As
I
am
writing
this,
I’m
getting
flashbacks
to
when
I
was
in
grade
12.
I
remember
the
nerves
of
applying
to
university
kicking
in.
Having
this
feeling
of
either
it’s
now
or
never
and
thinking
to
myself
how
am
I
going
to
do
this?
It
was
hard.
I
was
stressing
a
lot.
Life
starts
to
hit
you;
you’r
e
trying
to
do
well
in
your
final
classes
while
making
sure
all
your
admissions
essays
and
video
responses
are
perfect.
However,
you
must
remember:
you’ve
got
this.
First off, remember you have access to the School of Accounting and Finance Admissions Assessment (SAFAA) questions beforehand. It may seem a little unusual but use that to your advantage! Prepare your responses, think hard to make sure you answer the questions the best you can, authentically craft them, and make them about yourself.
Think about it, the admissions team knows you have the time to think about these answers, so that should tell you to take your time to answer them.
What I liked to do was list out all my experiences and ask myself four key questions:
- What I did including my key accomplishments and challenges
- What I learned from the experience and how it helped me
- What leadership roles I took
- Why I enjoyed the experience
Using this process, I crafted my responses and dove into adequate detail; I already prepared the building blocks for my responses. I always like to say, “Be yourself with some pizzazz!” Obviously, it is ideal to answer the questions like yourself and relate them to your experiences. However, for a university application, you want to add a little bit extra —look at the School of Accounting and Finance (SAF) and UWaterloo’s values and incorporate those ideas into your answers.
Lastly, I know it can be hard just staring at yourself to talk, but remain calm. Trust me, don’t leave this for the last minute as it will only add to your stress. As silly as you may look if someone walks in on you take some time talking in front of a mirror and get comfortable answering the questions. And finally, if you misspeak, pause or forget what you are trying to say do not worry! The world isn’t over as the admissions team recognizes this. They will not penalize you for a few mistakes while you speak if your points are relevant and valid.
I hope these tips help you!