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Tufts University Taking YouTube Applications

by Caleb Johnson on February 23, 2010 at 05:10 PM

Back when we applied to college, the application process was about as fun as pulling teeth. But thanks to new media, the process is becoming much more creative and fun.

The New York Times reports on a recent trend wherein college admissions offices are requesting that students submit YouTube videos as part of their applications. Don't freak out. They're not getting rid of the admissions essay. Instead, the videos supplement the written word. Tufts University is spearheading this movement, and its unorthodox request has seen quite the response, too. About 1,000 of this year's 15,000 applicants submitted videos, which ranged from teens simply speaking into the camera to Amelia Downs' math-inspired dance on a playground (garnering over 29,0009 views as of writing. Check it out after the break). Of these videos, about 60-percent came from female applicants, and nearly two-thirds of the video submitters were also applying for financial aid.

Lee Coffin, the Dean of Undergraduate Admissions, told the New York Times that the program is a way for admissions officers to learn about the students beyond what a GPA, transcript or essay can express. "At heart, this is all about a conversation between a kid and an admissions officer," Coffin said. "You see their floppy hair and their messy bedrooms, and you get a sense of who they are. We have a lot of information about applicants, but the videos let them share their voice."

Frankly, we're a little jealous that we didn't have this option. Just imagine an admissions officer's joy on loading up our video showing a high school senior that could both play marathon video game sessions and burp the national anthem. Actually, we probably still would've ended up at a state school. [From: The New York Times]

Tags: admissions, college, education, funny, teens, top, tufts university, video, web, youtube

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