Success Unlocked

When you’re the first in your family to move through the application process, it’s easy to feel lost and overwhelmed. What do students need in order to feel supported, knowledgeable, and confident throughout this journey? Peeking Behind the Curtain: A Unique Perspective of the Apply Yourself Way     In this week’s episode, I speak with Olivia Dobiecki, our wonderful administrative assistant who ha...

The application process can often feel like a challenging puzzle, especially when your situation or background isn’t typical. Sometimes, the process can unearth painful memories or trauma. The full range of our experiences make up who we are, but how should we present them in our applications? Crafting Your Narrative: Balancing Authenticity, Vulnerability, and Self Care In this episode, I sit down...

When an educational experience is steeped in competitiveness, one-size-fits-all policies, a “grind” mindset, and an emphasis on achievement over individual growth, the classroom can feel stressful and unwelcoming. How can we create learning environments that feel healthy and supportive? Infusing Sustainability, Empathy, and Inclusivity into the Classroom This week, I was excited to sit down with a...

In this episode I had the honour of chatting with Sam Kinsella, a recent member of the Apply Yourself Community, where we discuss his journey and the significant milestones he has achieved over the past year. Sam, currently working for the Ministry of Energy, shares insights into his experiences and the pivotal role that the Apply Yourself Mastering Academic Applications program played in his path...

I'm thrilled to have you join me today as we delve into a heartfelt conversation with Priya, our determined client on a journey towards her academic dreams. In this episode, we explore Priya's transformative experience navigating the challenging landscape of graduate school applications. From moments of self-doubt to triumphant achievements, Priya shares valuable insights into the power...

I'm thrilled to share a special episode where I had the opportunity to delve into a coaching session with our client, Leni. At the end of our session, Leni suggested that we turn our conversation into a podcast episode, knowing it could benefit others facing similar challenges. We explored Leni’s experience of discomfort, dissecting procrastination, and reflecting on the concept of taking tim...

In our monumental 100th episode of the Advancement Spot Podcast, I embark on a heartfelt journey of reflection, gratitude, and celebration. This episode isn't just about hitting a number; it's about taking a moment to look back, soak it all in, and say a big, heartfelt "thank you" to each and every one of you who've been with us on this journey. To our incredible listeners...

Let’s discuss one of the most important decisions I've ever made: saying yes. It's a common question to ask yourself, 'Am I making the right choice? Am I on the right path?' The decision I made at a young age to embrace opportunities that resonated with my goals highlights the significance of deliberate decision-making and mentorship in personal growth.   Embracing Opportunitie...

A topic that comes up in so many of our coaching calls, is scheduling and flexibility. This often comes up at the beginning of the year, as we have new classes, new jobs, new responsibilities, and new obligations to ourselves and to other people. So, when we have new things that we want to do and get involved in, how do we fit all that in? Navigating Life’s Rhythms Through Flex Scheduling When it...

In our previous episode, we delved into the intricacies of intention setting for the new year, emphasizing consistency, accountability, strategy, and hope. Building on that, I stress the inevitability of discomfort in the pursuit of growth. While remaining in a comfort zone may feel secure, real progress often requires investing energy, time, and sometimes money in oneself. There are two types of...

Today, we're diving into a topic close to my heart – intention setting for the new year. As we kick off 2024, I want to share my insights on why resolutions often miss the mark, and why I don’t wait for the New Year to start working on a new goal. I operate on a quarterly, monthly, and sometimes even daily basis to ensure my intentions align with the ever-evolving journey of life. So, whether...

In today's episode, I want to share insights from a recent coaching call where we discussed a common challenge: dealing with changing social circles while striving for personal and professional advancement. This particular conversation stemmed from a member in our Mastering Academic Applications program who expressed a dilemma about a group of friends whose goals seemed to be misaligned. Join...

In this episode,  I’m joined by Marco Kim, our wonderful LSAT coach in Mastering Test Prep! Marco is a second-year law student at the University of Western Ontario, formerly an economics student at the University of McGill. As a seasoned LSAT coach, Marco shares valuable strategies and perspectives on effectively managing time constraints and achieving your LSAT goals. Join us as we explore practi...

I'm joined by one of our wonderful MCAT Coaches in Mastering Test Prep, Josh Kapur! Josh is a fourth year student in the Kinesiology program at the University of Toronto, and we are so happy to announce that he has been admitted to his first choice medical school program! He has been actively involved in so many Apply Yourself initiatives and we're so grateful for all of his work. We get...

Scheduling for Success: How to Stay on Track What happens when things don’t go according to schedule? We have to plan for contingencies and external factors in order to keep moving towards our goals. Today, I explore with you some scheduling strategies that have helped me and my students and clients in their advancement. Flex Schedules and Planning for Change Many of us are going through challengi...

Studying for Standardized Tests In this week’s episode, I share with you my top three non-negotiables for standardized test studying. Four degrees later, I can safely say that I've been through a ton of school and exam periods, both as a student and as a professor who sees what students need to succeed. For standardized tests, studying is much more prolonged, requires more endurance, and requ...

I share with you another client story from one of our group coaching calls in The Success Society, which is our higher-level coaching group where we talk about all things outside of the application. Now, I am a firm believer that you don’t need to come with a “problem” or something to troubleshoot every single week in order to participate in and benefit from our coaching sessions. Like I say to ou...

Today, I'm joined by one of our dear clients, Farwa, who has made so many amazing strides in our short time working together! Farwa is an incoming candidate of the Master of Health Industry Administration Program at the Schulich School of Business, and a recent graduate of York University’s Global Health Program with a specialization in Health Policy, Management, and Systems. Farwa is a stude...

We are joined by Isabella Papalia, one of our all-star LSAT coaches! Isabella holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Neuroscience, and Behavior with a minor in Biology from McMaster University. She is currently completing her second year of law school with the University of Toronto Faculty of Law. Today, we take you into the world of coaching with us and learn more about Isabella along the way...

We have Jacob McNair, one of our amazing LSAT coaches, on the podcast! Jacob holds a a Masters degree in Journalism from Toronto Metropolitan University and is currently completing his second year of law school. Today, we're going to learn all about Jacob, his academic and professional background, his experience, his philosophy, and the ways these inform his coaching with Apply Yourself. The...

In today’s episode, we talk about the key differences between writing for discovery vs. writing for communication. This distinction can apply to any piece of writing that is going to be submitted or be used for some purpose other than your own. The Discovery Phase of Writing Writing for discovery is so crucial to fully understand and process your own experiences. It can look like so many different...

I am joined by Marco Kim, one of our amazing LSAT coaches, on today’s episode! Marco holds a Bachelor's degree from McGill University where he completed his Major in Economics with a Double Minor in Philosophy and World Cinema. He is currently completing his second year of law school at the University of Western Ontario. He’s back on the podcast this week to tell us more about himself and his...

Why You Need Independence for Growth This week, I bring you into a conversation that I had with one of my amazing clients in the Success Society, which was about the need for independence to grow. This amazing member was experiencing a few circumstances happening at home that were preventing her from going back to school and moving back to campus on time. Not only was she delayed in moving, she wa...

Setting Ourselves up for Study Success This is a question I often receive and is also something that came up during one of our coaching calls in Mastering Test Prep,  that is: How can you set yourself up for study success? This conversation came up with one of our Apply Yourself members because they're starting to implement new study strategies to really bump up their grades, and I share thes...

I often get this question from my students and clients: How do I manage my to-do list? We all have lists of things that we need to get done. Some challenges that we may face when it comes to to-do lists include 1) not prioritizing appropriately, and 2) finding ourselves in what I call “analysis paralysis,” where we overanalyze the things we need to get done to the point that we actually don’t move...