Elite Video Portfolios - Competing with Privilege
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- Опубликовано: 14 июл 2024
- Hey, during quarantine, we all tried learning a few notes on our baby grand piano at home, right? Right? I started to see more and more of these on my wall, and the patterns in these videos were jaw-dropping.
My $100k+ Scholarship Journey Short:
• My $100K+ Scholarship ...
Before you write an unhappy comment on this video - do note that I am in no way claiming that these students represent the wealthiest, most privileged homes. Rather 1) They are very hard working and high achieving 2) their videos represent broader themes 3) they go under intense stress due to the competition/pressure to get into college.
My video uses humor, irony, and sarcasm, it is up to you to take my jokes seriously as you see fit.
Here, the most important thing to point out is: We live in a hyper-privileged world where money buys, well, almost everything - and it can definitely buy a good college application - whether to hire a writer to craft the perfect essay or spends thousands on tutoring for the SATs (or just schoolwork).
Unfortunately, this is the world we live in, the disparities are just much more crystal clear. For everyone trying to get into college and feeling like they can't relate to the clips in my video - I am rooting for you specifically.
✨Index:
00:25 What You're Up Against
5:39 Relating to Privilege
6:08 System Awareness
6:40 Social Grooming
7:10 Baptism by Fire (aka the Low-Income Experience)
7:58 Ivy League Inferiority Complex
8:31 Hard Work is Not Everything
8:48 New Pressures
9:38 'Helpful' Resources
10:33 High Achieving Childhoods
-- A Note from Me --
11:06 Happy New Year
When viewing this video, please understand that the commentary is not directed against any of the students/creators showcased in the video, but is rather a discussion of the larger themes represented in their content. If I have unfairly represented any of their opinions, please let me know in the comments.
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Analyzing my RUclips journey here→ martasaxena.wordpress.com/
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Links to video profiles referenced below (in no specific order)
brown video portfolio - class of 2026
• brown video portfolio ...
[accepted] Brown Video Portfolio - Class of 2025
• [accepted] Brown Video...
Brown University Video Portfolio Rejected | Class of 2025
• Brown University Video...
brown video portfolio (accepted 2025!!)
• brown video portfolio ...
Brown Video Portfolio (2025)
• Brown Video Portfolio ...
Brown Video Portfolio | ACCEPTED Class of 2023
• Brown Video Portfolio ...
[REJECTED] Brown Video Portfolio (Class of 2025)
• [REJECTED] Brown Video...
Brown Video Portfolio (Accepted Class of 2025) || Elijah C
• Brown Video Portfolio ...
Just for fun, subscriber count as of this video posting: 548
Tags:
College Admissions, Video Portfolio, Brown Video Portfolio Brown University Video Portfolio - Accepted, Brown University Video Portfolio Rejected, class of 2025, Class of 2024, Class of 2023, Class of 2026, Brown Video Portfolio | Accepted Class of 2023, Applying to Brown, Advice for Applying to Brown, Getting into Brown University, Admissions Advice Brown, Writing College Essays for Brown University, 2 Minute Video Portfolio Brown University, brown video portfolio, brown university video portfolio, brown video portfolio 2026, brown 2026, brown university admissions class of 2026
Happy New Year Everyone! I'm trying out a new humorous/analytical/commentary style kind of video. Let me know if there are other topics that you're interested in or if you have any feedback!
This video was so refreshing to see because I have been watching Brown portfolio videos lately and they are all so crazy and stuff I would never think I would have to do to be able to get into college. So thank you so much for making this video 😁 Also happy Birthday 🎂
Thank you so much Josie! I could not agree more - It's such a stacked "system" or "formula" now... Thank you for watching 😃😃
@@MartaSaxena Of course!😁
the school the rice fungus girl goes to is the number one public highschool in the country and is also a magnet school that is crazy competitive to get into. so all those kids that attend there already know what its like to apply to a competitive school in the first place and get in. i know some parents who put their kids into tutoring and Saturday prep classes from age 9 or 10 just to prepare to get into TJHSST itself and it's so insane.
hi!
I pretty much never comment on yt videos, but I felt compelled to say smth here. disclaimer: I don't know any of these people referenced, so this isn't supposed to be in their defense!
i think you're doing a great job highlighting the inequity that disproportionately affects these FGLI students, but I do think you need to open your perspective. what I see here, in these 11 minutes, is similar to what you see of these people in the 2 minutes of their videos. I see someone whose points I don't agree with, but I urge you to learn more about their story. like every social media profile that's carefully curated, each of these students aims to highlight the best parts of themselves. if I curated one right now, I highly doubt I would include battles with depression, anxiety, and mental health. i doubt I would include family struggles and insecurity. however, these people are real people. yes, many of them have more access to resources and privilege, but they put in the work as well, which you recognized at the end. i just wish you would put that disclaimer at the beginning so viewers don't immediately diss these very real people. remember that these are 17-year-olds trying to pave a way for their future. you don't gain any insight into their socioeconomic background, home life, or experiences that were excluded from those two minutes.
in your own experiences, you mention debate tournaments where your school did "badly" compared to schools with experienced coaches and resources. as a competitor from a large public school, we have absolutely no coaches whatsoever. every year, one parent steps up to act as an "advisor" so it gets approved by the school - and we are immensely privileged to even have that. our school doesn't contribute any funding for this team either, so we are usually limited to local tournaments. we don't get to compete on the national circuit, which limits our experience. yet, we have had several state finalists every year, not because these kids get private outside coaching, but because they put in the multiple hours per week. i recognize that this sort of time isn't afforded to everyone, but to those who are, I think they're doing a great job making use of it.
realistically, there will always be inequality (which doesn't make it okay). however, as teenagers in a flawed education system, we can only do our best. everyone has some sort of privilege, whether that's being within walking distance from opportunities, or driving an audi car. there will always be people more privileged than us, but also less. I admire your vision for this video to showcase those flaws within the system. but, what I see from other comments is these videos were taken without permission, and selecting individuals, calling their achievements and work '"ridiculous" even, I think, does more harm to them than good. I kindly request you to keep in mind these comments as you continue making videos. congrats on brown!
thanks!
The core of the video, that explains the elitism and socioeconomic factors behind the pro folios is good. But, the "humor" that you try to aim for comes off as rude and takes many of these students out of context. Furthermore, using people's image, whether on RUclips or not, is not ok. I know you said you were "trying out" a new style of video, but maybe try to do some other style that does not come off as abrasive.
Cope.
I found the video funny, that’s why humor is subjective. Also- if you voluntarily share a video on the internet with your image, it is 100% okay for people to use it. It’s the internet, and what you agree to when you post your image.
1) Lol I am literally Zimbabwean
2) I think this is an amazing commentary. Exploring the exploitative and somewhat extractive system of the ivys is such an important thing to do. The concepts which they supposedly instill in order to try and create fairness I feel never speak to whether a person has a place at a school, as opposed to whether they can prove better than the next person that they do. It ends up being based not necessarily upon merit and who a person can become through the school, but more so about what the person has committed to doing for admittance to the school. That’s not formulated incredibly, but there are so many complex prejudiced layers which play into unfair admissions
"Complex Prejudiced Layers" is exactly what it is, well spoken. The parents' influence needs to be filtered away to to show the true essence of the student... which seems impossible, but an effort needs to be made. And also the "full potential" of the individual isn't always realized in lower income homes - that's something that really gets me. Not everyone gets the opportunity to be challenged.... 😑
hi! rice blast fungus girl here. i just wanted to clear a few things up :)
in no way shape or form were these opportunities handed to me on a silver platter because my family is "wealthy". perhaps the only thing money would have really affected were the sports, as i do admit the practices tended to become a little costly. however, in terms of academics and other extracurriculars, i worked for everything. in order to gain access to these opportunities, i studied extremely hard to get into the school i currently attend (and contrary to popular belief: no! i did not take any prep courses for the entrance exam whatsoever! i know, shocking. i did it all by myself). i do not pay any extra money to do this research; it is all funded by our public school, which, again, i do not pay to attend.
another thing i wanted to address. i'm glad you shared your experience participating in multiple sports; however, i don't think that gives you a right to bring up what i have done in terms of sports and in a way indirectly call me "semi-mediocre". i'm sorry if that's not what you intended, but that is what was implied, at least to me and a few other of my friends who have seen this video. i've qualified for national competitions for both of these sports, so if that's what you consider semi-mediocre, you do you!
so, thank you for sharing your take. however, i find it unfair to assume anything about what background i come from or what i have done to get to where i am today, as the video portfolio is only two minutes long. i understand that the college admissions process is flawed and i understand where you were trying to go with this video. still, i do not think using specific individuals as evidence for your claim is the best way of going about it. also, i suggest that you request permission from the people who post the videos you include in your own in the future. thanks :)
Hi Kyra! It is great to meet you, and Congratulations on getting accepted to Brown! I figured I'll respond to you first before getting to the comments of your friends (amazingly-supportive friend group, btw)
To your first argument, I'll point you to 8:31 in my video. In no way am I downplaying the hard work that you have done to get ready for college, nor did I ever claim that your family was wealthy and everything was bought with money. The points I raise in this video include 1) High Schools have uneven access to opportunities, which trickles down to kids achieving their full potential 2) Parents pave the way with a number of resources (including paying for extracurriculars, driving kids after school, etc) and 3) The most frustrating part of the inequality is that many low-income kids do not KNOW they have to do all of these things to get into college. Access to information is unequal.
The second thing I'd raise is that we all have different levels of privilege. It may have been hard to see yourself in that category, or be confronted with that grouping. I was a Questbridge scholar, which is a program that helps low-income students get accepted into prestigious schools. That is a huge privilege. I had a single parent who worked really hard to support me, and that is a privilege. No one is claiming that you had everything handed to you on a platter, rather, even something as basic as access to a library is something that many people do not have. There is no need to fight about the level of "wealthy" that people are, but rather confront the overall theme of inequality - which is what you can see in the comments (aside from your friends) - people are taking away from this video.
Also ha - my point on semi-mediocre (brief and self-deprecating) was intended to highlight the opposite: that your sampling led you to an elite level of skill that I could never compete against. Congratulations on your national competitions - that must have been amazing and stressful.
As a commentary channel, I saw the themes around these portfolios and decided to make a video placing my experiences in the context of watching these portfolios. Of course, it is a biased view of your life because you are showcasing the best parts of yourself - I agree - but I am proud that this video opened a discussion on this topic - and it is valuable for the world to be confronted with these systemic problems, especially in the wake of "Varsity Blues" (the documentary showing how celebrity parents bought admission) and in general the escalation of "standards" by which we judge students. This video was never about you but rather about the system. Please reach out to me at @martasaxena on Instagram if you're interested in making a video sharing your thoughts and offering a more informed view of the topic!
@@MartaSaxena Is it really so difficult to say "I'm sorry?"
Great video! I’ve been watching these college admissions video portfolios and yeah-they’re ridiculous.
While I appreciate some of the fun being poked at applicants showing themselves driving to school in their Audi etc, I think some of your resentment is misdirected. It seems like you went through some struggles which I can resonate with having grown up with a disabled sibling and parents with an awful marriage, but I don't think that's any reason to deride your peers' accomplishments. Their parents undoubtedly worked hard to give their children opportunities, but talents and achievements don't simply land in anyone's lap, they're fought for. I'm sure if you have children you would hope to give them every opportunity that your parents didn't, so why resent parents that do just that?
Even so, many Brown video portfolios featured on YT simply depict applicants in their bedrooms talking about themselves or on a walk - no prestige required. You mention that it's hard to relate to many of these videos (I agree, there are many impressive students), but then following that up with mentioning that your high school had few resources - when a truly motivated person will create their own enrichment - is silly haha. All of this is to say, I feel that you're masking some bitterness and it's unfair and in poor taste to be referencing your peers' accomplishments, hobbies, and thoughts in a negative/belittling manner. No hard feelings, I hope you're loving Brown;)
You’re right about the general meaning of the video, although it’s bad to make fun of people and of what they like, if they like some activities that make them happy, why making fun of them or what they like to do? It’s ok to expose the general elitism and “achieving society” we live in, but making fun of the ones who do these things isn’t good imo.
happy birthday!!!!
Hey I wanted to give you some feedback on your video. Some of your points about privilege and the college admissions are pretty interesting and bring up much-needed discussions. I just feel like this format doesn’t really work for this sort of thing. I think it would’ve been more interesting to see a video primarily about your personal experiences with being a lower income student, especially at an Ivy League school.
Also, I see in other comments you’ve said that you aren’t trying to criticize anyone here, but on the other hand you’ve been liking comments that say things like “roasted” and “flamed” which to me suggest otherwise. Furthermore, the editing style and tone in this video comes off as incredibly sarcastic, which may also be why people are taking this as criticizing these videos rather than the school system. In the future, perhaps tone down this style and maybe move your disclaimer to the beginning rather than diving right into reviewing videos?
Also, judging from the comments of some of the people who were featured in this video, it seems like they didn’t want to be in it and I suggest you actually reach out to these people before you post any commentary on them (especially as they’re so young).
Hi Ashley! thanks for stopping by. I understand that the commentary style was not to your liking. Yes, i did put a heart behind supportive comments, and I also stand by the fact that I do not attack any of these students in my videos, those are not mutually exclusive. I pointed out markers of privilege, and it is a reasonable reaction for those students to say, “Hey! I worked hard for this!” which is where the privilege debate often stalls.
Sarcasm is not for everyone and RUclips is entertainment. “Toning down style” is a subtle way of asking me to shrink my personality, and Disclaimers (apparently) haven’t stopped critics from projecting their own assumptions and feelings, so to each his own.
@@MartaSaxena Thanks so much for the response. I agree with you that you aren’t attacking these students, but it does seem as if you’re making fun of them. You admit yourself that this is meant to be a funny commentary-the humor comes from making fun of these students’ videos and what they say in their videos that they probably worked really hard on. If there are so many people in your comments section (including those that you included in your video) who feel like you are unfairly judging these students than I think this is very clearly a sign of going too far with your humor no matter anything about personality. In my experience, I’ve learned that there is a blurry line at which you can excuse things for personality and that line is when people start feeling hurt from what you’re saying.
I hope you can understand where I’m coming from. I just truly empathize with them as they probably just posted this video for fun on RUclips to show to their friends or something, completely not expecting to be brought into an argument about wealth and privilege. This is especially concerning as you hadn’t even asked for their permission and don’t know them or their circumstances personally. They’re still young people, and I hope you can understand the effects that something like this may have on their mental health. I do understand where you’re coming from with the struggles that you’ve faced and I really hope that your channel can succeed (you seem very charismatic and funny). Whether or not you decide to take my feedback, I just feel like this argument would’ve been so much better illustrated if you had maybe gotten permission from one of them and interviewed them about their experiences and had a discussion comparing the differences between your experiences and how this affected your college admissions process. This format feels unnecessarily judgy from these students as we never get to hear anything about their experiences beyond the video you showed and some snarky remarks you made. I especially hope that you ask for peoples permission before posting this sort of commentary, especially if they’re underage. I’m sure that you would also feel just as hurt if the same thing had happened to you. Thanks, and I wish you success on your channel!
Hi Marta!
While I believe that you are on the right track with this video (there undoubtedly exists financial and social barriers that don’t allow for students to achieve), you made key, harmful mistakes which I hope lead to you taking down this video.
The execution of this video appears to be poorly constructed. By using real students' videos, you make flawed assumptions about their background, experiences, and stories and you end up shifting the blame to the students (often minors) themselves. Instead of this, I wished you would have taken the time to construct your argument using data and statistics to prove a correlation.
It is commonly accepted that finances and education can play a huge role in one’s future. However, you have to understand that you are dealing with children. They often do not have control of things like where they live, how money is spent in the house, and other related items. Instead, you should have focused on how the college acceptance system ends up discriminating against those who aren’t lucky enough to have privilege. Having privilege is not the child’s fault and your language and commentary imply this.
I hope you understand how your video may have harmed the students you have included. Also, as a formality, make sure you ask for people’s permission before you include them in your video. Thank you!
Hi Sheryn! Please review my response to Kyra directly. To your first point - you are making (flawed) assumptions about the point I am trying to get across in the video, especially the part on shifting blame, because (as many people have commented below the video) - it is the system that is the problem. Further, I do not raise the topic of "Should high schoolers reject privilege or the help of their parents?" - that is a topic for a different (and more theoretical) video on ethics. There is no individual moral blame placed on these students, rather the themes across their videos are consolidated into high-level ideas (about inequal access to opportunities and information). Further, please elaborate how this video would have harmed the students represented? Having privilege is a gift, and it was the choice of these students to upload this video online. I can imagine the harm done by those videos when viewed by low income students thinking, "I could never compete with this". Your comment was edited after posting, so this response is with regards to your current argument as it stands. You interpreted this video as a personal assault due to your personal connection - that is not what everyone else seems to have interpreted from watching this video.
Flameddddd
Alternate title: Roasting Brown Video Portfolios
Hahahaha I love this
This is the truest thing ever. I use to go to a private school with not many opportunities (actually 0) and once I got admitted into a much more elite school in my country, so many more opportunities were open to me. And yet, my school has 70% less extracurriculars than these US magnet schools. And from other EVEN MORE elite schools in my city.
The fact that so many of these kids applied during the PANDEMIC is the craziest part.
I don’t blame them, but it sucks how wealth can change your chances to get into these top tier colleges. It’s all so subjective.
100% which is the saddest when you think about kids’ abilities to live up to or express their potential cannot be facilitated by environments with few opportunities. It is wonderful that you got to transfer to a better place. I also see a lot of wealthy parents paving the way for their children’s success. ah the luxury!!
i effing love your video haha
This video is amazing
💞 Thank you Liyah
You nailed this!!!! xox
thank you so much Lizabeth!
@4:33 BAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHHAHAHHAHAHHAHA SO ACCURATE LMFAOOOOOOOOOOOO
Girl I love this
Thank you Anoushka! 😃
why does this say competing with privilege yet as a white woman ur blasting predominantly POC videos...
“As a white woman” -wtf? No need to be racist and disregard someone else’s message because of the color of their skin. Her message is still valid.
You gotta admit some of these resumes and college admission cultures are ridiculous!