Brown Video Introduction Guide: What it Is & Expert Tips

Brown's video introduction is technically optional, but with a 5.65% acceptance rate for the Class of 2029 and 42,765 applicants competing for roughly 2,418 spots, leaving any component of your application blank is a strategic miscalculation. Brown replaced traditional alumni interviews with this video format several years ago, making it the primary way admissions officers hear your own voice directly.

This guide covers everything you need to know to create a compelling video introduction that works.

Check out: How to Prepare for Interviews

What the Brown Video Introduction Is

The Brown video introduction offers applicants a rare chance to speak directly to the admission committee in their own voice. Brown encourages every applicant to submit a brief personal video as an additional component of their application, describing it as a helpful way to share more about who you are and why you want to attend Brown beyond what the written application already shows.

Here is what you need to know before you hit record for the 2026-2027 application cycle:

• Maximum length - 90 seconds. Many older guides still reference a two-minute video, but Brown's current official guidelines cap submissions at 90 seconds. Plan accordingly.
• Required opening line - "Hi, my name is [insert name] from [high school]."
• Orientation - Landscape. Admissions officers review videos on a desktop computer, and a vertical recording will appear small with distracting black bars on either side.
• Format - Brown describes it as "unstructured," meaning you have creative freedom within these constraints.
• Submission - Log in to your Brown Applicant Portal and upload your file directly through the link provided in the sidebar.
• Deadline for Early Decision and QuestBridge applicants - November 4.
• Deadline for Regular Decision applicants - January 7. The regular decision deadline window means regular decision applicants have more time to prepare, but that is not an excuse to rush.
• Production quality - Not evaluated. Brown says so explicitly.

Brown's own instruction is to "tell us more about yourself beyond the information you provided in your application." That single sentence should guide every decision you make about content, tone, and structure.

The Role of the Video Introduction in Brown's Admission Process

Brown's Open Curriculum lets students design their own academic path with no core requirements, a level of freedom most universities do not offer. That philosophy directly shapes what the admission committee looks for in your video introduction. They are screening for intellectual curiosity, self-direction, and genuine passion, not a polished recital of accomplishments.

Here is the practical implication: Brown wants to see whether you are the kind of student who thrives when given freedom rather than floundering without structure. A student who fills 90 seconds with a rehearsed list of achievements signals the opposite.

Brown also cares about community. Your video should convey not just what fascinates you, but how you engage with others around those interests. If you run a study group, organize neighborhood cleanups, or pull friends into your creative projects, that is worth showing. Brown cares about how you will contribute to residential life, not just your intellectual pedigree. The video interview introduction offers a direct channel to demonstrate both dimensions.

Expert tip: the students who submit the strongest videos are the ones who have internalized Brown's values before they press record, not just read the admissions website. Your 90 seconds should feel like proof that you already belong there.

Work with a Leland coach to nail your Brown video introduction. If you want personalized guidance on your topic, story angle, and on-camera delivery before you hit record, Leland coaches who have been through the admissions process themselves can help you get it right.

• Parina D. - College admissions coach with a 5.0 rating across 22 reviews, with deep experience helping international students navigate the U.S. application process, including video preparation and essay strategy.
• Sergey R. - Harvard PhD and former Harvard Admissions Committee member who has helped more than 300 students gain admission to top schools, including Brown, Stanford, and Princeton. Fluent in five languages and especially effective with international and multilingual applicants.

Both offer mock sessions, targeted feedback, and a clear strategy so you walk into your recording feeling prepared, not just hopeful.

What Brown Actually Expects (And Common Myths)

Myth 1: "The video can make or break your application."

It will not. Your Brown video introduction carries less weight than your essays, grades, and recommendations. It is supplementary, a chance to add dimension, not a high-stakes audition. The fact that Brown itself calls the format "unstructured" signals low-pressure intent. That said, skipping it entirely when other applicants are using every available tool is its own kind of mistake.

Myth 2: "You need professional video production skills."

Brown's own example videos are simple, one-take bedroom recordings. Overproducing your submission signals inauthenticity and contradicts the casual tone Brown is explicitly inviting. Production quality is not evaluated. A phone camera in a quiet, well-lit room outperforms a studio recording every time, because the studio recording looks like it is trying too hard.

Myth 3: "You need to script every word."

Over-rehearsed videos disengage viewers and make students seem less relatable than they actually are. Brown wants a conversation. Use a loose outline to guide your key points. If you stumble, keep going. Small imperfections are humanizing, not disqualifying. Admissions officers who watch a high volume of these videos can instantly tell the difference between a genuine student and someone reading off a teleprompter.

How to Prepare for Your Brown Video Introduction

Before recording, work through two preparation steps. The goal is to arrive at recording day with a clear sense of what you will cover, a simple structure, and enough practice that you feel comfortable, not memorized.

Step 1: Choose your format. Successful applicants have used a range of approaches:

• "A Day in Your Life" - Walk the viewer through your daily routine using video clips from school, home, or a favorite hobby. This works well if your personality and environment tell a compelling story on their own, and requires only basic editing in iMovie or Clipchamp.
• "Your Passion Project" - Film at a location connected to your deepest interest: a robotics lab, art studio, community garden, or clinic. Show what drives you rather than describe it abstractly.
• "Things That Make You Happy" - A rapid-fire or thematic tour of what lights you up, revealing personality through specifics rather than abstract claims. Brown itself has suggested this prompt.
• "How Your Life Connects to a Book or Film" - A creative framing that reveals how you think, what narratives resonate with you, and how you make meaning. Also, a Brown-suggested idea.

Choose the format that feels most natural. Authenticity matters more than creativity for its own sake.

Step 2: Gather your video clips and materials.

Before you shoot anything new, scroll through your camera roll. Many compelling videos combine existing footage, photos, and short new recordings rather than starting from scratch. This is especially useful for the "Day in Your Life" and "Passion Project" formats.

Choose What to Show

Brown's instruction is explicit: the video should tell them something your written application does not already cover. Pull up your activities list, personal statement, and Brown supplements. Identify the three to five core aspects of who you are, then choose what to highlight based on what is missing from your written materials.

If you wrote about the nonprofit you started, do not repeat that story here unless you are revealing a completely different dimension of it. A wasted 90 seconds is a missed opportunity.

A few examples of how this works across different profiles:

• A computer science applicant might demo the app they are building on screen, giving the committee something they cannot experience through text.
• A pre-med student could film briefly at the clinic where they shadow, grounding their ambition in a real environment.
• A student passionate about writing might read a short passage of their poetry in the space that inspires them.
• A student whose unique hobbies include competitive chess, ceramic art, or beekeeping could use those as a window into how they think and what they care about.

The test is simple: ask yourself what the admission committee would learn about you from this video that they cannot learn anywhere else. If the honest answer is "nothing new," pick a different topic.

Build Your Outline

Writing a word-for-word script is one of the most common mistakes applicants make. Use a bullet-point outline instead, something you could fit on one index card.

Here is what a strong outline actually looks like:

• "Hi, my name is Maya from Lincoln High School."
• Quick mention: applying to Brown because the Open Curriculum lets me combine environmental science and policy.
• Story: The day I tested water samples from the creek behind my school and found contamination levels three times the safe limit. What I did next and what I learned about myself.
• What I would do at Brown: connect this to IBES (Institute at Brown for Environment and Society) and specific watershed research there.
• Close: What I am most excited to explore at Brown.

Five bullet points. Not a paragraph-by-paragraph script. If you cannot fit it on one index card, you are overcomplicating it.

Practice enough to feel comfortable with your key points, not enough to memorize phrasing. Two or three full run-throughs are usually the sweet spot before you start sounding robotic. Know your opening line, know your close, and let everything in between come naturally.

The Storytelling Framework

Your personal video is a "show, don't tell" vehicle. You have 90 seconds to demonstrate who you are through a specific moment, not through abstract claims about your character. Here is a structure that uses the time well:

• 0:00 to 0:10: Open with the required introduction: "Hi, my name is [name] from [school]."
• 0:10 to 0:30: Drop straight into a scene, not a summary. "The afternoon I accidentally started a debate club at a nursing home" beats "I am passionate about community engagement" every time.
• 0:30 to 1:00: Tell the story. What happened, what was at stake, what you felt. Include the vivid, specific details that make someone picture it. Do not shy away from the challenge or the moment things go sideways; that is where your growth lives.
• 1:00 to 1:20: Connect it to Brown. Name the specific program, course, or community aspect that excites you and explain why this story leads you there.
• 1:20 to 1:30: Close naturally. A genuine sign-off, not a thesis restatement.

Pick one story. The best videos feel like you are letting the viewer into a moment that shaped how you think, not a summary of your resume. Specificity is what makes a 90-second video leave a lasting impression on an admissions officer who has watched hundreds.

Technical Aspects of Creating Your Video

Brown's example videos are simple smartphone recordings. What matters is that the admission committee can see and hear you clearly. Run through this checklist before you hit record:

Video setup:

• Film in landscape orientation. A vertical video on a desktop computer looks amateurish and distracts from what you are saying.
• Place your phone at eye level on a shelf or a stack of books so you are looking straight into the lens.
• Do a 10-second test recording before your real take to check framing, lighting, and audio.

Lighting:

• Sit facing a window for natural, even light.
• Never position a window behind you; it will turn your face into a silhouette.
• Good lighting is the single biggest upgrade you can make to your video with zero cost.
• Make sure you are well-lit and clearly visible throughout.

Sound quality and audio quality:

• Record in a quiet room. Close windows, silence your phone notifications, and let others in the house know you are filming.
• Reduce echo by choosing a carpeted room or draping a blanket over a chair behind the camera.
• Clear audio matters more than most applicants realize. If the admissions team cannot hear you clearly, the content does not matter.
• If you have access to an external microphone, use it. Even a basic lavalier mic makes a noticeable difference in sound quality.

Editing:

• If you need to trim the beginning or end, iMovie, Clipchamp, or CapCut is more than sufficient.
• Do not add transitions, background music, or visual effects unless they serve a clear storytelling purpose.
• Always use the preview feature in your Brown Applicant Portal after uploading to confirm your video plays correctly before you click submit. Technical issues caught before the deadline are not a problem; technical issues caught after are.

How to Present Yourself on Camera

The goal is not to look "professional." It is to come across as yourself on camera, which is harder than it sounds.

• Dress casually, as you would for a school day. Brown is not looking for a blazer. Avoid busy patterns and large logos, which pull attention to the screen.
• Look directly at the camera lens, not at yourself on screen. This creates genuine eye contact with the person watching.
• Speak at a conversational pace, slightly slower than you think you need to. Nervous energy speeds everyone up, and rushing makes you sound less confident, not more.
• Use natural hand gestures if that is how you normally talk. Keeping your hands frozen in your lap looks more awkward than moving them.
• Body language matters more than most applicants expect. Sit up, keep your shoulders relaxed, and let your face do what it does naturally during a real conversation.
• Smile when it is natural, not as a fixed expression. If your topic is serious, a serious tone is completely appropriate.

Expert tip: admissions officers who watch these videos do so in batches, often under time pressure. A video that immediately feels warm and genuine gets more attention than one that takes 20 seconds to get going. Your energy in the first 10 seconds sets the tone for everything that follows.

How to Submit Your Video Introduction

Brown offers three submission methods for the 2026-2027 cycle:

Option 1: Brown Applicant Portal (available to all students) - Log in to your applicant portal and upload your file directly through the link provided in the sidebar. This is the standard option for most applicants. After uploading, click "preview" to confirm your video appears correctly before hitting "continue" to submit. Do not skip this step.

Option 2: Glimpse (available to U.S. students attending domestic high schools and QuestBridge students) - Glimpse is a platform that lets you film and upload a 60 to 90-second video introduction and send it to any institution on your application list. There is a fee, but fee waivers may be available. If you are using Glimpse, submit by November 4 for Early Decision and QuestBridge applicants, and January 7 for regular decision applicants.

Option 3: InitialView (available to international students and students from non-traditional learning backgrounds) - InitialView is an interview-based platform where students record with a certified interviewer and have the video sent directly to their target schools. This option gives international students an authentic, unscripted format that provides a genuine view of who they are. There is a fee. Deadlines mirror the other options: November 4 for Early Decision, January 7 for regular decision.

Brown University has no preference among the three methods. Choose the one that works best for your situation.

Final Thoughts

The Brown video introduction is not a performance review. It is a 90-second conversation with people who genuinely want to understand who you are before they make one of the most consequential decisions of your senior year. Brown students who have gone through this process consistently say the same thing: the applicants who treat it as a real opportunity, not a checkbox, are the ones who create something worth watching.

Here are the key points to carry into your preparation:

• Submit a video. It is optional, but other applicants are using it, and you should too.
• Your video is 90 seconds, not two minutes. Plan every second.
• Open with: "Hi, my name is [insert name] from [high school]." Film in landscape orientation.
• Cover something your written application does not already cover.
• Use a bullet-point outline, not a script. Use your own voice.
• Film on a smartphone in a quiet, well-lit room. No professional equipment needed.
• Preview your upload in the Brown Applicant Portal before you submit. Confirm it plays correctly.
• Practice two or three times, enough to feel comfortable, not enough to sound memorized.

If you want a second set of eyes on your video concept or outline before you record, Leland's college admissions coaches have helped students navigate the Brown application process and can give you specific, personalized feedback on whether your topic and approach are working. You can also join college admission bootcamps and free events for college to learn more!

See: The 10 Best College Admissions Consultants

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FAQs

Can I resubmit my Brown video if I upload it and then decide I hate it?"

• Yes, you can replace your video in the Brown Applicant Portal before the deadline. Upload your new version, use the preview feature to confirm it plays correctly, and resubmit. What you cannot do is make changes after the deadline has passed, so treat your final upload with the same intention you would a submitted essay.

Does Brown actually watch every single video, or do they just say they do?

• Brown has not published a formal policy on this, but admissions officers have confirmed in various forums that videos are reviewed as part of the file. Given that Brown receives tens of thousands of applications and the video is optional, it is reasonable to assume that a skipped video simply leaves a gap, while a submitted one gets eyes on it. There is no credible evidence that videos are systematically skipped.

What if I am genuinely terrible on camera and freeze up every time I try to record?

• Camera anxiety is more common than you think, and Brown's format is actually designed for it. The 90-second limit means you only need to hold it together for a short burst. Most students who struggle on camera find that doing five or six casual practice takes, not for keeps, just to get comfortable, loosens them up enough. If you are still freezing, the "Passion Project" format helps by giving your eyes somewhere to go and your hands something to do, which reduces the feeling of being watched.

Can I submit a video I originally made for a different college, like if I already did one for another school's application?

• Technically, the portal will accept any video that meets the format requirements. The real question is whether the content works for Brown specifically. A generic "here is who I am" video with no connection to Brown's community, Open Curriculum, or specific programs will feel like a recycled submission, and admissions officers read applications holistically. If the video you made for another school happens to be authentic and compelling on its own, it can work. If it mentions the other school's name or culture, it will not.

My first language is not English. Should I still do the video, and can I speak in my native language?

• Brown has not officially restricted the video to English, and the spirit of the format is authenticity. That said, most applicants submit in English because admissions officers need to understand what you are saying for the video to serve its purpose. If your spoken English is strong enough to carry a natural 90-second conversation, use it. If you are more compelling, warm, and articulate in your native language, a hybrid approach, opening in English as required and briefly incorporating your native language to illustrate a cultural point, can actually be a differentiator rather than a liability