On December 24th, episode ten of Admissions Office Canada’s first season was released. I first committed to doing the podcast in January of 2024. It was a result of our 20th year celebration and a way to give back to our families and communities. The goal was to allow others the insights we, at Options, get when we speak to admissions professionals. I wanted to give an insider’s look into the admission and post-secondary process. I knew it was an ambitious goal, but I had no idea just how ambitious until April 2024 when I started to book guests. I spent hours upon hours explaining the podcast and its mission to university admissions officers, enrollment managers, communications professionals, media heads, faculty members and deans of faculty. I put in somewhere between 5-15 hours each week pitching, designing logos, booking recording sessions, booking guests, rebooking guests, writing scripts, practicing intros and outros, approving bios, editing sessions, writing episode descriptions, doing media appearances, and releasing episodes. I severely underestimated the time commitment it would require and the impact it would have on me as a professional.
But, oh what I gained.
I learned many things about the perspectives of so many stakeholders in the post-secondary conversation. I gained a deep and loyal new network while strengthening our existing one. I found themes and conversations in hidden corners and experienced clarity through different lenses. I was humbled time and time again. I learned grit, gratitude, and grace in equal measures.
Before I get into my many lessons, which is the point of this blog, I’d like to give a few special thank yous! Thank you to Beedie for their incredibly generous donation which we funneled directly to hiring a public relations specialist to help us get the word out. Thank you to Podfather Creative who produced and edited the semester. Brayden is a true professional, and I learned many, many things from him. He’s also a country music enthusiast like me, and it was fun to talk favourite concerts in between recordings. And thank you to Alyssa and Taryn at Options who kept the project alive and moving forward. I am so grateful to them for their vision, commitment, and scheduling prowess.
Here are some of the things I learned
Post-secondary institutions honor and respect Options Solutions.
It warmed my heart that when I reached out about the project the reception was so positive, supportive, and encouraging. There was genuine respect for Options and our team. Universities see Options as an ally and an organization that is the premier educational consulting company helping students navigate the post-secondary process. They know that we are masters in the industry.
Post-secondary institutions rarely talk to each other.
It was interesting to see the excitement each panellist and institution had to talk to others in their industry. There are few opportunities for the universities and their representatives to chat and learn from each other. The podcast provided a great platform for information sharing.
Faculty members sometimes make the best guests.
I really enjoyed getting to know the faculty members who participated. Learning directly from those who live and breathe science or business every day was not only inspiring but also highly educational. I will include more faculty in semester two.
It’s really hard to do something good (and free) sometimes.
I was surprised by some universities’ hesitance to participate as they believed the podcast was promoting Options. It was challenging to convey that my goal was to share valuable information with families and that neither Options, nor I, stood to gain financially from the project. In reality, we dedicated significant time, resources, and funding to make it happen, all to benefit the greater community.
Students need more than just an education; they need workplace skills to match.
Almost every episode somehow promoted the merits of coop or workplace experience. Other episodes really encouraged micro-credentialing or tangible skills such as writing, data science, AI mastery, or communication. It’s important for students to add these tangibles to their education.
AI is coming and we all need to embrace it.
One of the themes for Semester One is how AI is changing both post-secondary education and the future job market. If students aren’t proficient in AI, they will be left behind. Although there was a lot of debate about AI’s place in academic discourse, there was no question of its importance for career, industry, and professional success.
Post-secondary institutions and their faculties and staff care about students.
In each episode, students were encouraged to use the support and services that universities provide. There were so many good examples of how institutions support students.
Grades matter, and this means course selection REALLY matters.
Students really need to choose their courses wisely for competitive universities and competitive programs. There needs to be a focus on what they need to get in and what they need to do well when they get there (calculus, accounting, physics, writing- and research-based courses).
Better questions get better answers.
It took me halfway through the recordings to understand what types of questions resulted in the best answers and information for listeners. I need to do a better job of getting panellists to focus more on the big picture and less on their individual institutions for Semester Two. This is one of those reminders that sometimes you just need to learn as you go and be open-minded, allowing yourself to be agile and pivot part-way through a project.
Enthusiasm matters.
I heard over and over and over again that the most successful students are the most enthusiastic ones. Not the smartest. Not the clearest on what they want to do. Not the ones from certain high school schools. But the students who treated being at university like it is an opportunity to learn and grow and leaned into the experience!
Thank you to all our listeners who supported, contributed, and engaged with us in Season One. Your participation, feedback, and enthusiasm are what make this project meaningful. I look forward to what’s to come in Semester Two of Admissions office Canada, as we continue to inspire the next generation of students and educators.
Watch for Semester Two coming fall 2025!