3 Things That You Should Know about the Multimedia Admissions Essay

Imagine the business school application of the future: Rather than spending weeks on dozens of revisions of multiple essays, you sit down at a computer and give short verbal responses to questions, which are recorded via a webcam and uploaded to your target business school’s online application system. Sound crazy? It’s not necessarily as far away as you might think.

Multimedia Essays: Some MBA admissions officers have begun to experiment with wildly different formats that replace the traditional essay. These multimedia questions, which are completed through such platforms as audio, video and sometimes PowerPoint, are an increasingly common tool used by the likes of the Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago and the Anderson School of Business at UCLA to learn about the “real” applicant, or the person behind the resume, GMAT score and undergraduate institution of record.

Opportunity for MBA applicants: A shift in the response format of an MBA admissions essay generally indicates that admissions offices were not getting what they needed to make accurate determinations about applicants. Rather than being intimidated by these new multimedia questions, you can think of them as offering a fresh opportunity for applicants to be creative and demonstrate the key qualities that admissions officers look for, including emotional intelligence (also known as “EQ”) and capacity for critical thinking and self reflection.

If you are working on one of these “essays,” keep in mind these tips for making it great:

1. A well-prepared audio or video response does not come across as an-overly scripted one: While very few applicants can sit down and make a perfect impromptu video or recording in one take, the more an applicant can strike a friendly and not overly formal tone, the more likely the response is to draw in one’s audience.

2. Gimmicks are less effective than you might think: Sure, it is hard for an admissions officer to forget the video of the guy juggling flaming torches, but if the only thing the video communicates is “This guy likes to juggle flaming torches,” then that applicant has missed a valuable opportunity to share something meaningful about himself.

3. Less is more: Many applicants mistakenly assume that a video or a PowerPoint deck gives them the chance to communicate a wide variety of information, more than a written essay ever could. But, just as it can with an essay, trying to cram in too many messages will dilute the effectiveness of the whole product.

About Veritas Prep

Veritas Prep is the world’s largest privately-owned GMAT preparation and admissions consulting provider, offering industry-leading programs to help applicants improve their test scores and gain admission to the world’s best graduate schools. Founded in 2002 by graduates of the Yale School of Management, Veritas Prep is now live in more than 90 cities worldwide, as well as interactive online courses  available everywhere. Additionally, Veritas Prep offers industry-leading admissions consulting services for applicants seeking admission to the most competitive business schools, law schools, and medical schools in the world.