How much do those quirky one-line college application questions really matter? In this episode of Sh*t Your Teenagers Won’t Tell You, hosts Cathy and Meredith dive into the world of application videos to reveal what colleges are really looking for (and what not to stress about).

Together, they share the inside story behind the creation of USC’s original Quick Takes section, why it spread to other schools, and how applicants should approach it today without overthinking. They also discuss the growing trend of 90-second admissions videos and provide advice on what to wear, how to prepare, and explain why being authentic wins every time. Tune in to learn how to nail your Quick Takes, ace your videos, and show colleges who you really are without the stress. 

Key Points From This Episode:

• [0:00:00 ] Introduction and the motivation behind today’s topic.


• [0:01:52 ] Learn what Quick Takes are and why students find them stressful.


• [0:03:37 ] What colleges still use Quick Takes and how the admissions landscape has shifted.


• [0:06:28 ] Cathy gives an example of a bad admission for a quick take.


• [0:07:02 ] Advice on how students should answer quick take questions.


• [0:09:46 ] How to use Quick Takes strategically to complement the admission process.


• [0:11:11 ] The rising popularity of short applicant videos and how they mirror Quick Takes.


• [0:12:48 ] Hear tips and recommendations for recording effective application videos.


• [0:13:44 ] Find out why over-editing, heavy scripting, or gimmicky videos do not work.


• [0:16:19 ] Learn the difference between authentic quirkiness and trying too hard. 


• [0:17:43 ] Cathy and Meredith’s final takeaways: have fun and remember to smile!

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Sh*t Your Teenagers Won’t Tell You

Sh*t Your Teenagers Won’t Tell You on Instagram