Here’s the deal: I’m a prospective Asian applicant to Harvard (SCEA). My academics meet Harvard’s “thresholds,” and I have some interesting ECs as well (research, international internships, businesses, etc). However, I also run a YouTube channel.
I have been running this YouTube channel since the start of my freshman year. Since then, I have gained over 13,400 subscribers and 1.4 million views. In addition, I have made roughly $4,000 in advertising revenue.
Here’s the catch: the YouTube channel comprises tutorial videos for children’s games.
The videos are linked to a broader network of websites that I run. These websites have served over 14.1 million ad impressions, generating over $30,000 in ad revenue.
Should I avoid mentioning the YouTube channel altogether, or should I mention it while explicitly stating that it is connected to the websites that I run?
I have asked this question multiple times, but the responses that I get tend to be EXTREMELY different from one another. Some are say I should definitely include it, while others say I should avoid it since it does not “make a contribution to society.”
I once received some feedback from an anonymous medical school admissions officer who suggested that I mention the YouTube channel since I have dedicated a lot of time and energy to it. On the other hand, I have also received feedback from many people who are better acquainted with the selection process for extremely selective colleges such as Harvard, and they recommend against mentioning it.
What should I do? I would love as MUCH feedback as possible considering the SCEA deadline is a mere 15 days away.