How to Use Grade 11 to Prepare for University Applications

Do You Actually Need an Admissions Consultant?

Do You Actually Need an Admissions Consultant? Quick disclaimer: we are admissions consultants. So take this video for what it is, our honest take from inside the industry. But here's what Jason actually believes, and what we tell families who ask: most students do not need a consultant. A good school counselor, a few honest conversations at the kitchen table, and the free resources already out there will get most families most of the way there. That said, there are specific situations where one-on-one advising genuinely moves the needle: applying across multiple countries with very different systems, targeting a small set of hyper-competitive programs, navigating a complicated profile, or simply wanting an experienced person running the process so it doesn't swallow your household. In this video, Jason walks through exactly when a consultant helps, when one isn't worth the money, and how to decide which side your child falls on. If you're a parent weighing whether to hire help, this is the conversation you want to have before you spend a dollar. 🎓 Want 1-on-1 help with your child's university admissions strategy? Apply to our program → https://admissionprep.com/program-waitlist 🎥 Want to learn about our programs and services? Watch our webinar: https://admissionprep.com/admissionprep-webinar?session=ondemand 📚 Want access to more free admissions resources? https://admissionprep.com/resource-hub 🌐 Learn more about AdmissionPrep: https://admissionprep.com 📋 Take our free Program Assessment Quiz: https://quiz.admissionprep.com/program-assessment-quiz 📲 Follow us: Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/admissionpreped/ TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@admissionprep.edu LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/company/104853898/ 🎙️ The Journey by AdmissionPrep (Podcast) → https://open.spotify.com/show/1jc3tqfWaTrEs9pzu87Bns — About AdmissionPrep: AdmissionPrep is an education consulting service helping students gain admission to top universities in Canada, the US, and UK. Our data-driven methodology and 1-on-1 advising have helped 20,000+ students, edited 173,000+ applications, and secure millions in scholarships. #AdmissionsConsultant #UniversityApplications #CollegeAdmissions #AdmissionsStrategy #UniversityAdmissions #ParentsOfHighSchoolers #CollegeCounseling #ApplicationPrep #AdmissionPrep #HonestAdvice

How to Use Grade 11 to Prepare for University Applications

How to Use Grade 11 to Prepare for University Applications Grade 11 is the year that quietly decides where your child gets in. By the time Grade 12 starts, the file admissions officers actually read is mostly already built — the courses, the extracurricular trajectory, the test scores, the shortlist, the supplementary essay foundation. In this video, Jason walks through exactly how your child should use Grade 11, month by month, so the application they submit in Grade 12 is actually competitive. Whether your child is targeting Canadian, US, or UK universities, this is the playbook we use with our own students to turn Grade 11 into the launchpad — not the cram year. 📌 Chapters: 0:00 — Introduction 0:45 — Why Grade 11 Decides Grade 12 2:00 — Course Selection: What Top Programs Actually Look At 3:30 — Building the University Shortlist 5:00 — Extracurricular Strategy in Grade 11 6:30 — Test Prep Timeline (SAT, ACT, AP) 8:00 — Starting Supplementary Essays Early 9:30 — Common Grade 11 Mistakes Families Make 11:00 — How to Use the Grade 11 Summer 12:30 — Final Thoughts & Next Steps 🎓 Want 1-on-1 help with your child's university admissions strategy? Apply to our program → https://admissionprep.com/program-waitlist 🎥 Want to learn about our programs and services? Watch our webinar: https://admissionprep.com/admissionprep-webinar?session=ondemand 📚 Want access to more free admissions resources? https://admissionprep.com/resource-hub 🌐 Learn more about AdmissionPrep: https://admissionprep.com 📋 Take our free Program Assessment Quiz: https://quiz.admissionprep.com/program-assessment-quiz 📲 Follow us: Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/admissionpreped/ TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@admissionprep.edu LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/company/104853898/ 🎙️ The Journey by AdmissionPrep (Podcast) → https://open.spotify.com/show/1jc3tqfWaTrEs9pzu87Bns — About AdmissionPrep: AdmissionPrep is an education consulting service helping students gain admission to top universities in Canada, the US, and UK. Our data-driven methodology and 1-on-1 advising have helped 20,000+ students, edited 173,000+ applications, and secure millions in scholarships. #Grade11 #UniversityApplications #CanadianUniversities #CollegeAdmissions #AdmissionsStrategy #UniversityAdmissions #HighSchoolJuniors #ApplicationPrep #AdmissionPrep #ParentsOfHighSchoolers

IB vs AP vs Regular Courses | Which One Gets You Into Canadian Universities?

If your child is deciding between IB, AP, and regular high school courses, this is one of the most important decisions they'll make before applying to university in Canada. But does it actually matter? In this video, we break down how Canadian universities like UofT, McGill, UBC, Waterloo, and more evaluate each curriculum and what gives your child an edge, what doesn't matter as much as you think, and how to help them make the smartest choice for their goals. Whether your child is in Grade 8 picking their high school path or in Grade 11 wondering if it's too late to switch, we've got you covered. 📌 Chapters:0:00 — Should Your Child Do IB, AP, or Regular?0:29 — What Are IB, AP & Regular?1:02 — Do Canadian Universities Prefer One?2:04 — So Which Path Is Actually Best?2:53 — How IB Grade Conversions Work3:45 — Transfer Credits: Where AP & IB Actually Help4:52 — The Workload Reality5:52 — When Each Option Makes Sense6:52 — Final Advice 🎓 Want 1-on-1 help for your child's university admissions strategy?Apply to our program → https://admissionprep.com/program-waitlist 🎥 Want to learn about our programs and services? Watch our webinar:https://admissionprep.com/admissionprep-webinar?session=ondemand 📚 Want access to more free admissions resources for your family?https://admissionprep.com/resource-hub 🌐 Learn more about AdmissionPrep:https://admissionprep.com 📋 Not sure where your child stands? Take our free Program Assessment Quiz:https://quiz.admissionprep.com/program-assessment-quiz 📲 Follow us:Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/admissionpreped/TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@admissionprep.eduLinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/company/104853898/🎙️ The Journey by AdmissionPrep (Podcast) → https://open.spotify.com/show/1jc3tqfWaTrEs9pzu87Bns — About AdmissionPrep:AdmissionPrep is an education consulting service that helps families navigate career planning and admissions to top universities in Canada, the US, and UK. Our data-driven methodology and 1-on-1 advising have helped 20,000+ students, edited 173,000+ applications, and secured $10M+ in scholarships. #IBvsAP #CanadianUniversities #UniversityAdmissions #AdmissionPrep #HighSchoolCourses #UofT #McGill #UBC #Waterloo

AI and education: why hard things still matter, costly signaling theory, and the K-shaped future

AI is changing everything about how students learn — but is it making them smarter, or just more dependent? In this episode, Jason and Arry dig into what they're seeing on the front lines: students who can't write without AI, the rise of blue books and no-phone schools, and why the ability to push through frustration might be the most important skill of the next decade. Plus — a deep dive into costly signaling theory (peacocks, Polaroids, and Waterloo degrees), why the “middle” of education is about to get squeezed, and how Gen Alpha might actually surprise us all. We also talk about AdmissionPrep's explosive social media growth, upcoming YouTube content, and what's next for the community. Timestamps: [0:00] — Season 2 is back: what's new with The Journey [0:40] — The AI problem in education: superhuman vs. super dependent [1:55] — Writing skills are atrophying — what we're seeing in 60,000 essay reviews a year [3:08] — Cognitive decline, frustration tolerance, and why hard work still matters [6:14] — What's the solution? Blue books, no-phone schools, and air-gapped computers [8:44] — Don't count out Gen Z and Gen Alpha — they're more self-aware than you think [12:00] — Brain rot, TikTok, and the generation that names its own problems [14:16] — Digicams, Polaroids, and costly signaling theory explained [17:36] — The K-shaped future of education: top schools win, the middle disappears [21:01] — What happens to students who can't get into the top programs? [25:30] — AdmissionPrep's global audience: UAE, Vietnam, and American students heading north [27:57] — How AI has made our work faster (but not easier) [31:46] — UBC's grading rubric says it all: years of sustained hard work [33:03] — Pierre Bourdieu's four types of capital and why education is a social signal [38:55] — Blinkist, ChatGPT summaries, and the cognitive psychology textbook that changed everything [44:08] — The real value of reading a book vs. prompting a summary [47:30] — Bright students building AI tools to keep AI use healthy [50:17] — Gen Alpha is more pragmatic than you think [52:31] — What's coming: YouTube, in-person workshops, and weekly presentations with 500-800 attendees [56:08] — Where to follow AdmissionPrep + how to suggest future topics

How to handle grade inflation, prepare for grade 12, and deal with difficult teachers

The busy season is over — and the lessons are real. In this episode, Jason and Arry unpack what they learned from helping students navigate the final push of university applications, why grade inflation is reshaping admissions across Canada, and what every Grade 11 student needs to be doing right now before the window closes. From fixing bad marks to building extracurriculars that actually matter, this is the episode that separates students who hope they get in from those who plan to. Plus — a UBC economics story that perfectly explains why hard things make you better. If you're a Grade 11 student or a parent watching the clock tick, this one's for you. SHOW NOTES 🎓 AdmissionPrep Podcast | Season 2 Episode — Back from Busy Season Jason Yee and Arry return from their busiest admissions season yet with tactical advice, honest truths, and a reminder: we're called AdmissionPrep, not AdmissionReact. ⏱ Timestamps [0:00] — Welcome back: Lessons from busy season and why starting early is everything [1:08] — The emotional weight of hitting "submit" — even with all the prep in the world [2:21] — Can you fix a bad Grade 11 mark? Breaking it down by school (Ontario, UBC, Waterloo, U of T) [4:06] — What happens if you took the wrong prerequisites — and what your options actually are [4:53] — Grade inflation: The data that went viral (hundreds of thousands of views) and what it means for your admissions chances [5:52] — Arry's honest advice: What students CAN control — and why "work harder" isn't as unpopular as it sounds [7:21] — The student who wanted to retake a course he was getting a 93 in [8:12] — Why unfair marking in high school is actually great preparation for university [9:15] — Jason's story: The med school coach, "gunners," and the reality of elite career paths [11:09] — Strategy: How to research teachers and courses ahead of time [12:31] — The UBC Economics professor who stumped everyone — and what Jason did differently [17:29] — The Grade 11 Game Plan: How to win busy season before it starts [18:00] — Why your essays should be done before September 1st — and how to do it without having the questions yet [19:55] — The key experiences students keep recycling (and how to diversify your story bank) [21:57] — The 15-minute daily writing habit that will make you a better writer and applicant [24:21] — Community presentations: What questions students keep asking (spoiler: "Is student council good enough?") [26:49] — Why starting NOW in Grade 11 matters more than you think — the UBC rubric breakdown [28:55] — Don't just "do something" — build on what you already have [30:30] — "What if no one comes to my club?" — the try-try-again mindset [32:31] — The student building a wildfire-sensing robot: How he actually got there (it started with tutoring) [33:41] — Never pad your resume. Here's why it doesn't even work. [34:13] — References verify everything. You can't fake it. [35:41] — What it looks like when a school actually selects for the right values (UBC Sauder example) [36:45] — What's coming this spring and summer: student stories, med school acceptances, and more tactical content [37:53] — Where to follow AdmissionPrep + how to suggest future topics