• admissions,  colleges

    i’ve scared the populace

    January 30, 2014

    Hi there,
    Thank you so much for answering all those questions. It’s super helpful ! I’d like to ask if the choice of college determines whether you’ll be accepted or not accepted in Uof’T ? I chose Victoria University as my first choice and University College as my second, so if I dont get admitted in Victoria, will the other colleges look at my applications?

    Thanks a ton.
    Regards.

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    aww man, it’s been a while since the last college question! have i scared you all out of asking them? i’m sorry. well, not really. that was kinda my intention. but i still like you guys. you guys are my specials.

    anyway, this is a very REASONABLE COLLEGE QUESTION, so congrats! and it has a very simple answer: first, uoft accepts you, then the colleges look at your application. so your admission to colleges is conditional upon your admission to the university, not the other way around. if you don’t get admitted to vic, you’ll be put into another college.

    but if you DO get into vic, you’ll be in the same college as aska! and that’s something to celebrate, doncha know.

    cheers,

    aska

    P.S. I’m glad you find me helpful, friend. I love being useful. It helps me deal with the fact that I never felt useful to my mother. #psych101

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  • admissions,  engineering

    an ingeniousely engineered engineering science safety net

    January 30, 2014

    Hey there!
    I’m a high school student in an Mississauga high school, and I’m hoping to get into the Engineering Science program…which as we all?know means 4 years of weight loss and no sleep. Its a really tough program, and I am going to try my hardest but what I want to know is,?supposing I don’t get good grades in that program, can I tranfer to one of the core 8 eng programs after 1semester/year or will I just get?booted out?
    On a side note, just wanted to know, does the student profile form really make a difference on the application?
    Thanks a lot!
    Avi

    ???????????????

    hello. this is an old question. if you?d like to see why i am answering these BLASTS FROM THE PAST, please go?here! thanks!

    aska

    ???????????????
    Avi,

    You just might be the first person to make this stone cold soul laugh … ever, with your weight loss comment. I have noticed the skin and bone appearance on those engineers. that said, it seems like the faculty itself has noticed the same thing, because they actually have instructions on how to transfer?out of engineering science in the first year.

    basically, if you get at least a 60% in the fall term or 55% in the winter term, then you can transfer after either of those terms into any engineering program you want. which is good news.

    as for the student profile: yes, it does matter. it wouldn’t be there if it didn’t make a difference. so don’t slack on it, ya hear?!

    best,

    aska

     

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  • admissions,  architecture

    daniels website: the enigma of our time

    January 29, 2014

    Heya! I’m applying for the Visual Studies program in the Daniel’s school.?I’m fairly worried about this application man, I have an 85 average as of?this term and my one idea supplementary was about designing a backpack (it?was a pretty cool backpack in my humble opinion). Damn, the program looks?horribly mysterious with its minimum online presence, so I was wondering if?you might have an idea of how my marks look for Visual Studies.

    Thanks in advance!

    ???????????????

    hey there,

    “minimum online presence”, talk about understatement of the century. every time i get a question related to architecture, i have to mentally prepare myself for that website. you’d think design people would know a bit about designing a functional website, huh?

    but seriously, you shouldn’t be worrying about your application. your average is about as good as it gets. an 85% at uoft is a 4.0, you know that, right? that’s like, the highest possible?GPA, so…

    also, that backpack sounds cool. you should make one and sell it to me discounted because i’m helping you out. did i mention you look lovely today? (i need a new backpack. i need a new lots of stuff, if we’re being real.)

    tl;dr: i don’t think you’ve got anything to worry about.

    yours and always open to anonymous backpack donations,

    aska

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  • admissions,  first year,  psychology

    can someone e-mail me another psychology pun or something plz

    January 28, 2014

    I am a first-year student and I am planning to major in psychology. But I only scored exactly 75% which is the minimum requirement. Is it possible to get the major or I really should seriously consider other things to major in? But psychology is really my first choice..

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    well now, look what we have here. another PSYCHOLOGY QUESTION. amigo, i have answered quite a few questions related to psychology, and let me tell you: you have a better chance than you think.

    there’ve been people hoping to get in who don’t have the calculus prerequisite, or didn’t do psy100h1 at all…yeah…so believe me when i say that you’re not in a bad position.

    assuming you are doing at least 4.0 FCEs in your first year and you did Grade 12 Calculus, you have actually met the minimum requirements for the POSt. the number of people who apply every year differs, so i can’t say for sure, like, “you have a 33% chance of getting in,” but i’d say if you’re eligible, it’s worth a shot. you’ve got nothing to lose.

    should you prepare a backup? sure. apply to the minor too (it’s just 4.0 FCE required courses versus 7.0 in the major), or apply to neuroscience or basket-weaving or whatever else tickles your fancy. explore your options.

    be sensible and always have a Plan B, but don’t give up hope completely. save that for when you graduate (whoops i let my pessimism show there, sorry. *covers it up hastily with my skirt*).

    best,

    aska

    P.S. Also, if you don’t get in after first year, you can always apply after 2nd and 3rd year!

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  • admissions,  architecture

    building your future (by aska, architect of puns)

    January 27, 2014
    So, Im a UTSC student but I want to transfer into the architecture program at UTSG. I’ve only been here one semester and my gpa wasnt great – a 1.7. What are the odds that I would be accepted. Is there anything I can do to get accepted? I really want to do architecture but it’s not offered on this campus.

    ???????????????

    hello. this is an old question. if you?d like to see why i am answering these BLASTS FROM THE PAST, please go?here! thanks!

    aska

    ???????????????

    hey there,

    welllll, architecture doesn’t supply a specific mark that they require, but a 1.7 is like the lowest mark you can get without being put on probation. i can’t lie to you man, that’s pretty low. however, it’s not the end of the world. you’ve only done one semester, right? you can still turn it around, if you really want to (notice i said if you WANT to – meaning i want you to think a little bit about if that’s what you really want). if you can pull it together and do REALLY WELL this year AND next year, you might be in a position where you can transfer in by the end of second year.

    after you’ve completed 10.0 credits, you’re no longer eligible to transfer to architecture at utsg. so, let’s say you get a 4.0 in your next three semesters – that would put you at a 3.4 CGPA (which is alright) and a 4.0 AGPA, which might just be good enough to tip the scales in your favour. that said, it’ll be tough to make such a drastic change from one semester to the next, but hey, crazier things have happened.

    in summary: you have one and a half years to FIX YOURSELF UP. if you can pull your grades up right away, i think you might be at uoft architecture in two years’ time. but make no mistake, it’s not gonna be easy. good luck.

    xoxo,

    aska

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  • admissions,  psychology,  UTM

    getting on that brain train

    January 24, 2014

    Hello! I was just wondering what the UTM requirements are to apply to do a psychology major after not initially meeting the initial requirements. On the UTM calendar it says to go to the psychology homepage but I can’t seem to find anything lol.

    Thank you for your help!

    ———————————————

    hello. this is an old question. if you’d like to see why i am answering these BLASTS FROM THE PAST, please go here! thanks!

    aska

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    the requirements are kind of the same as the initial requirements, to be honest. you still need to have completed grade 12 biology and advanced functions – no changes there – and you also need to have gotten at least a 63% in PSY201H5, as well as completed at least 1.0 FCEs out of the second or upper-year requirements for the psychology major.

    basically, they want you to be doing the major in practice, so that if/when you register in it formally, you’re not behind. i guess that makes some sense, but it also means that there’s NO SLACKING. you have to keep taking psych courses consistently and make sure you’ve got all those requirements done by the time you want to reapply. YOU THINK YOU CAN DO THAT, SOLDIER? DO YOU REALLY?

    i sometimes get carried away when motivating students. sorry. some call it a curse, some a blessing. i guess it’s up to you to decide which camp to believe. point is, it’ll be just as hard, if not harder, to get into psych after first year – so don’t stop trying now.

    aska

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  • admissions,  drama,  subject POST,  UTM

    majors and CTEP and UTM, oh my!

    January 22, 2014

    Hi!

    I’m a student going into grade 12 and have two very different fields which I want to pursue, so I have some questions. Is it possible to take a major in drama and a major in math? And if so, which one would I apply with or do I apply with both, in reference to the form, essay and auditions, etc.? Does this work for the University of Toronto Mississauga Campus? And is it possible to make my math major part of a teaching degree? I also don’t really understand how choosing courses works and if you can have electives, and how many. Also, would I be limited in teaching possibilities or employment possibilities if I took math as a minor?

    Thank you,

    Ioana

    ———————————————

    hello. this is an old question. if you’d like to see why i am answering these BLASTS FROM THE PAST, please go here! thanks!

    aska

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    well, ioana, you’ve got a lot of questions, so i’m just gonna take them step by step, starting with the first one: is it possible to do a major in math and a major in drama?

    yes! in fact, uoft doesn’t allow you to take just one major; that would be too easy. you kinda have to supplement it with other stuff, and double-majoring is one way to do that. the mathematics major requires that you complete 7.5 FCEs and the drama major requires that you complete 8.0 FCEs. that means 15.5 out of the 20 credits you will receive for your degree will be program requirements.

    as for how you apply, there’s only one application necessary. for drama, you won’t have to go through auditions and essays and all that until 2nd year. your first year drama course, DRM100Y1, doesn’t require any kind of audition or application. same goes for math; you can enrol in most 1st year math courses from any program you want. so it’s up to you whether you want to apply through life science or humanities, though i’d say humanities is probably your best bet, because the university might decide to impose restrictions on who gets into drama, but they’re far less likely to do the same with math. so just go to OUAC or however it is you’re applying, select the humanities stream, and sit tight. auditions and picking of majors will happen at the end of first year.

    more or less the same holds true (math major program) (drama major program) for utm, except they have fewer required courses altogether for both major programs.

    teaching at uoft requires a separate application and you can enter into it starting 2nd year. you’ll get your B.Ed. essentially by taking education as a minor, and then your B.A./B.Sc. will be your other “teachable” degree that you get after four years. math can totally be part of that degree (either B.A. or B.Sc.) if you major in it, though it will be tough to do two majors and a minor (i.e. math, drama and education) – almost every single one of your 20.0 credits will have to go towards some program requirement. utm is currently in the process of renovating their CTEP program, but when it comes back in 2015, it should be similar to the uoft program.

    if you just did a minor in math, you wouldn’t be able to do UTM’s CTEP, because their only allowed areas of study are french, chem, math or physics. you’d have other options at various other institutions that are all listed on uoft’s CTEP site, but if you’re looking at UTM, i’d advise majoring in math.

    as far as i know, math teachers are GENERALLY in higher supply than humanities teachers, but honestly, that’s nothing to base a decision on. like i’ve said time and again on this site, employment possibilities change and stats for employment go up and down by the month, and it’s smarter for you to do what you actually want to and MAKE a path for yourself than to follow the numbers. however, if you really want to teach math, then go for it, dude.

    cheers,

    aska

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  • admissions,  UTSC

    calculus grievances

    January 17, 2014

    Hey!

    I’ve applied to the mental health studies program at UTSC and their admission requirement is only English. Now since it’s related to psychology and the other UofT campuses require Calculus as a prerequisite for psychology, I’m worried that I’m gonna have to take Calculus in university. I haven’t taken Calculus in high school yet (I’m in grade 12) and I am not good in math. I can handle statistics but I don’t know about Calculus. So I need your help! Please let me know if UTSC mental health requires Calculus at alllllllll (even in second, third and fourth year), and also Biology for that matter.

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    you can take a look at alllll the classes you’ll need to take for the mental health studies specialist here (just ctrl+f mental health studies). it looks like, apart from a couple of data analysis courses, you won’t have anything too rigorous to take in the way of math. so if you haven’t taken calculus, i wouldn’t sweat it! obviously data analysis will be tough, and calculus would help with that, but don’t scramble to take it now if you’re absolutely certain that this is the program you want to do. if the program doesn’t require it, then you should be able to cope without it. same goes for biology; if it’s not required, then you don’t need it (though obviously you can take a look at how much biology is in your future by looking at the courses required throughout the course of your program). otherwise, the university would be LYING to us and that would be ANARCHY, just ANARCHY.

    best,

    aska

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  • admissions,  colleges,  OUAC,  trinity college,  UTAPS

    applying to uni sure is fun

    January 16, 2014

    Hi there!

    I was just wondering if I will get a separate email from Trinity College on how to apply for the supplementary application. I tried going through the link they have on their website but it won’t open.

    Since I had to rank colleges… If I don’t get accepted to the first college, will the second then the next etc look at the application? Or will all colleges look at the application then offer an admission? I’m kind of confused with this process… How will this affect the choices for residence if let’s say I prefer Woodsworth or New College/s Residences over Trinity Residence? Is the deadline February 28?

    When I tried applying to UTAPS, it linked me to the OSAP site.. is it the same application or separate? Also, how big of an impact does extra-curriculars have on getting an offer from U of T (Faculty of Arts & Science)? Is there something similar to a PEY for Humanities students (Ethics, Society & Law) or an internship etc?

    Sorry for all the questions!

    Thanks so much & I hope I hear back from you soon.

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    i’m not sure what you mean about the trin application, because it works for me. you should be able to go here, enter your JOINid (which should have been e-mailed to you by the university) and fill it out! if it’s not working, e-mail the college for help (registrar (at) trinity (.) utoronto (.) ca).

    as for colleges, basically, they try to put you in your #1 choice if at all possible. so if you put trin as #1, i hope you’re happy with getting into trin. if you prefer woodsworth or new, put one of those as your first choice!

    Your OUAC application should have been handed in yesterday, January 15th (though it looks like you still can submit the application up until february 28th if you need to). Trinity college doesn’t specify a deadline for their college profile application thingy, but they do have early february BOLDED as a recommendation, so i’d aim for then.

    as for UTAPS, this is the application procedure.

    also lol no, if you’re in the humanities you basically have to fend for yourself. but if you do a bit of careful googling, you’ll find there are lots of private internships offered by companies in the city, that you can apply to all by yourself. there’s also work-study, which allows you to work on campus for actual money! woo!

    ALSO extra-curriculars are not considered for your application to uoft, though they may have some bearing on your trin application, and they are also important for scholarship/grant/bursary applications, which i would strongly recommend you apply for.

    xoxo,

    aska

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  • admissions

    FAILURE (jk)

    January 15, 2014

    I just would like to know if I fail a course in grade 12, will it affect me?in getting into any of the universities in Toronto?? even if the course I?failed is not a prerequisite for the program I applied for and it’s not in?my top 6

    ?????????

    hey there,

    well, there are 3 universities in Toronto, not counting OCAD. i can’t speak for sure for the other universities, but if the failed mark is not in your top six that’s used to calculate your admission average, i think you should be fine. i mean some programs are more stringent than others, but i wouldn’t worry too much.

    aska

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  • admissions,  architecture

    i need an idea for OneIdea

    January 13, 2014

    Hi, I want to apply for architecture for 2013-14. This OneIdea essay thing?is really intimidating me. I have no idea what to talk about and the?application deadline is Jan 15, 2014! Could this be about any challenge I?faced in my life? What are they generally looking for with this essay? Some?tips will be greatly appreciated.

    Thanks,
    Maryam

    ?????????

    hey there,

    guys, just so you know, you can’t expect an answer within a couple of days of you sending it. it says that on the ask page. i’m not superhuman; i can only go so fast.

    as for your question, i mean, i don’t know what they’re looking for because i’m not an architecture student. i’d advise you to talk to some current students for advice, but since the essay is due so soon, there’s no time for that.

    what i can gather from this?page is that any challenge or problem can be used as an example. since you are applying for architecture/visual studies and they require two images to be incorporated into the essay, i’d say that if you ever created something functional, like a scale model, or a blueprint, or anything at all that you’ve created really, you can extrapolate a “challenge” or “problem” from that. so if you have a couple of sketches already, you can use those as images and then retroactively come up with how that idea solved a problem or challenged you to be creative or whatever.

    honestly, anything at all creative that you have and can take a picture of should be good. as long as you can clearly explain why that thing is significant in some way – like, it illustrated a certain issue, or was displayed somewhere for some reason – i’d say you have a chance. don’t stress if you don’t have anything specifically related to architecture; just pick your best visual work and defend it as well as possibly in your essay.

    most of all, don’t be intimidated by it; it’s just an essay, like any other. actually, it’s shorter than most essays you’ve probably had to write in your life so far. so just write it carefully and as well as you can, and don’t stress, because i guarantee that everyone else feels the same way you do.

    good luck!

    aska

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  • admissions,  repeating course

    i want u(oft) to want me, i need u(oft) to need me

    January 13, 2014

    Hey. Thanks in advance for your help!
    I’m a high student in grade 12, attending school in Ontario. In grade 11 I chose to take both grade 11 and 12 English, planning on not having to take English in my final year. I managed to finish with a solid 94 in grade 11 English, but the semester following I slacked off and missed a lot of school due to family issues – I moved out of my parents house and so forth. Point being, I finished with a 62 (Grade 12 English) and of course, this is unacceptable in any university’s eyes. I plan on retaking it during my last semester in high school but I have heard that U of T does not consider re-takes – that they just take your initial mark.
    If you know anything in regards to this, that could help my situation, please let me know! Thanks!

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    well if your only mark in the 60s is in that one class, then it’s not the end of the world. universities do allow for a margin of error, and one C doesn’t automatically mean you’re out.

    as for retaking classes, uoft has some liability safety-net statement (which i talk about more here) that says they reserve the right to factor in the fact that you had to do the course twice when it comes to making an admission decision. however if you retake english, do really well, and get good marks in all the rest of your classes in grade 12, i’d say you’ve minimized the fact of your having done the class twice as much as you possibly can. so by planning to retake the course, you’ve pretty much done everything you possibly can to help yourself out. woo!

    that doesn’t mean you’ll get in, obviously, but it does mean you can know for sure you did everything within your power to get in.

    finally, you can always contact enrolment services and provide a letter explaining why that first mark wasn’t up to par. it really does help.

    best of luck,

    aska

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  • admissions,  commerce,  repeating course,  UTM

    who ever knows what university documents are talking about

    January 10, 2014

    Hello, I am a grade 12 student currently in high school and I plan on applying to UTM commerce, but this year my mother was terminally ill and diagnosed with breast cancer which has a impact on my school most importantly Grade 12 Advanced Function and I was wondering if UTM will accept me repeating the course again in night school to get a better mark. Please let me know! I plan on applying during the winter holidays starting December 19th!

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    my condolences about your mother. as far as night school goes, UTM will be able to see both of your marks. they definitely won’t refuse to accept the repeated mark, but they “reserve the right to give preference to students whose grades represent their first attempt.” which i know sounds just like…what talk straight, dammit – will you accept me or not?

    that’s where i come in (w00). i have some experience in decoding red-tape talk, and if you translate that sentence from bureaucratic university jargon, it basically means that it might affect the admission decision a little bit, but it definitely won’t decide it. additionally, a repeated course is much better than just leaving a really poor mark on your transcript. so i’d go right ahead and repeat it!

    ALSO, IMPORTANTLY, since you have a legitimate reason for this having occurred, you have the opportunity (which i 100% recommend you go for) to write the university a letter explaining why your mark(s) is/are that way. it’ll make them a lot more disposed to give you special consideration. you can do that by getting in touch with enrolment services: they’ll tell you where and how to send this kind of letter.

    best,

    aska

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