Sorry for the super long testimonial, but you deserve it! I hope it at least makes you smile a tiny bit inside and thank you x's infinity.

Honestly, most of the questions are about your application. Be prepared to talk about anything.

Some personal stuff might be like your hobbies, what you did in the summer, etc. – it could really be anything. One thing I would suggest is making sure you understand leadership – what leadership is, what it means to be a leader, how you've demonstrated those qualities, etc. Reflect on that.

Grade 12 is absolutely fine for applying to Shad. When you're actually in the program, you'll notice most of the students are from Gr. 11, some from Gr. 12, and a few from Gr. 10. But for the most part, no one really knows/cares how old you are – everyone is treated equally.

I actually started writing a Shad post, then I got a bit lost, and I stopped writing it… I wasn't really sure what I wanted to say without giving out too much info (part of the great thing about Shad are all the surprises).

I would say that Shad is great for everyone – I saw many of the more introverted people become more outgoing, and many over-the-top outgoing people learned to take it down a notch at the right moments.

But for sure, definitely apply – you won't regret it! =)

I'm also applying to Shad Valley this year. Do you think Grade 12 is too old to apply? Unfortunately, I was entirely clueless about Shad until last week.

It would be fantastic if you could share your experience at Shad with us in a blog post. What were the best things about the program? Was it a life-changing event for you? What advice do you have for the applications (the first deadline has passed already, however there's still one in January)? And what about the mindset going into the program? You said that you were somewhat introverted, so would naturally shy kids do well in the program, or is it mainly geared to outgoing, communicative, affable teens?

Once again, your blog is astounding! I'm definitely a fan

Thanks for the kind words =)

That's a great quote – I mean I don't think labels/generalizations are always bad things, as long as they are being used for good and not for harm. But they can become harmful if it makes you believe you have to live by them.

Shad was the best extra-curricular-type program or event I have ever been to. It affected me on a deeper level than even the other students I experienced it with probably realized, because I tend to keep my emotions or feelings bottled up inside. I wouldn't say Shad was the defining experience in terms of how I view or think about the world today, but I'm sure it played an important role.

I could write a whole article on it(and I probably should), but long story short, I noticed positive changes in almost everyone who attended Shad. This change isn't the same from one person to the next – everyone gets something different out of the experience.

Personally, I am admittedly not the most outgoing person (my friends don't believe it, but it's true), and I went into Shad hoping it would help me change that. But it didn't. Shad didn't help me learn what I expected or wanted; instead, it taught me exactly what I needed at that moment in my life.

I would keep going, but I think that it makes for a great story, and I don't want to ruin it. Thanks for the inspiration though, I think I'll write that story this weekend.

If you have any questions about Shad though, feel free to ask!

-Alex