As unexpected as it may sound, clicking pictures and videos of you engaged in extracurricular activities can help you stand out in your college applications.
Here’s why we recommend it:
-
Personal website
A lot of our top students are able to effectively showcase themselves and their work through developing a personal website. It acts as a great visual résumé when they document their high school journey through photographs and videos. While the cliche ‘A picture is greater than a thousand words’ stands true, it is also key to have a blurb accompanying the photo. Here you can talk about what motivated/inspired you to undertake this task. Remember to keep it short.
Most admissions officers will click the link to your personal website, so be mindful to put your best foot forward. These could include everything from your top extracurricular activities whether it is lab experiments, research papers, theatre, dance, music, or sports.
-
College Application Questions
Sometimes, universities ask their applicants to share one of their defining moments with them. For instance, by asking “In keeping with Rice’s long-standing tradition (known as “The Box”), please share an image of something that appeals to you,” Rice University wants a photoresponse to learn about one of your beliefs or inspirations. You need to pick something that is meaningful to you, and so there is no right or wrong response to this. Avoid sending a picture of rice, for obvious reasons. No surprise, it has been seen to put off admissions officers.
-
Pictures & Videos prompt great essays
If you haven’t realized yet, your college essays need you to weave in a story. Looking at photos/videos of you in action will help you go back to what you felt in that moment, and how far you have come. Pictures act as an effective springboard for reflection.
Compiling these pictures will make you feel you have achieved so much in recent years. They will remind you of perseverance and how you stood up when things got tough.
So go out there, and capture your moments because you have earned every bit of it!
