The Path to Post-Secondary

Hi everyone! My name is Andrew and I am a Grade 12 student at AY Jackson Secondary School. Today, I had the pleasure to attend Jodi Buckley’s Think Tank on “The World of University Admissions” as a part of the Associate National Lead program where I get to build and host my own conference!

Jodi Buckley is an amazing speaker, and her Think Tank gave me a lot of insight into an important event in many students' lives. As a grade 12 student, I was able to learn a lot of information that can be applied both in and outside of the classroom. From her presentation, I learned a about different types of applications such as interviews, portfolios, and essays.

I think that the biggest takeaway was how to use the "STAR" method of approaching situational questions. The STAR method divides an application into 4 parts:

Identify the Situation, describe the Task, talk about the Action, and finally, what was the Result?

To apply this method, Jodi introduced us to a set of mock interview questions. I thought that this was an enjoyable activity and a great way to practice valuable problem solving skills. Thanks to her insight on different schools, I was able to reflect on my own career goals and future university/college.

Overall, this Think Tank was an amazing opportunity to develop and utilize essential life skills. It teaches valuable lessons that I think every high schooler should know about. Thanks Jodi!