Smith Commerce High School Liaison

Students will have a set amount of time to complete each of the questions. They will have the opportunity to look at a video that introduces them to the platform, what’s required of them, the rubric will be posted, etc. For the video response they have a short amount of time for prep, and then a set amount of time to answer the question in. The written response does not have “prep” time, but instead gives them a set amount of time to respond and it will have a character maximum. More information can be found here. 

Video Submission

The applicant is recorded when they answer the question, and then that video recording is saved to their file to be assessed by the reviewers. No one will be watching the applicant complete their verbal submission.   

How much time do you have to prepare/record the video and submit?

Applicants will have 45 seconds after the question is asked to prep, and then they have 2 minutes to record their response. 

How long do applicants have to submit the written response?

They will have 10 minutes to write and submit their written response. 

Can applicants submit the written response, take a break/log out of the application, and return to submit the video response later or must both be submitted at the same time?

The written and video submission do not have to be submitted all at once. In fact, when an applicant signs in and creates their account in Kira Talent, they do not have to start their submission at that time. If they wish to complete their written assessment and then take a break and come back to do their verbal response at a different time, they can do that. If they have not started the process of answering the question (the system gives them plenty of warning before they start the “real thing”), they are not required to submit. However, if they receive the view the question on the screen (for written or verbal) and they start responding, and then exit the system, their submission would be incomplete and result in a low score.

For the video, can students record multiple times and delete, or must they complete the response in one-shot? 

It will be recorded in one shot. Faculties are looking for thoughtful reflection, not perfection. The rubric will also accurately reflect what they’re looking for, and if reviewed by the applicant, will help to set them up for success. 

Do they get a choice of topics?

No, there will be no choice of topics. They are chosen at random for the applicant when they sign into the system and indicate they want to start their submission.  

Where can I find the practice questions?

Practice questions and demos will be available to the applicant when they sign onto the platform for the first time. 

What if an applicant loses their internet connection in the middle of recording/submitting? Will they be penalized for that, or do they get to re-submit?

If a student experiences an issue while submitting their Supplementary Application such as the internet connection goes down, they should reach out to suppapp@queensu.ca to let us know about the issue. From there, we can confirm with Kira what happened and where appropriate, we can grant the student access to the system again (we are in the process of getting this email set up and operational).

What if an applicant requires an accommodation?

If an applicants need more time with their submission, or another type of accommodation, they should reach out to suppapp@queensu.ca and we can work with them to get the documentation we need to accommodate the request.  

Every applicant will get a different set of questions, correct? Will the questions be drawn from a bank as before?

There could be times where two applicants receive the same questions, however, they are randomized. It will be a brand-new bank of questions, so nothing that we asked in the past will be included in this year’s questions. There is a bank of verbal questions, and a bank of written questions.