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Video essay has emerged as a dynamic and innovative medium for individuals to showcase their skills, creativity, and unique personalities. Whether you're a student applying to college or a professional seeking career opportunities, understanding video essays is essential for making a memorable impression. In this blog post, we will provide a overview of the types of video essay, exploring their definition, purpose, common formats, and the perspectives of admissions committees. It's the perfect platform to let your personality shine, capture your audience's attention, and convey your message in a visually engaging way.
Overview of Video Essays Definition and Purpose:
Video essays are a creative alternative to traditional written essays that allow applicants to express themselves through audiovisual means. Video essays allow applicants to go beyond the constraints of written text and present a more holistic representation of themselves.
Common Video Essay Formats and Platforms:
Video essays can take various formats, depending on the purpose and requirements. Some common formats include:
- Structured Interviews: Applicants respond to pre-recorded or live interview questions.
- Personal Stories: Applicants share personal anecdotes or narratives that highlight their experiences, values, and motivations.
- Visual Presentations: Applicants create visually engaging presentations using slides, images, and graphics to convey their ideas and achievements.
- Documentary-style Videos: Applicants create short documentaries or mini-films that capture their journey, showcasing their skills, interests, and aspirations.
Common platforms include dedicated video essay platforms, video hosting sites (such as YouTube or Vimeo), or even integrated systems within MBA application portals.
Admissions Committee Perspectives:
Admissions committees view video essays as an opportunity to gain deeper insights into applicants' personalities and assess their fit within their respective programs or organisations.
Here are some perspectives that admissions committees consider:
- Authenticity: Admissions committees seek genuine, unscripted responses that reflect the true character and motivations of the applicant.
- Creativity: They value creative approaches that showcase unique perspectives, innovative thinking, and the ability to communicate effectively.
- Communication Skills: Video essays allow admissions committees to evaluate applicants' verbal and nonverbal communication skills, including clarity, confidence, and storytelling abilities.
- Cultural Fit: Video essays offer a glimpse into an applicant's cultural background, values, and potential contributions to the institution's diverse community.
Structured Technique to Answer Common Video Essay Questions:
The first common video essay question theme could ask the applicant to describe a challenging team experience they encountered and how they handled it.
Here are the steps that could be followed to answer this question:
a) Situation: Provide a brief overview of the challenging team experience, including the context, team dynamics, and the specific issue or obstacle faced.
b) Actions: Describe the steps you took to address the challenge, highlighting your problem-solving abilities, communication skills, and leadership qualities. Discuss how you navigated conflicts, facilitated collaboration, and motivated team members.
c) Outcomes and Takeaways: Discuss the results achieved as a result of your efforts and reflect on the valuable lessons learned from the experience. Discuss how the challenge shaped your understanding of teamwork, resilience, and adaptability.
The second type of video essay question may ask the applicant to share a personal story or learning experience related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
This prompt could be answered using the following structure:
a) Start with the background: Set the stage by providing context for the personal story or learning experience related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Explain the significance of this topic to you personally and its relevance in the broader context.
b) The next step is to discuss the story or experience: Share a specific incident, encounter, or realisation that had a profound impact on your understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Explain how it challenged your assumptions, expanded your perspectives, or led to personal growth.
c) Finally, share the impact and application: Discuss how this experience influenced your actions and beliefs. Share any initiatives, advocacy work, or changes you have implemented as a result. Articulate how you will bring your insights on diversity, equity, and inclusion to your future endeavours.
A third type of video essay question can ask the applicant to explore an ethical predicament they encountered and elaborate on the steps taken to navigate and resolve it.
To answer this video essay question, the applicant can follow the steps as below:
a) Scenario: Present the ethical dilemma you encountered, including the background, stakeholders involved, and the conflicting values or interests at play.
b) Decision-making Process: Describe the steps you took to navigate the ethical dilemma, considering various perspectives, gathering information, and weighing the potential consequences of different courses of action.
c) Resolution and Reflection: Share the ethical choice you made and explain the reasoning behind it.
Discuss the ethical principles or frameworks you applied and reflect on the lessons learned from the experience, including any impact it had on your personal ethics.
The next video essay question could ask the applicant to articulate their leadership experience and its impact on teams or organisations:
The leadership experience question can ask about a leadership failure or a transformational experience. The following steps could help to structure a response:
a) Leadership Context: Provide context for your leadership experience, such as the role you held, the scope of your responsibilities, and the context in which you led.
b) Leadership Approach: Explain your leadership style, values, and strategies. Discuss how you motivated, empowered, and inspired others, fostering a collaborative and high-performing team or organisation.
c) Impact: Highlight the specific outcomes and achievements resulting from your leadership. Quantify the impact when possible and discuss how your leadership contributed to the growth, success, or positive change within the team or organisation.
Another common video essay prompt focuses on knowing about the applicant's goals and plans for the future, illustrating how they align with the program:
This question revolves around the applicant program fit and the research the applicant has conducted for applying to the program. The following are the important aspects of addressing this question:
a) Unveiling your Future Aspirations: Clearly express your long-term ambitions and aspirations, encompassing both your professional and personal spheres. Explain the motivation behind these goals and how they connect to your values, and vision for the future.
b) Program Alignment: Delve into how the program you are applying to resonates with and supports your goals and plans, emphasizing their mutual compatibility. Highlight specific aspects of the program, such as curriculum, faculty expertise, or extracurricular opportunities, that will help you achieve your goals.
c) Action Plan: Share your intended strategies, steps, or milestones that you plan to undertake to accomplish your goals.
Finally, remember, while following these structured techniques, be authentic, provide specific examples or anecdotes, and showcase your personal growth and self-awareness throughout your video essay responses.
So, grab your camera, rehearse your lines, and get ready to make a lasting impression through your video essays. Let your personality, authenticity, and passion come alive on screen.Now, go forth and conquer those video essays! Show the admissions committees who you are, what you're capable of, and why you're the perfect fit for their program. Lights, camera, action!
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The post Make Way for the Video Essay was published first on GOALisB.
