therefore, the school's yield goes up along with its rankings.

• A head start:

Being a part of an early decision program means you will have an earlier application deadline, usually six weeks before the regular admissions deadline. However, this also means that you will hear a decision before regular applicants and that means you can begin your financial aid applications, dorm assignments and one-on-one college interviews before the rest of the group. One early decision applicant talks about their experience here.

What are some disadvantages of an Early Decision Program?

• Binding agreement:

One thing you must keep in mind is that if you’re accepted as an Early Decision student, you must attend the college. This is why it is so important to do as much research on the schools that interest you as you can. Make sure you know tuition rates, GPA expectations, graduation requirements, and expected financial aid before you begin an Early Decision Program. 

• Only one application:

If you decide to go the Early Decision route, keep in mind you can only apply to one school’s Early Decision program. If you wish to apply to any other college or university, you will have to go through the regular application process.

Tell us what you think about the early decision program. What do you like/dislike about it? Have you had a good experience with it? We want to hear from you