Video interview supp app? Start here.

If you’re applying to universities in Canada’s largest province, there is an increasing chance that you’ll need a supp app (supplemental application) as part of your Ontario university application.

A handful of years ago, a supp app only meant that you’d need to submit an essay or two, along with your application. But of course, things have changed. You may find your top pick for Ontario university applications suddenly requires more than just your grades or a supplementary essay.

Some applicants are surprised (and maybe a bit freaked out) to learn that their application may require a video interview as part of their supp app. Not to worry - we’re here with an overview of what to expect, along with a few pointers to help you put your best foot forward.

Adapting to a new world

Supplementary essays have been part of the Ontario university application process for many years. Written essays offer universities a way to understand who you are, what you’ve had to navigate in life and how you’ve overcome challenges.

But with widespread adoption of AI, university admissions offices have had to adapt. For now, it can be easy to spot an essay crafted by ChatGPT. But nobody knows how quickly that will change, or which tools could be modified to help applicants get away with an AI-developed essay.

Keep in mind, the universities want to know about you, as a person. They don’t want AI to craft an essay that gives a laundry-list of your activities or achievements. So, many schools worked quickly to adapt.

Enter: video interviews + on-the-spot essays

It might seem like a painful twist on the college essay. Several Ontario university application programs are requiring video interviews and on-the-spot essays to help identify their top candidates.

What’s the appeal of a timed interview? Are they trying to make it harder than ever to apply? The answer is simple — a video interview , with limited time to prepare, gets as close as possible to an in-person interview. It allows the admissions officers to see how you process and respond to questions on the spot, as though you were sitting in front of them.

Now what?

What if you’re camera-shy? What if you’re not sure how to respond to a given question? This new element of the Ontario university application process means that you’ll need to prepare ahead of time. Even if you are comfortable in front of a camera and quick on your feet, preparation is essential.

Here are a few ways to put your best foot forward:

• Identify the Ontario university applications on your wish-list that require supplementary applications this year (remember, this can change from year to year).

• Determine which supp apps are straight essays vs on-the-spot interviews and essays.

• Prepare ahead of time for on-the-spot elements by having a plan:

  • Research common questions for specific programs

  • Prepare your desk / working space with notes — be prepared to talk about common themes such as challenges you’ve overcome, moments when you’ve shown leadership, how you’ve had to change your mind about a problem, etc.

  • Practice, practice, practice!

Did we mention, you should practice?

Sure, you’ve been on camera plenty of times. You came of age during Covid, after all. But how many times have you been given a high-stakes question with limited time to prepare and respond? It’s not easy, but it does get easier with time.

The more you can practice, the more you’ll be comfortable with the process of sorting your thoughts quickly and identifying a thread / point you want to make. Practice won’t take away the adrenaline, but it will help you navigate how you organize your thoughts and even what to do if you don’t have a good answer ready.

We can help!

If you’re interested in finding the right level of support for your Ontario university application videos, essays or other supp app elements, we can help.

At On Your Mark, we’ve helped Canadian students map out and edit their supplementary applications for Engineering, Life Sciences and Psychology programs at top Canadian schools. We’ve also helped students prepare and practice for on-the-spot essays and interviews, as part of the supp app Health Sciences at Queen’s University.

We look forward to helping you find your voice, to prepare ahead and practice for video or written components of your Ontario university applications. Let’s do this.