Video Summary - NexTrack Common App Essay Brainstorming

Main Ideas / Lessons

The video teaches a “second exercise” identity brainstorming task for a Common App essay process.
The exercise is short, but it should go deeper than the first exercise.
You must create three “identity” entries, and for each entry you answer three core prompts:
1. Who am I?
2. Why is this aspect so important?
3. What do I do that makes this shine in me? (i.e., actions/behavior that demonstrate it)
4. Why is it so important that others know this about me? (impact/meaning for how others view you)

Locate the exercise in your brainstorming document (it’s the “identity exercise”).
For the exercise, identify three things that make up your identity:
- Choose what you are strongly involved in and what you consistently do (the speaker emphasizes time use).

Think about how you spend your time across:
- your entire week
- your day
- your month
From that pattern, infer the three defining identity aspects.

For each of the three identity aspects, you must answer all the required sub-questions.
The speaker emphasizes that you should not skip any aspects or boxes—if something is hard, it’s still part of the brainstorming process.

There’s no single “correct” way to format your work:
- You can either:
  - write three things first, then fill in each one one-by-one, or
  - write and fill in as you go.

After reading the question, re-read it while answering so you don’t forget what you’re trying to respond to.

Who am I?
- A college counselor who guides students and even parents.
- Also involved in sports/exercise (tied into identity, though the example focuses on counseling).
Why is this aspect so important?
- The speaker cares about students and where they land for college.
- They want students/families to receive strong support.
- Motivation comes from a personal background where they didn’t receive enough support from a counselor.
What do I do that makes this shine in me?
- Caring becomes action: extra effort to help a student.
- Helping them reach a dream university.
- Supporting them through securing admissions.
- Students can “see” and appreciate that extra effort.
Why is it important that others know this about me?
- Connects to the “role model” idea from the first video.
- Others should remember the speaker was present and supportive during a critical journey.
- The purpose is to make a real impact so students carry forward how they got from high school to college.

Who am I?
- Not a professional athlete, but an athlete who enjoys exercising and sports.
Why is this aspect so important?
- Keeps alive a childhood dream/wish to be a professional athlete.
- Even while goals shift toward college counseling, athletic motivation stays present.
- Athletic participation continues through marathons/triathlons and daily exercise.
- Morning exercise (about two hours) reinforces the “athlete” mindset alongside a full-time job.
What do I do that makes this shine in me?
- Extra effort and strong consistency:
  - waking early (e.g., 4:45 a.m. for early swimming/running)
  - working out even during long workdays (sometimes ~12-hour workdays)
  - maintaining discipline and routine, including days with minimal additional activities because priorities center on training
Why is it important that others know this about me?
- Not explicitly framed as necessary for others, but the speaker wants people to recognize:
  - discipline
  - goals/ambitions
  - drive (being highly motivated)

The identity exercise is about matching identity claims to time-based reality and concrete actions, then explaining:
- why it matters to you and why it matters to others.
The speaker demonstrates two examples, and instructs you must still do all three identity aspects yourself.

Speaker (unnamed): The instructor presenting the “NexTrack Common App Essay Brainstorming - Exercise 2” lesson.
NexTrack (implied by the video title; no other specific source shown).