Every senior is familiar with the stress of what to do after graduation. College, the military, or any other path chosen lies right around the corner. Those who chose college have the added stress of picking a major, picking a university, chasing after transcripts, getting recommendations, writing essays, taking tests, and for some, even more. Goucher College, Baltimore, MD., is revolutionizing the college apps process, and they’re on the students side.

As of September 5th, Goucher is accepting two-minute videos from undergraduates who might not understand or meet the rigorous application requirements at other colleges. This move cuts down on time spent gathering documents and gives you more time to answer the question, “How do you see yourself at Goucher?”. Your video response will speak for students, better than an essay or any test score.

Two graded works, applicant information, and a $55 applicant fee is all which must accompany your response,  but it is a significantly shorter requirement list than Harvard for example. Harvard requires the application, the application fee, $75 applicant fee, SAT and/or ACT scores in two subjects, your high school transcripts, a mid-year school report, and two teacher recommendations. Yes, Harvard is considered a very prestigious institution, but most colleges require a lot of the same things. The application process is intimidating for a lot of high school graduates, and Goucher is looking to counter that.

Video applications allow students to set forth their best qualities and personality. Other schools are recognizing and commenting on Goucher’s efforts. Hopes are that giving the student the option between the traditional applications and video applications spreads to more schools, and allows an easier introduction into the world of higher education.