• admissions,  grad school,  grades

    automatically rejected?

    February 5, 2016

    Hey,

    So im a 3rd year physics specialist, and i took a course That was not required for my degree( Just for the fun of it) and i got the mark back and its 50. This Is the first time i have gotten a mark like This. I am usually a high 70-low 80 Student. I had prospects for physics graduate school at uoft and some other school in Ontario. M’y question Is: How Bad Is going to look on applications or am i automatically rejected? Also, Is it possible to ask my college to base This course on a cr/ncr basis? I only took the course for fun. It has nothing to do with my study. The test of my marks for This semester have been 3.7-4.0, So Can i make a case That This Is not a representation of my academic ability? I am worried because Most Schools look at last two years and This Is going to be a cold sore of sorts in my transcript. Thanks

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    you can always ask, but it’s unlikely that your college will make the course credit/non-credit after the course is over. like, very unlikely.

    however, the fact that your mark is so unusual, and that it has nothing to do with physics, can only help your application to graduate school. that means that when a graduate admissions committee looks at your transcript, they are more likely to see this particular mark as a fluke. yes, it might cause your GPA to dip a little, but it’s not going to ruin your chances.

    the M.Sc. requires at least a B+ average or better, so if you’ve been sitting at a 3.7+ GPA, this mark probably will not be the tipping point from accepted to not. in other words, your GPA leaves wiggle room for a mark like this.

    now i want to be clear that i’m not guaranteeing your admission to any program: competition varies widely from year to year and i can’t make very accurate predictions because i haven’t seen your transcript. all i’m saying is that all hope is not lost.

    something that might help your application, if you feel comfortable doing so, is sending an explanatory letter along with your application. most admissions committees will allow you to send along a letter explaining any unique circumstances or unusual results. you can use this opportunity to explain the outlying mark – just make sure to ask whether they’ll accept such a letter first.

    cheers,

    aska

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  • admissions,  international relations

    IRe over IR requirements

    January 27, 2016

    Hello!
    I’m in grade 12 now and really hoping to get into International Relations at U of T! I read online that math was recommended….but unfortunately I didn’t take it this year. It’s not my best subject, but I could probably switch into if I had too. I’m just wondering if I won’t get in unless I have that credit…like will I not be accepted? It would probably bring down my average a ton (93%), but getting in is super important to me. I’m not really worried about doing economics in first year without it, as I would take the lower level course. Please advise!! Thank you:)

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    before we get started, a quick primer on how programs work at uoft: to get a degree from the faculty of arts & science, you need to be in one specialist, two majors, or one major and two minors. none of these combinations are better or more prestigious than any others – it’s all about how you want to organize your degree.

    so, depending on whether you want to stick strictly (there’s a tongue twister) to IR, or add some other disciplines to your studies, you might be more interested in either the IR specialist or the major, respectively.

    if you want to do the specialist, they do recommend that you take ECO100Y1 instead of 105Y1 (which is the less intense version of 100), so you would need to take advanced functions and calculus for that course.

    since you don’t apply directly to programs in your first year, you definitely wouldn’t get rejected from uoft based on not having the math (i’m assuming you applied to the humanities or social science stream, which doesn’t require math) – however, once you get here, you wouldn’t be able to take ECO100, and therefore be eligible to apply for the IR specialist, UNLESS you had taken advanced functions and calculus in high school.

    if you’re concerned about your average, one thing i might suggest is taking those two maths in summer school. keep in mind that you’ll still likely have to send those transcripts in to the university, so you’ll need to maintain a certain average, but hopefully there won’t be as much pressure as during the school year, and you can really focus on doing well.

    if you want to do the major, things are a little different. the IR major will accept both ECO100Y1 and ECO105Y1, and doesn’t indicate any preference for one or the other. ECO105Y1 does NOT require or recommend that you take calculus beforehand.

    this is a lot to think about, but don’t worry: you have time to think about it. take it slow, reflect on your options, and if you have any questions, aska’s here.

    cheers,

    aska

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  • admissions

    they Begin

    January 19, 2016

    Hi, there
    I am a BC grade 12 student, I am planing to go to u of t life science or psychology next year, I am taking cal 12, chem 12, physics 12, English 12 and pre cal 12. My first term avg is 80.4%(and my past years grade arnt good), and I have quite a lot extra curriculum. I want to ask if I have any chances to get into u of t life science or psychology, also,should I apply for UTM or UTSC or St. G if I want to have a larger chance to get in?

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    dear highschooler: you should feel proud of the long legacy you’re entering. i bet you didn’t know that you were becoming part of a legacy by writing this question, did you? well, you are. the legacy of FRICKIN’ KEENERS asking me whether they’ll get into uoft*. take a look at this tag to learn about your proud heritage (also if you’d like to see what i’ve said to other people in similar situations).

    before i say anything, the caveat for any type of admissions questions is that your guess is as good as mine. the admissions committee has the final say, so anything and everything i say may not pan out as i’ve said it. do not sue. thanks.

    the anticipated admission grade ranges of people coming in to first year for life science in 2015 was in the low to mid 80s. you’re right on the cusp of that lower end. depending on your grade 11 marks, you might even dip below it a little. that’s not to say that you have no chance, and i would urge you to still apply, but you may want to consider applying to other campuses and universities as well.

    as for psychology: that’s a subject POSt (program of study) and not a degree POSt. when you enter into first year in the faculty of arts & science, you’re in a degree POSt – humanities, life sciences, physical sciences and mathematics, or social sciences. after first year, you decide on a subject program of study, which is a more specific are of focus.

    psychology is pretty popular on the downtown campus. typically, you need to have received a mark in the 80s in PSY100H1 to get into the program (though the minimum cut-off is 75%). unfortunately i don’t have more stats about how many people apply versus how many people get in.

    and that’s it! if you’re doing exams right now (i don’t really know how school works in BC), good luck. if not, also good luck with just…living and stuff.

    best,

    aska

    * don’t worry, i was one once too. yes, i admit it. there’s no shame in being a keener. accept yourself. aska does.

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  • admissions,  enrollment

    a B.A. in science, or what i like to call…just a regular B.Sc.

    December 14, 2015

    Hello!!!

    I would like do complete another BA. My previous BA I completed at Ryerson University and this time I would like to complete it at UFT. Reason being, career change and my grades from my previous BA are simply not high enough for the program I would like to qualify for.

    My undergraduates degree was Early Childhood Education, this time I would like to complete a degree majoring with the sciences. My questions are as follows:

    Can I complete another BA?

    In high school I only took the required sciences, do I need to go back and take the science courses I missed?

    In doing this, will UFT look negatively on my application?

    Many thanks

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    unfortunately, you cannot complete a second B.A. if you already have a B.A.

    HOWEVER, since you want to major in a science, you’re probably not looking at an arts degree anyway, but a B.Sc. so your first question is kind of irrelevant.

    you can take a look at exactly which high school science courses you need for the degree program of study you’re interested in here.

    if you have to take some high school courses now in order to be eligible to apply, no, the university will not count that against your application.

    best of luck with it,

    aska

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  • 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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