• admissions,  Transferring

    but what if i withdraw?!

    November 21, 2012

    Hope you’re having a wonderful day. I have a question about transferring.

    I know you get a lot of these questions, but I haven’t had luck with getting a hold of Enrollement, and I haven’t seen anyone ask this yet. Do you know how UofT feels about W’s on transcripts? I withdrew from 3 classes as of now (2nd year student) and I just realized that they appear on my transcript. They don’t affect my gpa and I should be able to pull a solid B+ by the end of the year, but I am still worried.

    Should take a gamble on this, or just accept defeat?

    Thanks in advance, you’re the best 🙂

    Sincerely, prospective student

    ?????????

    Hey Prospetive,

    So like I told the last person confused about transferring, the number one place to go when it comes to admissions is, in fact, the admissions website! There you’ll get answers catered specifically to you. Basically, these would be your requirements assuming I filled out the questionnaire the way you would:

    Admission consideration is based on your postsecondary studies and your most recent annual average, although we will review your entire academic record.

    Program area prerequisites must be met at either the senior high school or university level. Applicants to limited enrolment programs must present the required first year university courses.

    Competitive applicants to the Faculty of Arts and Science, University of Toronto St.George and University of Toronto Mississauga usually have a solid ‘B’ average.

    This means that as long as you get that B+ you’re confident you’ll end up with, then you should be fine!:) Although allways keep in mind, however, that spots at UofT are more often than not competitive so make sure to maintain the good grades! I double checked with some people to be sure, but really, all that will be looked at are you grades, so your “W”s shouldn’t really hinder you.

    Hope you get in!

    aska

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  • admissions,  masters

    the range of requirements… for undergrads

    November 16, 2012

    Hi,

    I am a prospective graduate student and I want to know what breadth courses really mean. I am from an Engineering background and want to apply to the school of management and a professor said I might need to take some breadth courses which I don’t know what it means. Kindly enlighten me on this. Thank you.

    Oluwatobi Adagunodo

    ———————————————

    Hey Oluwatobi,

    Don’t you just love that part about MBAs? More often than not, you can apply to a program with any academic background!

    Anyhow, breadth requirements are troublesome little things that students in the Faculty of Arts and Science have to fulfill as part of their degree requirements. Contrary to popular to belief, they are not around to torture you. Rather, they’re meant to make sure students in Arts and Science have taken a broad range of subject areas in their undergraduate year.

    Which leads me to a confusing point: the breadth requirements are for undergrads. If you’re applying to a master’s program, something that is quite specialized, I don’t see why you’d be told to take courses in things outside of your area of study. But do take a look at the program you’re applying to and see what the courses they want you to take during your year(s) of graduate studies are!

    Good luck!

    aska

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  • admissions

    anxious for acknowledgement

    November 16, 2012

    How long does it take to receive an acknowledgement of application letter/email? Do you think it’s too early for me to apply?

    Anxious -.-

    ?????????

    Hey Anxious,

    It?s never too early to apply! Anyhow, according to the Join U of T website for applicants, you?ll be sent an email around mid-November assuming you?ve followed all the necessary steps.

    Good luck!

    aska

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  • admissions,  concurrent ed,  drama,  math

    twenty questions: aska edition

    October 17, 2012

    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

    ———————————————

    Hey Ioana,

    Your message is a deceptively short paragraph, but it actually consists of many specific questions. Well played, Ioana. Well played indeed.

    Anyhow, basically as long as the two programs you’d like to study are within the same faculty, you’re good. So since Drama and Mathematics are both part of the Faculty and Arts and Science, you can definitely major in them both. However, you don’t really determine those specific Programs of Study until the end of your first year. But since you’re still in high school, when you apply through OUAC, I suppose you might as well specify your program choice as Mathematics (assuming you can only choose one).

    When you apply, you essentially put yourself into some sort of stream like Humanities or Social Sciences or Life Sciences and would then be given precedence for spots in that stream’s courses. Now if you chose Drama, you would probably be placed in the Humanities stream. But DRM200Y1 Introduction to Performance has a number of entry requirements, which makes being given that priority rather irrelevant, so you may want to specify Math so that you’ll have precedence when trying to pick up those courses. At U of T, any sort of priority is useful since spots are always limited.

    Now for a B.Ed. from U of T, you can either go to OISE after you finish your degree, or you can apply to the super competitive Concurrent Teacher Education program in which you take five years instead of four and complete your degree alongside your B.Ed. With the CTEP, you can enter either straight from high school over at UTSC, or after your first year at St. George. Personally, I recommend you take the latter option and wait a little. You seem to want to do a lot of things. One year might do you some good in narrowing down between all of these choices or at least being sure of what you want.

    But if you do end up pursuing your B.Ed., you can definitely use your Mathematics major towards your teachable. And if you choose to bring Math down to a minor instead, according to OISE’s prerequisites for teachables, you should be fine. Just make sure to heed the program requirements needed for your degree. As for other jobs, try doing some research. Where can a degree in Math take you? Who knows! Consult the Career Centre if you’d like!

    And as for courses, students take an average of five per semester. In your first year you’re pretty much free to take what you’d like so that you can figure out what it is you’re looking for. If you’d like, take a look at the Calendar to get a vibe for how things work at U of T and what you can possibly take.

    Enjoy your last year before having to work your butt off!

    aska

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  • admissions,  rotman

    raving for rotman

    October 15, 2012

    Hi!

    Grade 12 is comming right around the corner and I am very excited to be applying at U of T Rotmans Commerce! I was wondering what would be the “safe” percentage I would need to have to beable to get into Rotmans. My EC’s are decent but I would like to have a number that I can be aiming for. Also, as a BC student what does a rolling basis mean? And If/when I get accepted what are the usual conditional requirements I need to keep to beable to secure my spot at Rotmans?

    Thank You

    ———————————————

    Hey there,

    The thing is there is never ever an actual number to be publicly posted. Why? Because the average needed always changes depending on the amount students who apply. But I can tell you that more often than not, the average you’ll need for acceptance into the Rotman Commerce program is somewhere around the high 80s. As for your extra curriculars, again, there is no specific number, but on the supplementary application overview, they do clearly state their preference for involvement, whether through volunteer work, club membership, student government, sports, and so on.

    Now acceptance on a rolling basis usually applies to students who are out of province. Essentially, this means that there’s no set date on when you?ll receive any response from the university. But this does mean that the sooner you apply, the sooner you?ll get some sort of answer, although that will still probably come around April or May.

    But when you do get acceptance, just maintain your good grades. Better yet, try to boost them! The university does have the right to retract offers if a student’s grades fall significantly.

    Good luck!

    aska

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  • admissions,  campus,  colleges,  student groups

    the perks of being a uoft student

    October 10, 2012

    Hi,

    I am going into gr.12 IB and I am REALLY interested in going to u of t. However, some people have told me that going to u of t is overwhelming and that it is only “worth it” if you can get into the private colleges. Could you give me a brief overview (regarding application, student life, academics) of trinity, rottman and woodsworth?

    Thanks, I hope I am not asking too much. I love your askastudent website, finding it very helpful!

    Ellen

    ———————————————

    Hey Ellen,

    As someone who goes to U of T and has experienced its ups and downs for a lovely three and a half years, I want to tell you that contrary to the idea that U of T is only worth it if you’re in a private college, that is sooo untrue. Firstly, we don’t have private colleges. All seven of the colleges here, despite their varying sizes and apparent snobbishness, are accessible to anyone. Secondly, being in a larger college can be fun in terms of meeting new people.

    Your application really depends on what you’re aiming to take. For example, if you’re an Ontario student hoping to join the Humanities stream or the Social Sciences stream, we look at your top 6 grades (which must include grade 12 English). If you’re not an Ontario student, however, refer to the admissions site to get a vibe for what they want from you.

    Now student life is at U of T is always pretty active. Every college has its own student society and if you’re going to be part of residence, there will definitely be a council of sorts planning things for you there. Likewise, if you have any specific interests, there’s a huge number of student groups you can join. So if you like Hip Hop or helping children or even Quidditch, U of T probably has a club for it.

    The academics at U of T, like any other university, are quite rigorous. We are a very research-oriented institute and take pride in our work. I mean, there’s a reason we were once again named Canada’s number one university, so studying here won’t be a walk in a park, but it’ll definitely be worth it.

    As for the rundown on the colleges, refer to this post or just check out the ‘college’ tag for the website since there will probably a number of entries about them. Rotman, on the other hand, is not a college, but the larger name essentially for U of T’s business program.

    always happy to help,

    aska

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  • admissions

    applying from alberta

    October 9, 2012

    Hey there!

    I was wondering if there are any restrictions on the 5? 30-level courses that I can use to apply to UofT St.George (for Arts) later this year.

    Thanks in advance,
    K

    ?????????

    Hey K,

    So according to Admissions, for students from Alberta hoping to apply to U of T St. George, you?ll just need five Grade 12 credits (numbered 30 or 31), but one of those five must be English Language Arts 30-1 or English 30. Aside from that, the other four can be whatever you want as long as they?re of the correct level.

    Good luck with applications!

    Best,

    aska

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  • admissions,  GPA,  grad school,  grades

    for fear of a fifth year

    October 1, 2012

    Hello,

    I’m a life science student going to 4th year in September and I’m debating whether I should graduate in April of 2013. I wish to go to Dentistry school, preferably at UofT, but my CGPA is only 3.0, the minimum requirement for dentistry. I went to guidance to ask for advice, but they told me to give up on dentistry altogether; however, I am not willing to give up without a fight, my gpa was terrible in first year which is why my gpa is so low, but through hard work there has been a dramatic increase in my grades each year that follows. Financially, I’m in a tight spot, so I’m not sure if I should take a 5th year and continue to try or to listen to my guidance councilor to switch fields. Switching fields is another problem because I have no idea what I could do with a BSc diploma. Please give me some advice on what I should do, to graduate or not, and if not what options are left for me? =(

    – Very old and worried 4th year.

    ———————————————

    Dearest Old and Worried,

    My apologies for such a delayed answer, but there’s really no need to be so frantic. 🙂

    Firstly, there is no graduation in April 2013, so if you do choose to deem this your fourth and final year of undergrad, starting today, October 1, 2012, you can declare your intention to graduate on ROSI for June 2013 since I highly doubt a fifth year will be necessary, much less a change in fields.

    Now there’s no need for you to give up your dream. Your 3.0 CGPA is the equivalent to a mid-B, which, according to the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Dentistry, is the minimum final year average needed. Right now, you’re in a fairly good place and will at least be considered. The only thing you can do right now is make sure you stay on top of your game this year so that your grades will be enough to beat out the competition.

    But to avoid any crushing of dreams, keep your options open. Don’t apply solely to U of T. That’s probably the best way to get your heart torn to pieces, really. The Faculty of Dentistry even provides you with links to other possible universities to do your post-grad work at. For example, you can go over to Western and study and/or party hard or you can go over to McGill and practice your French while practicing your periodontology. Or maybe you can go to UBC or University of Alberta or University of Manitoba. My point is that the best way to go anywhere in life, whether that be for dinner or for dentistry, is to keep your options open. Naturally, these different universities will obviously come with different requirements, so you may have a harder time getting in (which I doubt because U of T is, well, U of T), or you may find your CGPA is ideal.

    You have plenty of options and plenty of time to raise your CGPA if you feel your 3.0 isn’t enough, so don’t worry so much. But if this response isn’t enough to placate you, here’s a lovely cat gif.

    also a very old but not as worried fourth year,

    aska

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  • admissions,  grades,  life science

    marks are marks, whenever they’re made

    September 19, 2012

    Hi!

    So… I’m a student in grade 11 and I’m pursuing Life sciences.?I got my timetable today, but I didn’t everything i wanted. I got my grade 11 sciences (bio, chem, and physics) but i don’t have advanced functions. So worried! If i take advanced functions during the summer, will u of t consider it? Or if they do, will they consider it as a ‘lower’ course?

    And if i take calculus and advanced functions next year and submit it during admission time, will the university not accept me because i didn’t submit both my calculus marks and advanced functions marks???? (cuz i obviously take calculus after i take advanced functions which is second semester AFTER i apply to u of t.)

    Please answer it ASAP!
    Thank you.

     

    Whoa! Deep breaths, girlfriend. I know college admissions can be stressful, but I promise you that you will be just fine, whatever happens. All of the required courses for admission to the many life sciences courses are listed on apges 50-51 of the admissions viewbook.

    As you obviously know, calculus is one of the courses required across the board, but it doesn’t mean you can’t apply before you’ve finished taking it. U of T accepts applications all the way up until March, and they will also check in on your final high school transcript to make sure you stayed on track, even after admission to the University. What that means is that when you first apply, they will see on your schedule that you’re taking calculus in the spring, and will consider your application despite not having that mark yet. Once you’ve finished Grade 12, they`ll come back and make sure you did well, so that means no senioritis for you. ?But it also means that you don’t have to worry too much about taking calc a bit later than you’d like.

    As for taking advanced functions next summer, I’m not sure what you mean by “lower” course, but as an institution which itself offers summer courses, the University recognizes that they are as valid as those which occur during the year ?In fact, according to the Liberal government’s recent white paper on education in Ontario, the future of Universities and even high schools in Ontario could include a bigger role for year-round learning). In other words, summer courses are as good as any other. So if you’re worried about being late with calc, takin functions in the summer is probably your best bet, if only to assuage your own paranoia . 🙂

    Best of luck, and make sure you stop and smell the roses between furious study sessions, ok?

    Stay cool,

    aska

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  • admissions,  concurrent ed,  victoria

    steppin’ towards CTEPpin’

    September 17, 2012

    Dear Aska,

    I’m hoping to apply for the Concurrent Teacher Education Program (CTEP), which is sponsored by Vic College. From what I?ve read, I can take the Vic One Ryerson stream and then go into CTEP for second year. So my questions are, do I have to be a Vic student to enrol in Vic One? Would I have a greater chance of being accepted to Vic because of my program choice? And if not, how does it work in terms of getting into CTEP but not completing the Vic One Ryerson stream (i.e. attending a different college for first year)?

    Look forward to your answer, and thanks!

    —————————————————————–

    Hi there! This is a complex question, and it’s giving aska a bit of an inferiority complex, because even the best answer might not be dependable. That?s admissions for ya! But here goes.

    Indeed, there are several Concurrent Teacher Education Programs at U of T, one at each of the satellite campuses and at a few faculties and colleges downtown. Students can enter ?some of these programs either straight out of high school , and all of them out of of first year. Sounds like you?re asking about doing the Victoria College CTEP?after first year (there is no straight-from-high-school option for Vic or St. Mike’s). And you’re right, the calendar recommends: ?Students in first year should consider the Ryerson Stream of Vic One as preparation.?

    That sure seems like a hint from the admissions folks at CTEP that taking Vic One: Ryerson would help your chances to get into what is a very selective program. However, their wording makes no promises, and leaves some room for exceptions. According to Vic’s FAQ page on the matter, any first year student from any U of T program can, in fact, apply for the program. So if you do super well this school year, and meet all of Victoria College CTEP?s admission requirements,?you will be considered!

    However, if you do want to take the Ryerson stream to get that extra edge (which, more likely than anything else, will come in the form of extra confidence), you can apply to Vic One when you apply for U of T. Typically, Vic One students are from Vic (and your peers may look at you funny if you admit that you’re not), but any student at U of T can apply for the Vic One program, and there are a few non-Vic students who pierce the Vic bubble to take the program.

    As to whether your interest in CTEP would make you a more appealing candidate to Vic, its also hard to say. So many factors- your marks, your student profile, other applicants- go into that decision, and nothing is for sure. Do remember that Victoria College only considers applications from students who select Vic as their first choice college!

    In any case, the short answer is- nothing can truly ensure your admission to Vic or to CTEP, short of donating a wing or two to the Northrop Frye building, or getting a posthumous recommendation from Northrop Frye himself. But seems like you already know what you need to shoot for- apply to Victoria College and the Ryerson Stream of Vic One, and whether or not you get into either, apply for CTEP your second year. There’s really not much else you can do, besides to be yourself and kick mad butt in first year.

    Good luck pal-o!

    aska

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  • admissions,  americans,  being canadian,  comp lit,  english,  grad school,  international students,  masters

    corn pops and comp lit: being american at u of t

    September 11, 2012

    Dear askastudent,

    So I just recently developed an interest in UofT for grad school. Canada seems pretty great, and I want to explore some other places in the world. I would go to school for Literature, which falls in the Arts and Sciences program if my research is correct. Anyway, I was just wondering if you could give some advice about what would be expected from life in Canada that differs from the states. Is there any way to go about making the tuition cheaper? What is the english/comp lit department like?

    Any words of wisdom will suffice, like I said: simply curious! Thanks

    ———————–

    Hi there oh curious American,

    You asked the right guy! The handsome and mysterious genius behind askastudent may just be an American student, and may also just be doing the undergraduate program in Comparative Literature.

    The Centre for Comparative Literature is a fantastic and well respected program. Literary theorist Northrop Frye is just one of the great academics who made their careers at the University’s Victoria College, and your colleagues and professors in the program are of the highest caliber. What that also means is that it’s pretty tough to get in! For starters, the masters program requires you to be highly proficient in at least one language other than English, and for the doctorate, at least two (some students have an arsenal of a half dozen).

    Something else to consider: Despite the program’s high profile and prestige, humanities programs in Canada and at U of T are constantly under attack as academia angles towards more profitable ventures like science and business research. Just recently, the Centre for Comparative Literature was on the chopping block, and only thanks to spirited organizing and activism on the part of the students is it still intact.

    There is also a larger Department of English, which I know less about except that my English TAs have always been big sweethearts! Poke around the sites and maybe you can see which program suits you.

    As for being American in Canada, I can sincerely say it totally rules. The differences are minor, and can therefore sometimes be all the more surreal. Let me prepare you for a few:
    – It’s more than likely that you will develop the subtle Canadian pronunciation of ‘out’ and ‘about.’ You might even pick up the dreaded ‘eh’ You won’t notice it until your American friends from home tease you for it, so it can be an ugly surprise, but you’ll learn to embrace it.
    – About half of the words with spelling differences in British English maintain them here. ‘Colour,’ ‘favourite,’ ‘centre’ and ‘theatre’ are the first ones to learn, but you’ll be stretching it a bit if you use ‘globalization.’ Either way, I’ve never had a professor get on my case about it, despite my best efforts at losing sleep over it in my first year.
    – Money is cute and bright here, and there’s lots more change.
    – Hockey is the name of the game here.
    – The corn pops are different– and much, much worse.
    Regarding the tuition, there’s not much to be done- you’ll be paying international fees for at least a few years of your degree. Even if you get engaged your first week on campus, the process towards Canadian residence or citizenship is longer than a Master’s degree.

    Here’s a helpful article about the experience of immigrating to Canada as an American: Immigrant with an Asterisk ()
    Stay sweet, and kiss the land of the free for me!

    aska

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  • admissions,  campus,  Transferring,  UTM,  UTSC

    campus switcheroo

    September 11, 2012

    heyy, super helpful humanbeing!

    I want to ask one question. Can I transition from one U of T campus to another during my first year?

    Also, probably I wouldn’t have asked if I’d known where I can find info about transitioning on U of T website. Could you give me a link if there is one, please 🙂

    Thanks in advance!

    -confused humanbeing

    ———————————————

    Hi there confused!

    What you’re asking about is called an internal transfer, and lots of students consider making such a campus-to-campus switch. The application to do as much is on the admissions website here, and you can apply as soon as today to start classes at a new campus next Fall. As to whether you can do that after just one semester, the answer is “no” for a couple of reasons. Enrolment services (the new, sexy title for “admissions”) will only accept transfer students after at least one year at any of the U of T campuses. Much like transferring universities, transferring campuses can only happen for September.

    Since admissions officers have only recently looked at your admission application, they want you to show improvement over a full year before looking at it again and re-assessing your acceptance for the various campuses.

    If you’re still bent on trying your luck, confused, your best bet is to contact admissions. I hope you’re charming!

    aska

    P.S. I’d like to correct the assumption that I am a “super helpful humanbeing.” I am, in fact, a super helpful cyborg. But thanks for the compliment!

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  • admissions

    U of T, baby, i didn’t mean it, take me back

    June 26, 2012

    Hello, my name is Kevin and I am a student attending the University of Toronto next year, and I am asking this on behalf of a friend. She originally declined the offer of admission from U of T and chose another university, but now she is reconsidering and would like to know whether there’s anything she can do to get into U of T again, and the consequences of such.
    Thank you,Kevin

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

    Hey Kevin,

    So is this “friend” a result of a Jekyll and Hyde kind of experiment, with one accepting the offer to U of T and the other declining?

    Unfortunately there’s not much they can do at this point except reapply. U of T, like most people(/institutions), are hurt by rejection.

    They could call Admissions and Awards to beg and plead, but groveling might not actually help in this situation.

    Their best bet would be to reapply or transfer after a year at the school they accepted.

    peace and love,

    aska

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