bsat blog

Ever since youtube.com made uploading flash video to the internet easy for everyone we've marveled at its ability to make us laugh at mindless drivel and make valuable contributions to our culture at the same time; to simultaneously help us preserve and procrastinate. And show us cats caught on ceiling fans. That never gets old. And while it has become a legitimate career making vehicle for those no matter their talent level (I'm looking in your direction Asher Roth), the fast track to internet fame is not without it's dark side. Just ask the Star Wars kid.

But now YouTube has the power to do something that an entire industry of standarized tests, prep schools and private tutors have done for years: get you into college. As Tonic notes, Tufts University has begun encouraging students to submit a 1 minute youtube clip to augment their previous application materials. The idea seems straightforward enough, and as the video featured in the article shows many students are taking an approach similar to one they'd use in a writtten essay. (After all, video of a homemade gimble will get you fired up in a way written words just can't match. Watch that baby swivel....ahhhh...ohhhhh)

Still, one wonders at what point the lines between well-controlled admission-packaged video and embarrassed-it-happened-but-at-least-its-funny video will stay clearly marcated. What's to stop rival students from connecting their peers embarrassing moments to their existing YouTube application submission? You wouldn't want a video of you appearing intoxicated, or undergoing an embarrassing (but extremely professional) cosmetic procedure to be seen by a school admissions advistor or thousands on the web.

Either way, it's clear that youtube's a powerful force. But we've known that for a while now. After all it can already help you prepare for the most important standardized test there is.