• admissions

    an especially early highschool freak-out

    December 4, 2015

    Hi
    I am in grade 11, but i took my advanced functions this year. I am in the AP class, and I currently am only getting an 81 in it. Since it is AP, we have already finished all of the work for the course, all that is left is the exam. Is an 81 good enough to be accepted into u of t life science if all of my other courses are in the 90s? or will that one mark ruin my chance of being accepted, since it is a required course for the program?
    Thanks

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    first of all: this is an inherently flawed question, because there’s no way to even?guess at whether you’d be admitted based on one mark. that being said, this answer is going to be limited to GENERAL PLATITUDES that will hopefully calm your soul a little bit in this troubling time of exams and winter slush.

    FIRSTLY:?an 81?is not a bad mark,?especially in AP. it may lower your average a little bit, but?if the rest of your courses will be?in the 90s (or even the high 80s), you’re still on the right track.

    SECONDLY: it is very hard to say every year what the cut-off for admission will be in every program, because so much of it depends on the competition – how good is everyone else who’s applying compared to you? however, there are trends, and they might be more comforting than you would imagine.

    the admission grade range in life science for?Fall 2015 was in the low to mid 80s?- which means that even your ‘bad’ mark is within the admission range for this past year.

    this does not mean that i am guaranteeing that you will be admitted to life science, or even to uoft. i have no way of knowing that. all i am saying is that you are doing well, and if you continue to work hard, you will likely have a good chance of being?admitted.

    finally: university is four years of non-stop stress. i don’t want to invalidate the stress you are feeling in high school – because it is very real – but i do want to give you a gentle reminder to stop and smell the roses, when you can. acknowledge your successes. try and enjoy what is left of high school. allow yourself to be at least a bit excited about university, along with being anxious about it. have a cookie. go for a walk in the crunchy fall leaves. take four deep breaths in and out after finishing this post.

    and best of luck 🙂

    cheers,

    aska

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  • admissions,  americans,  med school,  other schools (boo!)

    strap on your toque, yankee, you’re in for a wild ride

    November 25, 2015

    Hi, I am a US student thinking of applying to U of T. I’ve heard many many rumors of the soul crushing undergraduate experience at U of T. As a hopeful medical school applicant, would I be better off grades wise in a top university in the US or is Toronto not as terrible as it seems? I’d really like to go to Toronto but I’m worried….
    Thanks!

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    that depends on which U.S. universities you’re thinking of, my friend. are we talking state universities or Ivy League? even within state universities, there’s a lot of variety in terms of quality. the comparison you’re making is going to be very different depending on which other schools you’re thinking about.

    i can’t tell you how well you’re going to do at uoft. i wish i could, but it would be disingenuous. the best i can do is give you a couple of factors that will influence your experience here, and that you can consider before making your decision:

    1. uoft is one of, if not the, most academically intensive universities in canada. i won’t go so far as to say that it’s the “Harvard of the North” (because we gotta stay humble out here in the 6ix), but it is very academic. uoft is an institution focused on research, and that goes right down to the undergraduate level. from day 1, you will be required to treat your school like a full-time job. if you excelled in high school, if you’re willing to work hard, and if you’re interested in the material, that is by no means impossible. but it does require a serious commitment to focus on your academics.
    2. uoft is very big – and i feel like you can’t really understand the real implications of that bigness until you actually get here. it can be very isolating. there are lots of wonderful, small communities within uoft where you can feel connected and valuable (your college community, residence community, seminar courses, extracurriculars, etc.) but if you don’t search all that out, you can feel a little stranded. and, trust me, if you feel distanced from and unappreciated by your school – like you could skip class, not do the assignments, etc. and no one would notice – that can have a very real effect on your schoolwork. a lot of U.S. universities have that small, collegiate feel throughout the entire institution, but at uoft, you have to do some digging.
    3. two positive points now: keep in mind that if you are graduating from a world-class university, medical schools are going to know that your GPA will not be as high as people who graduated from less academically rigorous schools. they will factor that into the application; everyone’s GPA is not equal.
    4. second: GPA is not the only factor medical schools look at! MCAT scores and extracurricular experience are also important parts of your application. that’s where toronto is ideal. we have a lot?of hospitals here. a?lot. “hospital alley” is within walking distance of uoft, and there are lots of opportunities to volunteer and gain valuable experience at each of them.
    5. finally: i know that americans think canada is just, like…cold america, but keep in mind that culture shock can be a difficult thing to manage, especially in first year (that’s not to say that we don’t have people to help you deal with that – because we do). you’ll be moving far away from home all on your own, meeting all new people and learning to stand on your own two feet, even more so than domestic students, who might just be a car ride away from home.

    i know that’s a lot of information, but keep in mind that you have time to mull it all over. uoft is a wonderful place to be. it’s in the middle of an amazing city, it’s a nexus of?research and innovation and exciting student life, we have cool people and exciting courses and i am so glad i’m here. BUT it’s not for everyone. so do think carefully about it.

    one last piece of advice: if you can manage to get up here and tour the place a bit before deciding, i find that’s often helpful.

    cheers,

    aska

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  • admissions,  physics

    up that grade

    September 18, 2015

    I’m out of high school and upgrading for a year. I do not yet know what I want to do but I am leaning towards life sciences/ medicine. I took Bio and Chem, and have OK math marks (not superb but I didn’t fail). Would you recommend taking physics as part of my upgrade?

    Thank you so much for your advice! I really appreciate it!
    Sincerely,
    A confused student

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    by upgrading, do you mean that you’re taking high school courses before applying to your undergrad?

    if so, taking physics will not necessarily improve your application. if you’re not applying to a program that requires physics, then there’s no reason that having taken physics will be beneficial for you.*

    as a high school applicant to uoft, your admission is based on the average mark of your top 6 grade 12 university or mixed courses, including any prerequisites to the program you’ve applied to.

    if physics isn’t required and you don’t anticipate doing very well, then it might not be a great idea to take it. what you may want to do instead is take courses where you think you’ll do well. that way, the courses you take will increase your average and give you a better chance of being admitted.

    not to generalize, but if your math marks were only ok, then you will probably find physics difficult. now, i don’t know you, and i could be wrong about that. ultimately, it is your decision. if you think you will do extremely well in physics, then by all means: take it.

    however, you shouldn’t be taking a course as part of an upgrade that you aren’t fairly certain will be among your strengths.

    as for medical school – physics will not make or break your application, especially at the high school level. med school actually has relatively loose requirements in terms of which courses you have to take. it’s all about your marks, interview, and MCAT scores there.

    so ultimately, your primary focus should be your confidence level around physics. if you feel it’s going to be too difficult, don’t feel pressured to take it.

    best of luck with it!

    aska

    *obviously, if you’re applying to a program that DOES require physics, then you should take it.

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  • admissions,  residence,  subject POST

    application for what

    August 5, 2015

    hi aska! I want to know when is the exact date when application starts?

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    application for what, my friend? there’s about a billion things you can apply for at this university. there’s so much stuff you can apply for that the institution is grinding out these obsessive, application-writing machines, people who are never satisfied and are always looking for new things to add to their resume. it’s like school creates within you this pathological dissatisfaction with your current situation, so you always want more, NEED more –

    but i digress. here are a few common application timelines:

    application for admission to the Faculty of Arts & Science: unfortunately, i can’t find a specific opening date for this one. it opens in the Fall (that’s as specific as the uoft admissions website gets, but OUAC’s 105 applications open in mid-September and you can take a look at the timeline for 101 applications on page 3 of this document), and closes January 30th (in 2015).

    application for residence: opens when you receive your JOINid (shortly after you apply) and you can log into MyRes, and closes March 31st (in 2015).

    deadline to apply for a type 2/3 subject POSt: opens April 1st, closes August 30th.

    deadline to enrol in a type 1 subject POSt: opens April 1st, closes September 27th.

    deadline to bring aska snacks: never. always feel free to bring snacks. aska accepts donations year-round.

    cheers,

    aska

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  • admissions,  engineering

    “graduate school in engineeri – ” nope. nopity nope.

    June 10, 2015

    Hey!

    I recently decided to attend UofT for computer engineering and I was?wondering if the 3.6 GPA requirement is as strict with engineering students as it is with other (because you know, it just aint easy being an engineer)

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    why tell aska whether you’re applying to undergrad or grad studies? she doesn’t need to know! that would’ve just been just TOO EASY for her, huh?

    my HUNCH is that you’re applying to grad school, both because of the GPA requirement and because of your cynical, embittered use of the word “ain’t.” that cold, hard cynicism is usually underdeveloped in 17-year-olds. though not always.

    engineering tends to be one of the more no-nonsense disciplines at uoft – and at most universities, acutally. i guess spending a life around gears and wiring requires being absolutely wrung out at school.

    point is, if they say a B+, then they mean it.

    in addition, ECE specifically states that you need at least an A- to be competitive. i doubt they’re joking around about that, either. also, “[s]tudents with academic records equal to or below the minimum eligibility requirement are strongly discouraged from applying.”

    if they wrote that in bold on their admissions page, it’s probably there for a reason.

    however, if you’re uncertain about how your qualifications match up, you can always use their international degree equivalencies tool. you can also just call them up, because sometimes departments are willing to chat with people about where they stand, admissions-wise.

    good luck with grad studies in engineering. like, seriously. i hope you enjoy the gears and wiring and stuff.

    cheers,

    aska

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  • admissions,  odds are that won't be asked again

    really, where would we be without grade 9’s?

    June 1, 2015

    I recently go suspended for three days for using axe aand some else lit it on fire. Im in grade 9 and this is the first time in my life I got suspended. I for wont do it again though. My dream is to enter uoft for engineering but will this suspension affect me in any way. Will I get asked of a suspension? If so, should I say no? Thanks in advance.

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    i’m so sorry, bud. i know this must be really hard for you.

    but this is so funny. it takes a lot to make a dried-up old internet veteran like myself experience joy anymore, but i think you just might’ve managed it.

    honestly, i’m trying to think of something witty to say or some way to sass you out, but i am just speechless. you literally. lit your axe. on fire. you can’t make this stuff up, ladies and gentlemen.

    thank you. thank you, for sharing your story with the world.

    anyway: no, this won’t affect your admissions chances in any way. the only thing the university looks at is your high school transcript. as long as your marks are good, that’s all that matters.

    try not to burn any more axe, though, eh? that stuff’s deadly. and, just a tip, as someone who’s known a lot of grade 9 boys in their life: lay off the axe. girls don’t like it. guys don’t like it. just trust aska and switch to something less abrasive – you’ll thank me some day.

    xoxo,

    aska

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  • admissions,  engineering

    who appeals to engineering?

    May 28, 2015

    Hi 🙁 If i am refused admission to an engineering program, what are the chances of me being reconsidered after my final marks of the semester are out, if they are much higher? To whom may I write an appeal to? (I called the engineering office and they encouraged me to write an appeal) And what do you recommend I write?
    Also, on my rejection e-mail, it says that after June 4, OUAC will list the programs that have space remaining in UofT. How likely is it that engineering programs will be on this list?
    Thank you aska, i’ve asked u a lot of questions in the past and u always come through. Thank u <3 hopefully i can be at uoft starting next year and continue to pester u with questions lmao

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    i’ve never heard of any faculty at uoft considering an admissions appeal, so i’m surprised that anyone at engineering told you to write one. it’s not mentioned in engineering’s explanation of appeals and petitions, and appeals tend to be for current students.

    if they were to accept it, though, feel free to ask enrolment services who you can address it to, and how you should structure it. i don’t think i can give much advice on how to write it though, since i didn’t even think it was possible.

    i have no idea if engineering will be on that list. it’s possible you might get an alternative offer in engineering – track one instead electrical, for example. however, since i don’t know what your grades look like and i don’t know how engineering handles admissions, i can’t say how likely that is. you might get an alternate offer from the faculty of arts & science. you might not receive an alternate offer at all. i’m not sure.

    it’s possible that you’ll be reconsidered for admission when your final marks come out. decisions are being made on an ongoing basis, so you may still hear something; again, this is something that’s decided internally by admissions and i have no way of knowing when the last batch of decisions will be made.

    i realize that i pretty much just gave you three paragraphs saying ‘i don’t know’ in different words, and i’m sorry about that. i’m sorry i wasn’t able to come through with such great news this time; unfortunately, admissions is just one of those things that the university likes to keep under lock and key. and then put in a box. and then lock that box. and then throw the box in a river.

    the best thing you can do is keep in communication with enrolment services and the engineering undergraduate admissions office with any of these questions. they will do everything they can to answer your questions and help you out.

    best of luck, and i hope it works out,

    aska

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  • admissions,  Transferring

    apply, apply, good friends, apply

    May 22, 2015

    Hey,

    So I missed the January deadline to apply as an internal applicant tot ransfer from UTSC to St. George. Is there any point in applying now for September 2015 studies at St.George or do you think I need to wait until next year and hope that I can be approved to study downtown in second semester?

    Just wondering.

    Thanks a bunch!

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    assuming you’re applying to the faculty of arts & science, you missed the deadline by quite a long shot there. i’m not sure if it would still be possible for you to apply the traditional way.

    however, you’ve got nothing to lose by contacting enrolment services, explaining your situation, and asking if there’a any way for you to apply at this point.

    i’m not saying thereis a way, but it’s always worth it to ask.

    if you do have to wait though, you’ll have to wait the full year. because a lot of downtown courses are full-year courses, full-time degree students can only be admitted to the faculty in the Fall term of any given year.

    best of luck,

    aska

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  • admissions,  rotman

    rotman but like not at rotman

    May 19, 2015

    Hi,

    I am currently a high school student in South Asia, studying under the British curriculum (O/A levels). I am looking forward to applying to Rotman Commerce (undergrad) for Fall 2016 and that is my first choice as well. I was wondering, what kind of AS level grades do I need so that I have a chance to get in? Also, about the supplementary application, is the essay question usually related to ECA’s? Any tips on how to nail the supplementary app?

    This part of the question might sound a little stupid (I apologize in advance) but if one doesn’t get admitted into Rotman, can they still study commerce at UofT St. George, merely under the faculty of arts and science instead of Rotman commerce?

    Any help would be appreciated!!

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    despite the fact that i have answered questions about the British-patterned system before, i’m still a little shaky on exactly what it all means. it’s like when you learn french in school and then you go to montreal or paris and all of a sudden you’re not entirely sure how this language actually works.

    so this is what the admissions website says: “At least five different IGCSE/GCSE/Ordinary Level academic subjects and four different Advanced Subsidiary academic subjects OR three different Advanced Level/International Advanced Level academic subjects.” meaning you need at least 4 AS courses or three A level courses, as far as i can tell.

    as for grades, you’ll need to achieve all ‘A’s’ at the A and O levels, and you’re required to take English and A/AS Maths. like i said, i don’t really know what that means, but i hope it means something to you.

    i have no idea what ECA’s are. if that’s a rotman thing, i’ve never heard of it. i’m going to take a wild guess and assume it’s shorthand for ‘extra-curricular activities,’ but if it means something else, i’m sorry.

    if you’re asking about extra-curriculars, rotman explicitly states that the supplemental application allows you to “tell [them] about your interests, accomplishments and goals in and outside of the classroom.” basically, you’ll want to focus on stuff that you would highlight in a cover letter. so yeah, extra-curriculars will probably come into it.

    i can’t give that many personal tips on applying because i’m not in rotman – i chose a far more useless program than that – but following the tips that rotman itself gives might not be a bad idea:

    1. the video response is timed (you have one hour) so it would be smart to have some notes prepared beforehand. make sure they’re easy for you to understand, and maybe try rehearsing points you want to highlight a couple of times.

    2. make sure you’re familiar with your video software of choice before beginning. you don’t want to have to do any technical troubleshooting in the middle of your application.

    3. prepare a comfortable environment in which to complete the application. have water nearby, sit in a bedroom or study that’s familiar to you, and aim for as quiet and calm a workspace as you can get. make sure that one hour is the most serene hour you’ve ever had.

    and finally, unfortunately, you can’t study commerce outside of Rotman. if you want to study commerce, it has to be through Rotman (on the downtown campus); no loopholes. that’s some smart thinking, though – you’ll be a great businessperson.

    best of luck with your application,

    aska

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  • admissions

    admissions traditions (see also: worrying, hair falling out, nail biting)

    May 4, 2015

    hiya aska, stupid me, I bombed one of my classes (chemistry) and I got a 47% as a final mark, and I’m retaking it in night school. I was going into a science specialty, but I thought about it some more & figured that science wasn’t for me (even though I applied to a biology program) and I figured out that I want to go into classical studies. Would I still be able to get into U of T with my marks (I have a midterm averagee of 75, which is the bio program requirement). Do I have any hope at all?:/

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    it’s usually pretty hard for me to make any kind of claim about how likely people are to get into uoft, since I have exactly zero say or insight in admissions things. (i have zero say or insight on most things, including my own life. i’m kind of like rachel green in the first season of friends, but i don’t look nearly as good in aprons and miniskirts).

    however, i can say that if you hit the admissions average right on the nose, you still have a chance at getting in. the anticipated admissions average for fall 2015 in life science is low to mid 80s. you’re obviously under that, but not too far under. also, chem isn’t required for biology, which is lucky. and if you don’t get in this time, you can always apply again next year, after you’ve got that chem out of the way.

    it’s worth noting that if you applied to the life science stream, you’ll be assessed for admission to life science. you can totally switch to classics once you get here, but for admissions purposes, if you applied as life sci, you’re life sci., meaning that you’ll be competing against the averages of other kids who applied to life sci.

    best of luck with your application,

    aska

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  • admissions

    finally, someone catches a break

    April 16, 2015

    Hey Aska!

    i received my offer of admission from UTSG for Life Sciences recently and just received the official package through mail. I’m extremely excited and I am 99.9% sure I will be accepting this offer, barring any last minute epiphany, but I’m doubtful of that.

    Anyways, on the letter, detailing the terms and conditions of my admission, it states ‘You have been given a clear offer of admission with no additional conditions.’ However, I would expect that it’s safe to assume that UTSG would revoke my offer if my average drops significantly?

    My friends who also received offers of admission from UTSG for Life Sciences said that their packages have stated they are expected to retain at least a 75%. So should I look to retain at least a 75%? My admission average is right in between low 80s to mid 80s so I am a little suspicious as to why I was given a ‘clear offer of admission’ without given any specific grade conditions.

    I might be reading a little too much into this, but I’m not too confident about my exams and I don’t want to do anything that may jeopardize my admission to UTSG.

    Thanks for your help! You rock!

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    if you’ve been given a clear offer of admission without any conditions, then that means that you have already completed the requirements that the university used to determine your admission. i’m not sure exactly what those requirements were, so i can’t say what you did to warrant a condition-free acceptance, but if that’s what the university is telling you in your offer of admission, then there’s no reason to question it.

    so technically, your offer isn’t conditional and can’t be revoked, BUT that’s no reason to slack off and not do the best you can on your exams.

    if you want any more information about your admission offer specifically, feel free to contact your college registrar’s office.

    see you around in september!

    aska

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  • admissions

    when you’re in, you’re in (almost always)

    April 13, 2015

    Can conditional offers become final offers before the end of the grade 12 year?

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    as long as you maintain the conditions of your offer of admission, the offer will not be retracted.

    so i guess technically, no, because the offers are only final once you actually get your high school diploma, but if you got an offer and you maintain the conditions of your acceptance, you’re in!

    cheers,

    aska

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  • admissions,  engineering

    i just love mac n cheese. better than engineering, definitely.

    March 26, 2015

    hey aska
    im extremely upset today because i just did very poorly on a very important test and midterm marks are due in about three weeks. basically im a grade 12 student. i know u guys hate admissions questions but please try to answer me truthfully so i can mentally prepare myself for failure if it’s to come. i was sure that i can get low 90s in physics and calculus but i think i’ll be getting high 80s (like around 88) in both of them (this is the most likely case, there is a chance of me getting a 90 on the dot). i had a low 80 in advanced functions so i was trying to make up for it with my calculus and physics marks but that’s not happening. i had a low 90 in chemistry and biology and have high 90s in english and my elective. what are my chances of getting into uoft engineering (chemical or civil)? my average should be around 89 at the lowest, 91 at the highest. i would say i did well on my video interview and i have very strong extracurriculars – i think i have a strong student profile form.

    please help me sorry i cant sound happier

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    aww man – we don’t actually hate admissions questions, y’all. it’s just a bit of teasing. if you guys stopped sending us questions, where would aska be at home in a big t-shirt and no pants, probably, eating mac n cheese and watching totally spies on netflix.

    which, yes, sounds pretty great, but it likely wouldn’t be good for my general well-being in the long run.

    firstly: i can’t guarantee that you’re going to get in. i can never guarantee that, especially for engineering, which just gets more and more competitive every year.

    however, there is really not that much difference between an 89% and a 91%. like, regardless of how good those marks are, 3% is not going to make or break your chances. secondly (and most importantly), that’s a very good average. that is a competitive average, no question about it.

    like i said, i can’t guarantee admission because i have literally zero influence on anything that actually happens at this university, BUT i do know that an 89% is nothing to panic about.

    “but aska,” i hear you saying, “you have no credibility. all your posts are in lowercase and you started your answer by talking about wearing no pants while eating mac n cheese. you’re constantly talking garbage and it rarely makes sense. why should i trust you?”

    well, you can take a look at the admission grade range for engineering students in 2012 for proof. the admission grade range then for chemical and civil engineering was low-80s. granted, that number may have gone up a little since 2012, but not by much. so you’re solidly above the grade range of students who are accepted. that doesn’t guarantee you will be accepted, but it bodes well.

    cheers,

    aska

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