An application I am working on requires a 1-2 minute video. What are they expecting?

The video prompt is to “Explain something you are passionate about that sets you apart from the many other high-achieving students.” I have made a video of me talking into a camera about how I love sports and I think they are important. Is this enough do you think? Do I need to be more creative and add more than just my face to the video will they not really care if I am passionate about sports if I am not planning on being a college athlete? I am just pretty stressed so I would appreciate any feedback.

I would be more creative, for example I would use images of the sport that I love and I would narrate the game as if I were a commentator and I would end the video with my image. Something like that.

If the college is asking for a video, then like with your essays, they are trying to get to know your personality and what makes you special and interesting. It seems like the only way for the video to add anything to your application is for you to be creative with it. There are many examples on youtube.

I have the opposite view - focus on content not on “creative” videos. I can just see AdComs rolling their eyes at a video that’s supposed to help them learn about a student but instead has props, scenery, costumes, actors, etc.

I would suggest thinking about the question and how you want to respond. If you’re think that loving sports is going to differentiate you, you’d better have a really, really good, unique story/POV to explain it.

To answer the direct “what are they expecting” - a simple video of you talking to the camera with passion and excitement about something that deeply interests you and convinces them that it would make you a valuable part of their campus community, not just “another smart kid”.