Queen’s Commerce: Supplementary Application Essay Examples & Templates 2022/2023

If you are looking for guidance on the Queen’s (Smith) Commerce supplementary application, as well as Queen’s Commerce essay examples and templates, then you’ve come to the right place. 

This Application Prep guide is fully updated with this year’s 2022/2023 application (i.e. for applicants planning on starting the program in Fall 2023), as well as past applications for reference.

IMPORTANT: The Queen’s (Smith) Commerce Supplementary Essays will be available starting November 1, 2022. This year’s application, students will write 2 SUPPLEMENTARY ESSAYS from 3 randomly selected questions. Keep reading to learn how to approach these.

Before you dive in, it’s important to understand that the admissions committee receives thousands of applications every year. To help you stand out from the crowd, you need to demonstrate a clear sense of self, strong life experience, and exemplary communication skills.

Our ‘full student’ coaching process does exactly that. If you’re not working with a coach, be sure to read the Self-Awareness, Goal-Setting, and Narrative Communication Skills Guides.

The Narrative Communication Approach™ is a particularly useful storytelling framework that helps you tell a clear and concise story, while creating an emotional connection with the reader. All Queen’s Commerce essay examples and templates use this approach.

We use essay templates to show you a suggested essay structure that uses the Narrative Communication Approach™. Using this structure does not mean your essays will be the same as other students. That’s like saying using the 3 Act Structure makes every play, movie, and novel the same. The content of that story makes it unique.

We also suggest following the 5-step essay writing process we teach, seen here.

If you’re serious about getting into Queen’s Commerce and reaching your fullest post-secondary potential, connect with a coach. It’s never too early to receive coaching.

For more information about Queen’s Commerce, check out our Queen’s Commerce Program Guide and this informative video that one of our coaches, a QC program alumnus, created to help students just like you.

Table of Contents

1. 2022/2023 Supplementary Essays: Questions; Tips for Writing; Templates; Examples; and More.
2. 2021/2022 Supplementary Essays: Questions; Tips for Writing; Templates; Examples; and More.
3. 2020/2021 Supplementary Essays: Questions; Tips for Writing; Templates; Examples; and More.
4. 2019/2020 Supplementary Essays: PSE List and Essay; SE Questions; Tips for Writing; Templates; Examples; and More.

2022/2023 Queen’s Commerce Supplementary Application 

Similar to last year, the 2022/2023 Queen’s (Smith) Commerce Supplementary Application is made up of 3 randomly generated questions. You must answer 2 of the 3 questions.

Each essay must be 2,000 characters or less (including spaces). 

Here are the important dates and deadlines for your Queen’s (Smith) Commerce 2023 Application:

• On October 1, 2022, you can start applying to Queen’s through the Ontario Universities Application Centre (OUAC) (and you must complete your OUAC application by February 1, 2023).
• The Queen’s Commerce Supplementary Essay (SE) is available starting November 1, 2023.
• The deadline to submit the Supplementary Application is February 15, 2023. 

For more information about the Supplementary Application and deadlines, visit this page, and for other key dates and deadlines, click here. If you need some help with the application process, connect with a coach any time for support.

IMPORTANT: Queen’s Commerce no longer follows the previous November, December, and January submission cycles as it did for all applications before 2021. Instead, you will have 30 days from when you access the questions on SOLUS to complete and submit your essays. If you do not submit the first randomly generated set of questions by 30 days, another set of 3 questions will appear for you to complete.

The last day to submit your essays is February 15, even if you received the questions less than 30 days before that (i.e. if you got the questions on January 30, the deadline is February 15, February 29 even though that’s 30 days).

You can see how many days you have left to complete the questions on SOLUS, shown here:

Queen’s (Smith) Commerce Application Evaluation

Many students ask us how the Queen’s Commerce Supplementary Application is evaluated. 

Similar to last year, Smith Commerce makes their evaluation rubric public to all applicants so that they can submit the strongest possible application. 

You will see that there are 3 main evaluation criteria, each of which are rated across 4 possible scores (Distinguished, Capable, Basic, and Unsatisfactory):

1. Positionality and Lived Experience. Positionality is the understanding of how your identity (e.g. race, socioeconomic, gender, sexuality, etc.) influences your biases in the world. Lived Experience is more commonly understood as ‘life experience’. Queen’s is looking for applicants who can connect their understanding of their position in life with significant experiences they’ve encountered.
2. Connection. Connection appears to simply be defined as answering the question clearly and identifying a clear learning outcome within that answer.
3. Personal Growth. Personal Growth is the demonstrated ability to understand one’s strengths and development areas, and pursue 

Here’s what the evaluation rubric looks like: 

There is also a final evaluation area, called ‘Communication Clarity’, rated either Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory. Improving real-world skills like communication is an essential part of our ‘full student’ coaching methodology. 

To make sure you get a ‘Satisfactory’ on the Communication Clarity part of your evaluation, read our Narrative Communication Approach™ Guide and connect with a coach today.

You are also encouraged to complete and submit your Equity Self-Identification Form by February 15th.

Queen’s Commerce Supplementary Application: Possible Questions 2022/2023

Below are possible Queen’s (Smith) Commerce SE questions. The questions you will receive will be randomly generated.

As you’ll see, there are 2 types of questions: Personal Questions and Moral Questions. 

Personal questions focus on you: your experiences, the people you know, your interests, etc. 

Moral questions prompt you to discuss issues like diversity, inclusion, injustice, and equity, and discuss how your experiences, learnings, and identity influence your opinions, beliefs, and biases.

IMPORTANT: While the questions come out in a random batch of 3 questions from the above list, we notice applicants will almost always receive 1 Personal Question, 1 Moral Question, and 1 either Personal OR Moral Question. 

Having trouble choosing an experience, interest, person, or issue (depending on the question you’re asked)?

Select questions that will allow you to: 

• Highlight key skills that are fundamental to who you are, like leadership, problem solving, time management etc.
• Draw upon specific traits that Queen’s looks for like commitment and dedication.
• Showcases your values, like making an impact on the world, or connecting with people around you. 
• Be unique and authentic.
• Discuss how you evolved as a person because of the learning outcome that the experience/person initiated.

Keep reading for breakdowns/tips, templates, and examples for both types of questions. If you have questions about this year’s application and need help writing your essays, connect with a coach for 1-on-1 support. 

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Queen’s Commerce Supplementary Essay Examples: Personal Questions – Breakdown

The Personal Questions are all open-ended and are designed to help the admissions committee learn more about you and your experiences, values, skills, interests, and goals (learn more about how to answer personal questions in our Interview Prep Guide here — these can be used for written or video/in-person questions). 

As mentioned above, here are some examples of Personal Questions:

• Tell us about an experience that shaped who you are today.
• Tell us about an experience that you did not expect to enjoy, but did.
• Reflect on your background, identity, an interest, or talent. Explain why it is so meaningful that your application would be incomplete without it.
• Describe an influential person in your life or someone you admire. Why?
• Tell us about an accomplishment you are proud of. Why?

Remember that your reviewers only know the surface level information, like your name and high school grades — they know nothing about who you are as a person, where you come from, and how your experiences have shaped your personality, interests, and goals.

These questions are your chance to make a lasting first impression and show what makes you unique and a perfect fit for the Smith Commerce program. 

You need to go beyond the surface and provide deep insight about who you are. The admissions committee wants to see that you know where you’ve come from (and where you want to go). You might not realize it, but displaying your strong self-awareness will help set you apart from other applicants — that’s why we’ve written a whole blog about it here.

If you have completed your Student Identity Blueprint™ and gone through the Discovery phase of our coaching process, these types of questions will be easy for you to answer (if you haven’t, connect with a coach to get started). 

The most important thing to remember when writing these essays is to constantly refer back to the Supplementary Essay Rubric we discussed above. Your essay must have all 3 evaluation criteria: Positionality and Lived Experience, Connection, and Personal Growth.

Using these criteria, the Personal Questions should draw upon a significant life experience, circumstance, or person that helped you form your identity (Positionality and Lived Experience) and impacted your life to such an extent you experienced deep learning (Connection) and set yourself on the path to where you are today to accomplish your personal, academic, and career goals (Personal Growth). 

If you need help answering a Personal Question and creating an essay that gets you a “Distinguished” mark in these three criteria, connect with a coach now (and keep reading for templates and examples to help you as you’re writing your essays).

Queen’s Commerce Supplementary Essay Examples: Personal Questions – Template

Here’s a Queen’s Commerce SE template for the question: “Tell us about an experience that shaped who you are today.”

COACH’S TIP: While each template will change depending on the question, you can easily form your own template by reading our Narrative Communication Approach™ and breaking down the question into the 5 components listed below. Connect with a coach to talk out your storyline and get started on your template and essay.

• Hook (<150 characters) – Optional
  • Quickly capture the reader’s attention and set up the essay so they know what to expect.
• Context – Your Positionality (~400 characters)
  • Set the scene with who you were before this transformational experience and focus on explaining your Positionality (aka position in life). Use a lot of the insights from your Student Identity Blueprint™ here.
• Catalyst – The Experience (~350 characters)
  • Introduce the experience and details about how it happened. Preface what the experience caused you to do, so it naturally flows to the next section, which should discuss the impact the experience had on you. This is the Connection criteria they are looking for.
• Outcome – The Impact (~1,000 characters)
  • Discuss 1-2 ways this experience shaped you for the better over time and what was the direct result of this in your life. This is the Personal Growth criteria.
• Reflection – The Learning (~400 characters)
  • Tie what you’ve said to the big picture. How will the impact this experience had affect your future and how you see the world?

Queen’s Commerce Supplementary Application: Personal Questions – Example

Here’s a sample Queen’s Commerce essay example response for the question: “Tell us about an experience that shaped who you are today.”.

REMEMBER: This is an EXAMPLE ONLY and is NOT meant for you to copy. Why? First and foremost, this is plagiarism and is a serious offense. Plagiarizing these essays will result in immediate disqualification from the admissions process. This can be easily detected using technology and application reviewers are usually trained and/or able to spot when an application isn’t original and does not align with an applicant’s background, personality, values, etc.

Queen’s Commerce Supplementary Essay Examples: Moral Questions – Breakdown  

The moral questions give you the opportunity to discuss your worldview and beliefs. 

They are meant to gauge how you interact with others, question and challenge certain assumptions, and apply your beliefs and values to your experiences and use them for personal growth. 

As mentioned above, some examples of Moral Questions include:

• Share an example of how you have worked to better understand or experience diverse perspectives.
• Describe a time when you witnessed something unjust. How would you respond to that situation now?
• What advantages or privileges do you have in life and how can you use them to advocate for change?
• What kind of impact or change do you want to create?
• How has a challenge that you have experienced shaped the way you approach life?
• Discuss the theme of equity and how it has influenced your life.

In your personal questions, you talked about your experiences and relationships, and learnings/growth you’ve had from those. The moral questions take it one step further to see how these things have shaped your actions, identity, and outlook over time. The admissions committee wants to know what your position in life is (and how it’s different from other applicants).

Just like the Personal Questions, you want to make sure your answers focus on the Supplementary Essay Rubric. Your essay must have all 3 evaluation criteria: Positionality and Lived Experience, Connection, and Personal Growth.

Using these criteria, the Moral Questions should draw upon a significant experience, circumstance, or dilemma that shaped your identity (Positionality and Lived Experience) and caused you to form, change, or reinforce your beliefs and/or values based on what the impact it had (Connection). These beliefs have shaped how you interact with the world and have influenced the personal, academic, and career path you want to take (Personal Growth). 

If you need help answering a moral question and creating an essay that gets you a “Distinguished” mark in these three criteria, connect with a coach now.

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Queen’s Commerce Supplementary Essay Examples: Moral Questions: Template

Here’s a Queen’s Commerce SE template for the question: “Describe a time when you witnessed something unjust. How would you respond to that situation now?”.

COACH’S TIP: While each template will change depending on the question, you can easily form your own template by reading our Narrative Communication Approach™ and breaking down the question into the 5 components listed below. Connect with a coach to talk out your storyline and get started on your template and essay.

• Hook (<150 characters) – Optional
  • Quickly capture the reader’s attention and set up the essay so they know what to expect.
• Context – Your Positionality (~400 characters)
  • Set the scene with who you were before this experience happened and and focus on explaining your Positionality (aka position in life) like your values, beliefs, identity, and/or moral assumptions. Use a lot of the insights from your Student Identity Blueprint™ here.
• Catalyst – The Experience (~350 characters)
  • Introduce the experience where you witnessed something unjust and give details about how it happened. Discuss how you responded to the situation at the time (think of this as you ‘before’ you had the chance to reconsider how you’d react). Finally, talk about how the impact of this experience caused you to react (this is the Connection criteria they are looking for).
• Outcome – The Impact (~1,000 characters)
  • State how you would respond to the situation now (this is the ‘after’ scenario introduced above). Discuss 1-2 ways this experience changed you and how you view justice, and discuss how you’ve applied this to your life now. This is the Personal Growth criteria.
• Reflection – The Learning (~400 characters)
  • Provide the takeaway (or the moral) of the story. How does it relate to your life at Queen’s or your career?

Queen’s Commerce Supplementary Application: Moral Questions – Example

Here’s a sample Queen’s Commerce essay example response for the question: “Describe a time when you witnessed something unjust. How would you respond to that situation now?”.

REMEMBER: This is an EXAMPLE ONLY and is NOT meant for you to copy. Why? First and foremost, this is plagiarism and is a serious offense. Plagiarizing these essays will result in immediate disqualification from the admissions process. This can be easily detected using technology and application reviewers are usually trained and/or able to spot when an application isn’t original and does not align with an applicant’s background, personality, values, etc.

Need help creating standout Supplementary Application essays? Connect with a coach now to learn how to communicate your unique experiences, interests, and skills.

If you want to learn more of the specifics about the Queen’s Commerce Supplementary Application, including number of apps, deadlines, and evaluation, check out our Queen’s Commerce Program Guide and check out our Queen’s Commerce YouTube playlist for help writing your essays, program information, and much more.

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2021/2022 Queen’s Commerce Supplementary Application 

There are some changes to the 2021/2022 Queen’s Commerce application.

First, there are no longer the November, December, and January submission cycles from the 2020/2021 application. Instead, each student receives 3 “randomly generated” essay questions. Each student needs to complete 2 questions. 

Similar to past years, each essay must be less than 2,000 characters in length with spaces.

You have 30 days from when you access the questions on SOLUS to complete them. If you do not complete the first randomly generated set of questions by 30 days, another set of three questions will appear for your completion.

You cannot submit your essays past February 15, so even if you access the questions on, say February 14, you must submit before February 15 rather than the 30-day auto-renew deadline.

The evaluation rubric is now made public to all applicants. The rubric has three main evaluation criteria, each of which are rated across four possible scores:

1. Positionality and Lived Experience. Positionality is the understanding of how your identity (e.g. race, socioeconomic, gender, sexuality, etc.) influences your biases in the world. Lived Experience is more commonly understood as ‘life experience’. Queen’s is looking for applicants who can connect their understanding of their position in life with significant experiences they’ve encountered.
2. Connection. Connection appears to simply be defined as answering the question clearly and identifying a clear learning outcome within that answer.
3. Personal Growth. Personal Growth is the demonstrated ability to understand one’s strengths and development areas, and then work to reach their full potential in all areas of their life. 

Here’s what the essay evaluation rubric looks like:

There is also a final evaluation area, ‘Communication Clarity’, rated either Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory. Improving real-world skills like communication is an essential part of our ‘full student’ coaching methodology. To make sure you get a ‘Satisfactory’ on the Communication Clarity part of your evaluation, read our Narrative Communication Approach™ Guide and connect with a coach today.

You are also encouraged to complete and submit your Equity Self-Identification Form by February 15th.

Queen’s Commerce Supplementary Application: Possible Questions 2021/2022

Below are Queen’s Commerce essay examples of randomly generated Supplementary Essay questions that came up.

As you’ll see, there are two types of questions: Personal Questions and Moral Questions. 

Personal questions focus on you: your experiences, the people you know, your interests, etc. 

Moral questions prompt you to discuss issues like diversity, inclusion, injustice, and equity, and discuss how your experiences, learnings, and identity influence your opinions, beliefs, and biases.

For a complete list of possible questions for the 2021/2022 Queen’s Commerce Application, as well as supplementary application essay templates and examples, see the 2022/2023 application section above.

2020/2021 Queen’s Commerce Application 

For the 2020/2021 application, Queen’s Commerce released their SE questions in stages:

1. November 2020/2021 Questions: Available November 1, 2020 and due November 30 at 11:59pm
2. December Questions: Available December 1, 2020 and due December 30 at 11:59pm
3. January Questions: Available January 1, 2021 and due January 31 at 11:59pm

Once the question period closes, applicants could no longer submit questions from the previous month. For example, you cannot submit November questions on December 1. 

Applicants had to select TWO of the three questions and write an essay for each. Unlike the 2021/2022 application, the questions were the same for all applicants.

2020/2021 Queen’s Commerce Supplementary Application: November Questions

Queen’s Commerce Supplementary Essay Examples – Question 1

“Choose a person who has influenced you and discuss the impact they have made on your life.” 

Queen’s Commerce Supplementary Essay: Nov. Question 1 – Template

Get started on your template here (Click File > Make a copy).

The general structure of your answer to this question should have these five parts (get a detailed breakdown of these components here):

• Part 1: Hook (<150 characters)– Optional
  • Quickly capture the reader’s attention and set up the essay so they know what to expect
• Part 2: Context (<450 characters)
  • Give some background about you, like who you are before you met this person, where you were at in life, etc.
• Part 3: Catalyst (<450 characters)
  • Introduce the person and talk about why you chose them. Was there a moment when this person began to have an impact on you? How did your relationship evolve? 
• Part 4: Outcome (<1,000 characters)
  • Discuss 1-2 ways this person impacted you using two ‘themes’. Discuss how this person helped you change for the better over time and what was the direct result of your relationship with them. 
• Part 5: Reflection (<250 characters)
  • Tie what you’ve said to the big picture. How will the impact this person made on you support you in your future (in life, at Queen’s, in your career, etc.)

Queen’s Commerce Supplementary Essay: Nov. Question 1 – Examples

Here’s an example of an essay for this question.

REMEMBER: Please note that all of the examples below are EXAMPLES ONLY and are NOT meant for you to copy.

Need some extra help on questions like this? Check out this video by one of our coaches:

Queen’s Commerce Supplementary Essay Examples – Question 2

“Describe an activity or initiative that you are involved in. Share successes and challenges you experienced during your involvement.”

Queen’s Commerce Supplementary Essay: Nov. Question 2 – Template

Get started on your template here (Click File > Make a copy).

The general structure of your answer to this question should have these five parts:

• Part 1: Hook (<150 characters)– Optional
  • Quickly capture the reader’s attention and set up the essay so they know what to expect.
• Part 2: Context (<450 characters)
  • Give some background about the activity, like when and why you got involved, who was involved with you, where did it take place. Discuss at least one emotion you had through this experience.
• Part 3: Catalyst (<450 characters)
  • Talk about 1-2 conflicts, struggles, or setbacks that you had to overcome. Use detail and storytelling to convey how hard this was for you.
• Part 4: Outcome (<1,000 characters)
  • Discuss the successes you achieved from this initiative. 
• Part 5: Reflection (<250 characters)
  • Describe the ONE thing you learned from this experience and discuss how this shifted your perspective of the world and of yourself. Tie this learning back to Queen’s, while connecting it to the other paragraphs in your essay. 

COACH’S TIP: When thinking about what to write in the Outcome section, choose successes that are completely aligned to your values so the admissions committee can see what you truly believe in. Not sure what your values are? Connect with a coach and get started on our Discovery process, which will help you when applying to Queen’s, no matter what the SE question is. 

Queen’s Commerce Supplementary Essay: Nov. Question 2 – Examples

Here’s an essay example for this question:

Still need help writing an essay for questions like this one? Connect with a coach and check out this video:

Queen’s Commerce Supplementary Essay Examples – Question 3

“Tell us about who you are. What elements have shaped who you are today?”

Queen’ Commerce Supplementary Essay: Nov. Question 3 – Template

Get started on your template here (Click File > Make a copy).

The general structure of your answer to this question should have these four parts:

• Part 1: Hook (<150 characters)– Optional
  • Quickly capture the reader’s attention and set up the essay so they know what to expect.
• Part 2: Context (<500 characters)
  • Discuss clearly what makes you unique, what you value, what you’re good at, what you love, etc. Focus on 1-2 traits that are unique and well-thought out.
• Part 3: Catalyst (<1,000 characters)
  • This section should be longer in this essay than others, with each element being 1 paragraph (aim for 2). These elements should be connected to key traits you just mentioned in the Context section as well as aspects of your life that have impacted you. 
• Part 4: Outcome/Reflection (<350 characters)
  • Describe how you will continue to grow your unique trait(s) that defines who you are. Try to include how Queen’s Commerce will help shape and evolve who you are as you described above (and who you want to become).

COACH’S TIP: The biggest thing that will help you stand out for most Queen’s Commerce essay questions is showing the admissions committee that you have self-awareness and are fully in touch with your interests, skills, and goals. Haven’t thought about this much? Don’t worry, most students haven’t. The good news is that we can help you discover who you really are so you can ace these types of essay questions and go after the life you want. Connect with a coach to complete your Student Identity Blueprint™ and start your journey to success today.

Queen’ Commerce Supplementary Essay: Nov. Question 3 – Examples

Here is an essay example for this question:

Still need help writing an essay for a question like this? Connect with a coach and check out this video:

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2020/2021 Queen’s Commerce Supplementary Application: December Questions

Queen’s Commerce Supplementary Essay Examples – Question 1

“What is important to you? Why is it important?”

Queen’ Commerce Supplementary Essay: Dec. Question 1 – Template

Get started on your template here (Click File > Make a copy).

The general structure of your answer to this question should have these five parts (get the detailed breakdown of these components here):

• Part 1: Hook (<100 characters)– Optional
  • Quickly capture the reader’s attention and set up the essay so they know what to expect
• Part 2: Context (<400 characters)
  • Describe your value in a unique way as well as the background that led to this value becoming important to you. 
• Part 3: Catalyst (<450 characters)
  • Talk about why this value is important. Did you realise it was important during a tough time in your life? Was this value put in jeopardy? Use the 5 Whys method to get to the root of why this value is important.
• Part 4: Outcome (<800 characters)
  • Use an experience or story to prove why this value is important. Give the reader personal insight and provide some credibility.
• Part 5: Reflection (<250 characters)
  • Briefly summarize how this value has helped you learn and grow as a person and talk about how you plan on continuing to employ this value in the future.

COACH’S TIP: Sometimes it can be super difficult to understand what values are, why they’re important, and what values are unique to you. As a part of our Discover process, you’ll complete a Self-Aware Student Assessment, so you can find out exactly what your values are and how they align to your interests and who you are as a person. Check out this free resource to learn more about your values and skills, and connect with a coach to become more self-aware and give yourself an edge over other applicants on questions like the one above.

Queen’ Commerce Supplementary Essay: Dec. Question 1 – Examples

Here’s a Queen’s Commerce essay example for this question.

REMEMBER: Please note that all of the examples below are EXAMPLES ONLY and are NOT meant for you to copy.

Need some extra help with questions like this one? Check out this video from one of our coaches:

Queen’s Commerce Supplementary Essay Examples – Question 2

“If you could start an organization to help a cause or community in need, what issue would it address and why?”

Queen’ Commerce Supplementary Essay: Dec. Question 2 – Template

Get started on your template here (Click File > Make a copy).

The general structure of your answer to this question should have these five parts (get the detailed breakdown of these components here):

• Part 1: Hook (<150 characters) – Optional
  • Quickly capture the reader’s attention and set up the essay so they know what to expect
• Part 2: Context (<400 characters)
  • Answer the “Why” part of the question by giving the reader background about the issue that is important to you (and discuss why it’s important to you). Use the 5 Whys technique to provide as much of an insight as possible to the reader.
• Part 3: Catalyst (<500 characters)
  • Talk about the organization specifically that you would start. Discuss the cause it would help and reiterate the issues it would address. 
• Part 4: Outcome (<500 characters)
  • Talk about the efforts you’ve made to address this issue. You don’t need to have started the organization you referred to above, but you should show that you are addressing this issue somehow in your life. 
• Part 5: Reflection (<450 characters)
  • Explain how you would continue the commitment to this issue going forward during your time at Queen’s Commerce/university and in your future career. 

Queen’ Commerce Supplementary Essay: Dec. Question 2 – Examples

Here’s an essay example for this question:

Need some extra help with questions like this? Check out this video from one of our coaches:

Queen’s Commerce Supplementary Essay Examples – Question 3

“Describe a transformative experience that led to a better understanding of yourself or others.”

Queen’ Commerce Supplementary Essay: Dec. Question 3 – Template

Get started on your template here (Click File > Make a copy).

The general structure of your answer to this question should have these four parts (get the detailed breakdown of these components here):

• Part 1: Hook (<150 characters)– Optional
  • Quickly capture the reader’s attention and set up the essay so they know what to expect
• Part 2: Context (<500 characters)
  • Give some context about you and set the scene of who you were before the transformative experience happened.
• Part 3: Catalyst (<750 characters)
  • Talk about the transformative experience and give some details about how it happened. 
• Part 4: Outcome & Reflection (<600 characters)
  • Talk about what you learned and how this experience impacted you for the better (this is the ‘after’ part of your experience). Focus on 1-2 themes, while providing specific examples of the impact of this experience on your life today.

Queen’ Commerce Supplementary Essay: Dec. Question 3 – Example

Here’s an essay example for this Queen’s Commerce essay question:

Need some extra help with questions like this one? Check out this video from one of our coaches: 

2020/2021 Queen’s Commerce Supplementary Application: January Questions

Queen’s Commerce Supplementary Essay Example – Question 1

“Tell us something about you (background, an interest, a talent, etc.) that is an integral part of your identity, and why.”

Queen’ Commerce Supplementary Essay: Jan. Question 1 – Template

Get started on your template here (Click File > Make a copy).

The general structure of your answer to this question should have these five parts (get the detailed breakdown of these components here):

• Part 1: Hook (<150 characters)– Optional
  • Quickly capture the reader’s attention and set up the essay so they know what to expect
• Part 2: Context (<650 characters)
  • Describe the one part about you that you feel represents who you are. This can be a passion, interest, EC, etc. Briefly discuss how you learned about it and why it’s so important to you. 
• Part 3: Catalyst (<600 characters)
  • Talk about why this one thing is part of who you are (or who you want to be). Give as much personal insight as possible, so the reader can really connect with you and understand more about who you are. 
• Part 4: Outcome (<500 characters)
  • Discuss how this impacts who you are today and what impact it allows you to have other others (especially at Queen’s Commerce). Dig deep into the value that this brings to your peers, teachers, etc.
• Part 5: Reflection (<300 characters)
  • In two sentences, summarize the bigger picture and how this one thing will help you progress in the future.

Queen’ Commerce Supplementary Essay: Jan. Question 1 – Example

Here’s an example of how to answer this question.

REMEMBER: Please note that all of the examples below are EXAMPLES ONLY and are NOT meant for you to copy.

Still need help on how to answer questions like this one? Connect with a coach and watch this helpful video:

Queen’s Commerce Supplementary Essay Example – Question 2

“Describe a problem you’ve solved or one you’d like to solve. Why did or do you feel it is important and what steps did or would you take to solve it?” 

Queen’ Commerce Supplementary Essay: Jan. Question 2 – Template

Get started on your template here (Click File > Make a copy).

The general structure of your answer to this question should have these five parts (get the detailed breakdown of these components here):

• Part 1: Hook (<150 characters) – Optional
  • Quickly capture the reader’s attention and set up the essay so they know what to expect
• Part 2: Context (<400 characters)
  • Describe the one problem and why it’s important to you. Make sure you’re really specific here and try to use the 5 Whys Approach to give the reader deeper insight into who you are and why this is important.
• Part 3: Catalyst (<500 characters)
  • Talk about an action you’ve taken on this problem. It doesn’t have to be complicated (like starting a non-profit from the ground up), but simply show some progress that you’ve made to address this problem. 
• Part 4: Outcome (<500 characters)
  • Discuss the tangible impact you’ve taken so far. Use specific examples and numbers to measure your impact.
• Part 5: Reflection (<450 characters)
  • Explain how you will remain committed to this issue moving forward. Do you have plans to address it at Queen’s Commerce or in your career? If so, talk about that here. 

Queen’ Commerce Supplementary Essay: Jan. Question 2 – Example

Here’s a Queen’s Commerce essay example for this question:

Need some help answering questions like this one? Check out this video:

Queen’s Commerce Supplementary Essay Example – Question 3

“Think about a time where you questioned something you once thought to be true. Why did your beliefs come into question and what was the result of this reflection?”

Queen’ Commerce Supplementary Essay: Jan. Question 3 – Template

Get started on your template here (Click File > Make a copy).

The general structure of your answer to this question should have these five parts (get the detailed breakdown of these components here):

• Part 1: Hook (<150 characters)– Optional
  • Quickly capture the reader’s attention and set up the essay so they know what to expect
• Part 2: Context (<500 characters)
  • Describe who you were before your beliefs came into question. Who were you as a person then? Where were you at in life? Give some examples to make it real and foreshadow what’s to come.
• Part 3: Catalyst (<750 characters)
  • Talk about the experience that made you question the belief. Really paint the picture of the situation here, describing how it happened, why, etc. Then, discuss how this experience forced you to reflect or question your belief. 
• Part 4: Outcome & Reflection (<600 characters)
  • Highlight ways that this experience changed your belief and what you learned from it. The Context section was the ‘Before’ and this section is the ‘After’. Mention how you’ve grown and what you’ve learned, and then how it will impact your life as a student at Queen’s Commerce.

Queen’ Commerce Supplementary Essay: Jan. Question 3 – Example

Here’s a Queen’s Commerce essay example for this question: 

Need help answering questions like this? Watch this helpful video: 

Become the kind of leader Queen’s accepts.

get a youth coach™

Jessica

Smith Grad
Former App Reviewer

2019/2020 Queen’s Commerce Application 

The 2019/2020 Queen’s Commerce applicant asked prospective students to complete two supplementary essay questions, as well as the PSE List and Essay. 

In this section, we’ll provide a breakdown of exactly what the PSE is, and we’ll give you templates and examples for the two essay questions. 

The PSE is an essential component of your application. 

It contains two parts:

1. List of your achievements
2. Essay

In the PSE List, you can list up to 5 awards, 5 extracurricular activities, and 5 paid/unpaid work experiences within the last 4 years. 

Within each category, list the most recent activities first. You will have a maximum of 200 characters (including spaces) for each item on the List to discuss the context and the impact. 

Queen’s Commerce – PSE List

Queen’s Commerce Supplementary Application: PSE List – Template

Get started on your template here (Click File > Make a Copy).

There are 3 types of achievements you can include on your List:

• (1) Award or Distinction: this is something you’ve been recognized for, like winning a competition, completing a certification, a sports award, or another way you’ve been recognized. 
• (2) Extracurricular Activities: an activity that you do outside of your normal academics, like being part of a club or club, starting a non-profit, writing a book, etc.
• (3) Paid/Unpaid Work: these experiences can include paid or volunteer work, like volunteering as a coach for a softball team, working part-time at your local museum, doing freelance writing work, etc.

Still have questions? Check out this video for more information on how to write your PSE List:

Queen’s Commerce Supplementary Application: PSE List – Example

Here’s an example of an award, extracurricular, and paid/unpaid work experience.

REMEMBER: Please note that all of the examples in this guide are EXAMPLES ONLY and are NOT meant for you to copy. 

(1) Award 

Example: Competition

(2) Extracurricular Activity

Example: Club

(3)Paid/Unpaid Work

Example: Customer Service

Not sure how to write about the context and impact for your awards, activities, and work experiences? Connect with a Youth Coach to learn how to articulate your commitment, leadership, and impact and create a standout application. 

Queen’s Commerce Supplementary PSE Essay

The question for the PSE Essay was:

“Choose one extracurricular activity or one employment opportunity you have listed on your Personal Statement of Experience. In 2,000 characters, or fewer, describe the impact of this experience and the greatest learning outcome for you. Your answer will be evaluated for content and writing style.”

Queen’s Commerce Supplementary Application: PSE Essay – Template

Get started on your template here (Click File > Make a copy).

The general structure of your essay should have 5 components: 

• Part 1: Hook (<150 characters)– Optional
  • Capture the reader’s attention and give a preview of what’s to come. 
• Part 2: Context (<400 characters)
  • Write some background information about your extracurricular/work experience. Answer the 5 Ws: who, what, when, where, why? Discuss at least one emotion you had through this experience.
• Part 3: Catalyst (<400 characters)
  • Discuss an event/opportunity that happened which made you change you want to change the activity you were involved in. What steps did you take to make that change?
• Part 4: Outcome (<500 characters)
  • Write about the impact on other people and the changes you made by doing this activity. Be as specific as possible, while clearly explaining how it is now vs. how it used to be.
• Part 5: Reflection (<500 characters)
  • Describe ONE thing you learned from this experience. Try to dig deeper and think about a learning what isn’t obvious. 

As you’re working on your PSE Essay and Supplementary Essays, check out our Narrative Communication Approach™ Guide for a step-by-step breakdown of each of these components.

Not sure which extracurricular/employment opportunity to choose? By working 1-on-1 with a Youth Coach, you’ll learn which experience can help you showcase your leadership, problem solving, and communication skills so you can write a truly memorable essay.

Queen’s Commerce Supplementary Essay Example – PSE Essay

Here’s what an essay to this question might look like.

REMEMBER: Please note that all of the examples below are EXAMPLES ONLY and are NOT meant for you to copy.  

Still have questions? Check out this video about the Queen’s Commerce PSE Essay. 

2019/2020 Queen’s Commerce Supplementary Application: November Questions

Queen’s Commerce Supplementary Essay Example – Question 1

“Tell us a story that illustrates who you are.” 

Queen’ Commerce Supplementary Essay: Nov. Question 1 – Template

The essay template for this question follows the five components of our Narrative Communication Approach™ to create memorable and unique essays using storytelling.

These components are:

• Part 1: Hook(Optional)
  • Quickly capture the reader’s attention and set up the essay so they know what to expect
• Part 2: Context
  • Set the scene, answer the 5Ws (who, what, when, where, and why?). You can use a lot of the insights from your Student Identity Blueprint™ here.
• Part 3: Catalyst
  • An event or opportunity that caused a shift or change from what was normal.
• Part 4: Outcome 
  • The impact and result of the event or opportunity that occurred in the Catalyst section. Focus on intrinsic and extrinsic outcomes here.
• Part 5: Reflection
  • The moral of the story. This is where you discuss what you learned and the continued impact of your experience.  

Queen’ Commerce Supplementary Essay: Nov. Question 1 – Example

Here’s a possible answer to this essay question.

REMEMBER: Please note that all of the examples below are EXAMPLES ONLY and are NOT meant for you to copy. 

Queen’s Commerce Supplementary Essay Example – Question 2

“Reflect on something you wish had been different about your high school experience and why.” 

Queen’ Commerce Supplementary Essay: Nov. Question 2 – Template

The essay template for this question follows the five components of our Narrative Communication Approach™ to create memorable and unique essays using storytelling.

These components are:

• Part 1: Hook(Optional)
  • Quickly capture the reader’s attention and set up the essay so they know what to expect
• Part 2: Context
  • Set the scene, answer the 5Ws (who, what, when, where, and why?). You can use a lot of the insights from your Student Identity Blueprint™ here.
• Part 3: Catalyst
  • An event or opportunity that caused a shift or change from what was normal.
• Part 4: Outcome 
  • The impact and result of the event or opportunity that occurred in the Catalyst section. Focus on intrinsic and extrinsic outcomes here.
• Part 5: Reflection
  • The moral of the story. This is where you discuss what you learned and the continued impact of your experience.  

Queen’ Commerce Supplementary Essay: Nov. Question 2 – Example

Here’s an example of an answer for this essay question:

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2019/2020 Queen’s Commerce Supplementary Application: December Questions 

Queen’s Commerce Supplementary Essay Example – Question 1

“What makes you unique?”

Queen’ Commerce Supplementary Essay: Dec. Question 1 – Template

The essay template for this question follows the five components of our Narrative Communication Approach™ to create memorable and unique essays using storytelling.

These components are:

• Part 1: Hook(Optional)
  • Quickly capture the reader’s attention and set up the essay so they know what to expect
• Part 2: Context
  • Set the scene, answer the 5Ws (who, what, when, where, and why?). You can use a lot of the insights from your Student Identity Blueprint™ here.
• Part 3: Catalyst
  • An event or opportunity that caused a shift or change from what was normal.
• Part 4: Outcome 
  • The impact and result of the event or opportunity that occurred in the Catalyst section. Focus on intrinsic and extrinsic outcomes here.
• Part 5: Reflection
  • The moral of the story. This is where you discuss what you learned and the continued impact of your experience.  

Queen’ Commerce Supplementary Essay: Dec. Question 1 – Example

Here’s an essay example for this question.

REMEMBER: Please note that all of the examples below are EXAMPLES ONLY and are NOT meant for you to copy.

Queen’s Commerce Supplementary Essay Example – Question 2

“Reflect on a time when you were treated unfairly and what that experience taught you.”

Queen’ Commerce Supplementary Essay: Dec. Question 2 – Template

The essay template for this question follows the five components of our Narrative Communication Approach™ to create memorable and unique essays using storytelling.

These components are:

• Part 1: Hook(Optional)
  • Quickly capture the reader’s attention and set up the essay so they know what to expect
• Part 2: Context
  • Set the scene, answer the 5Ws (who, what, when, where, and why?). You can use a lot of the insights from your Student Identity Blueprint™ here.
• Part 3: Catalyst
  • An event or opportunity that caused a shift or change from what was normal.
• Part 4: Outcome 
  • The impact and result of the event or opportunity that occurred in the Catalyst section. Focus on intrinsic and extrinsic outcomes here.
• Part 5: Reflection
  • The moral of the story. This is where you discuss what you learned and the continued impact of your experience.  

Queen’ Commerce Supplementary Essay: Dec. Question 2 – Example

Here’s an example of an answer to this essay question:

2019/2020 Queen’s Commerce Supplementary Application: January Questions

Queen’s Commerce Supplementary Essay Example – Question 1

“Describe an experience that influenced the person you are today.”

Queen’ Commerce Supplementary Essay: Jan. Question 1 – Template

The essay template for this question follows the five components of our Narrative Communication Approach™ to create memorable and unique essays using storytelling.

These components are:

• Part 1: Hook(Optional)
  • Quickly capture the reader’s attention and set up the essay so they know what to expect
• Part 2: Context
  • Set the scene, answer the 5Ws (who, what, when, where, and why?). You can use a lot of the insights from your Student Identity Blueprint™ here.
• Part 3: Catalyst
  • An event or opportunity that caused a shift or change from what was normal.
• Part 4: Outcome 
  • The impact and result of the event or opportunity that occurred in the Catalyst section. Focus on intrinsic and extrinsic outcomes here.
• Part 5: Reflection
  • The moral of the story. This is where you discuss what you learned and the continued impact of your experience.  

Queen’ Commerce Supplementary Essay: Jan. Question 1 – Example

Here’s an essay example for this question.

REMEMBER: Please note that all of the examples below are EXAMPLES ONLY and are NOT meant for you to copy. 

Queen’s Commerce Supplementary Essay Example – Question 2

‘“You Belong.” Reflect on what this means to you.’ 

Queen’ Commerce Supplementary Essay: Jan. Question 2 – Template

The essay template for this question follows the five components of our Narrative Communication Approach™ to create memorable and unique essays using storytelling.

These components are:

• Part 1: Hook(Optional)
  • Quickly capture the reader’s attention and set up the essay so they know what to expect
• Part 2: Context
  • Set the scene, answer the 5Ws (who, what, when, where, and why?). You can use a lot of the insights from your Student Identity Blueprint™ here.
• Part 3: Catalyst
  • An event or opportunity that caused a shift or change from what was normal.
• Part 4: Outcome 
  • The impact and result of the event or opportunity that occurred in the Catalyst section. Focus on intrinsic and extrinsic outcomes here.
• Part 5: Reflection
  • The moral of the story. This is where you discuss what you learned and the continued impact of your experience.  

Queen’ Commerce Supplementary Essay: Jan. Question 2 – Example

Here’s an essay example for this essay question:

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Our coaches have a strong success rate supporting students as they apply to Queen’s Commerce, among other top university programs.

Our 1-on-1 Youth Coaching fills that gap that most high schools miss. We can help you build self-awareness through probing questions and assessments, set bigger goals to elevate your extracurriculars and future career plans, and improve skills that matter on supplementary applications, such as interviewing, written communication, critical thinking, and creativity.

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