The Gamechanging College Admissions Process

In the final stretch of his college admissions journey, senior Andrew Porter has already written several essays and completed many forms to apply to a handful of colleges. There is one, however, that didn’t require any of it. Described in The New York Times article, “Colleges Make It Easier for Students to Show, Not Tell, in Their Applications,” Baltimore, Maryland’s Goucher College is conducting an experiment.  Students are encouraged to apply by submitting a two-minute video.
Accustomed to innovation as a result of his eight years at Mount Vernon, Andrew jumped at the opportunity to share his story in video form. Last year, during the iProject experience, he discovered a deep interest in science and biology, while collaborating on one of the School’s most successful ventures – a hydroponics garden. He used that experience as a springboard for Goucher’s inaugural video app. It paid off – he was accepted.
While he still hasn’t made his final enrollment decision, Andrew’s take on the Goucher experience was “definitely positive” and “very different, but in a good way.” He continues, “I was able to literally talk about something I’m really passionate about and have an interest in.”
In a similar gamechanging vein, Nathan Lienau, a current junior, was contacted by an admissions officer at Stetson University after a colleague saw his work displayed at Museum of Design Atlanta (MODA). The installation he helped create was a collaborative design thinking initiative developed by several Upper School students, last year, in partnership with MODA. Nathan narrated a video describing its purpose and the process.
As a part of his college counseling journey, Nathan continues to narrow the broad spectrum of colleges that might suit him best. Stetson University initially appeared on a customized list as a possible fit for Nathan. Unfamiliar with the school at the time, it was less than a week later someone from Stetson reached out to him. Nathan says, “I got chills. Something is telling me I have to apply there.” Nathan’s focus is on electronic music production, while creating art will always have a place on his path.