• arts & sciences,  engineering,  exams,  important dates

    google is a great tool that some of us use from time to time

    September 23, 2016

    What month do undergraduate students go on semester break and when do they return back to university?
    ———————————————

    hi,

    kudos to you for taking the extra effort to send us a question when it probably would’ve required less effort to just google it!

    the december exam period is for this year (2016-2017) is from december 9th to 20th, which means everyone will be done exams by the 20th of december and the university will be closed following these exams.

    classes start up again on january 5th for arts and science students and january 9th for engineering students.

    information regarding engineering and arts and science sessional dates can be found here!

    for future reference: feel free to google the following words: “u of t sessional dates” to find what you’re looking for!

    u of t is a great place to learn how to google things- you’ve come to the right place.

    cheers and #sorrynotsorry for the saltiness,

    aska

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  • courses,  enrollment,  important dates,  wait list

    honey, won’t you let me in?

    September 19, 2012

    Hi, I am a first year student at UofT and have been trying to enroll in a class that has been full for some time. I was on a wait-list for 2 weeks but now I know that wait-lists have been removed. Is there any last ditch efforts I can make before Sunday to try to get in? I already emailed the professor and he told me he does not have the authority to enroll me even if I am eager and that I will have to try to enroll all week if someone should drop out. Well I already knew this. Can I go to the department and ask them to enroll me in person? What other steps can I take to try to get in?
    Thanks for any help!

    ———————————-

    Hi there,

    I?m in the same boat as you for the fourth year in a row- perched over ROSI at all times like a hawk, hoping to edge out the competition for a seat that might not ever present itself. If you can find someone in the class who is planning to drop, sit with them when they do it on ROSI so that you can jump in and take the spot right as it appears.??Yup, my friend, that?s about as much as you can do after waitlists drop.

    Your prof is correct that neither he/she nor the department have the ability to enrol you, nor does your registrar. Those larger Faculties who do have that power are notorious for holding firm to their commitment to ROSI, no matter how much of a storm you kick up. And to be honest, first years are seen to have all of the time in the world to figure out their degree, so you won’t get much sympathy.

    But take heart! Next year you’ll get to sign up earlier and you’ll have a better shot of getting into classes. It’s easy to panic about not having the courses you feel like you need, but program and degree requirements at U of T leave enough room to make up for it when things like this happen. In the meantime, take something fun, fill a breadth requirement, explore the city a bit if you’re from out of town, and relax!

    Good luck and don’t sweat it!

    aska

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  • arts & sciences,  dropping courses,  enrollment,  important dates,  ROSI,  wait list

    wait me up before you go go

    September 13, 2012

    Hi

    I am a polisci major and i need a canadian politics course, it’s part of the requirement. However my course registration started when I had to be at? work , where i normally don’t have acess to computers, so I had to borrow it from somebody else… i was in a rush to give it back because i was interupting thier work.. long story short in my rush I entered the wrong course code , signing up for us politics instead of canadian and it was two weeks before i caught my mistake. by the time i dropped the us poltics and signed up for the canadian politics i was 36 on the waitlist of 250. now i moved up to 14 but with only 5 days left for waitlists to dropp what are my chances of getting in before
    than? thanks

    Harini

    ————————————–

    Hi Harini,

    Girl, I feel you on this one! At my lowest of lows, I was doing course registrations on a borrowed cell phone, stealing wi-fi from the Whitney Museum of Art seven hours after my start time. On another occasion, I dropped the wrong course because two of my course titles contained amphersands (thanks, Literary Studies, for the worst course titles ever). What I?m saying is, we?ve all got stories like yours, and we’ve all felt pretty hopeless about our waitlist position.

    I seem to have misplaced my crystal ball today, so I can only surmise about your chances of getting into the course. Like you said, waiting lists drop away on September 16th this year, and 14 spaces is a good bit to move before that happens. However, I’ve heard of much dimmer prospects coming through, so it really could happen! If you’re still not enrolled after the waitlists drop, watch ROSI like a hawk and jump on that space when it inevitably opens up- that’s also been done! Here’s everything you’ve ever wanted to know about waitlists, minus whether you’ll actually get off of one.

    Additionally, it’s really a great idea to go to the first day of class, introduce yourself to the professor and get his or her email address. Unfortunately, profs are pretty helpless when it comes to getting you into the class, no matter how much they like you. Still, it’s important that if you do get in, you’ve already had access to readings and lectures you might have missed. I also feel like you get some kind of karmic priority by being a goodie two-shoes like that.

    Good luck, and remember that you can always take the course the next time it’s offered, at which time you’ll have more credits and a better shot at getting in. And remember, you’re not the only one suffering from this same issue! Solidarity forever!

    aska

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  • admissions,  asia,  important dates

    is u of t racist? huh.

    May 19, 2011

    Hi.

    I’ve just been offered admission in the UTSC Co-op Social Sciences program.
    The thing is, I (motivated by a little less than a billion reasons), kind of changed my mind.
    Uh-oh.
    Anyways, by the time I decided that I really wanted to apply to UTSG, it was past the application deadline.

    I called UT and was told that I should send them a nice letter telling them WHHYYYYY I failed to send in the application on time.
    So I did. Also, I included the fact that people in downtown offered me a place to stay AFTER I applied to UTSC, potentially reducing my financial burden by a couple thousand dollars.

    Here’s what worries me: does the university only accept late applications from really top Asian students? Because I’m an average Asian student.

    Or do they mostly look at the reason for the late application and the content of the appeal itself?

    Thanks.

    From,

    Average Asian Student.

    ———————————————

    Dear ASS,

    Let’s make one thing clear first – the fact that you are Asian has NOTHING to do with whether your late application will be accepted. By missing your deadline and not having that compelling a reason for changing your mind (you are not even an international student!), U of T might brush you aside for reasons as simple as you simply NOT COMPLETING A FORM ON TIME. Coupled with your average marks and average Asian ability, I have no idea whether or not the university will admit you. Have you made a more convincing case by meeting your possible college registar in person? Are there any last-minute strings you can pull? Try your hardest. It will just come down to whether you’ve made a convincing enough argument.

    Basically U of T is like a choosy girl. If a guy isn’t bending over backwards after he loses interest in being with her, it’s not really worth it to be give him a second chance. Please don’t use your race as a point of contention again. And welcome hopefully, ASS?

    Welcome.

    xoxo, Askastudent

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  • important dates

    school’s out for buying tickets for summer vacation

    January 17, 2011

    Hi Aska!

    I wanted to start booking tickets early for my summer vacation while ticket prices are lower, but I couldn’t find the day the 2011-2012 school year starts for undergrad artsci students ):
    Is there any way to find out? I’ve tried emailing the registrar and artsci website but haven’t heard back yet, and I really wanna book my tickets already so the good ones in April doesn’t get sold out!

    THANKSS

    ———————————————

    Yo yo early planner

    U of T clearly doesn’t think that far in advance (as most people don’t). They won’t have decided that. School usually starts a week after labour day.

    Love,
    Aska

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  • exams,  important dates

    exam dates are a total buzzkill

    July 26, 2010

    Hi,

    I’m an incoming exchange student and I’ll only be studying at UofT for the upcoming fall semester. I wanted to know how early the university releases its final exam timetable.

    ———————————————

    According to the Calendar, the University will release its final exam timetable for “F” code courses for the first semester on OCTOBER 15TH. Exams will run from December 10th to 21st. (This period also includes midterm tests for “Y” courses.) Exams in the second semester for “S” and “Y” code courses will take place between April 12th and 29th.

    Wicked good times, right?

    xoxo, Askastudent

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  • courses,  important dates

    august 6th is our independence day

    July 23, 2010

    Hey,
    I am going into 2nd year but have decided that i am not pleased with the major i
    chose(english with a minor in book&media studies). Instead i would like to explore human
    geography and architecture. Problem is, is that priority is given to 1st year students. I
    already have completed one half yr credit in GGR124 but i need another? half yr credit
    and both ARC131+ARC132. I was wondering if you knew the likelihood of me snagging a spot
    for any 1st yr GGR/ARC course? Also i cant seem to get a straight answer on when the
    priority period is lifted and i can ask to be placed on a waitlist?

    ———————————————

    Hello there! Congratulations on doing away with your previous literary-minded major, and venturing into the scary world of the Bauhaus. Seriously though, your new major sounds really fascinating. Maybe you should also consider Urban Studies, as well?

    Your question allows me to also introduce an important date that should be imprinted on everyone’s minds – AUGUST 6TH.

    August 6th is the day when the priority controls are lifted for every class. It is also the day when students are allowed to register in more than five courses. It is a day so magical, I will probably throw a party here in the registrar’s office just to celebrate.

    So on August 6th, you will be able to try and register in your GGR/ARC classes. Both ARC courses you mentioned have a total of 400 available spaces, and it seems that ARC 132H1 is fully booked already. However, once you are able to register in the course – you will be able to get on the waitlist. It is important to note that many people end up dropping courses during the week of school, after which, the waitlists no longer exist. Woo hoo!

    Hopefully this information has helped you in your quest to become the next Frank Gehry.

    xoxo, Askastudent

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  • art,  courses,  first year,  important dates,  ROSI,  wait list

    Wait watchers.

    August 4, 2009

    Hi aska!
    i just enrolled in courses today, and i am waitlisted for art history second term. what are the chances of my actually getting in? Or, should i switch around my courses now, cuz there is a different course i would like to take in the fall term if (FAH is winter) i cant get in. thanks!!!

    ———————————————

    Tis true. FAH102H1-S: The Practice of Art History is full. Quite full. There are currently 106 students on the waitlist, beyond the 188 spaces in the class.

     

    Your chances of getting in are dependent on a few things: a) your karma, and b) where you are on that wait list. A general rule of thumb is that if your waitlist ranking is within 10% of the total enrollment capacity then your chances are okay. “Okay” is situated somewhere in the middle of the spectrum of chances; above bad, and below pretty good. Okay is close friends with “decent.” A.k.a. – you have a chance.

     

    So, if you are waitlisted, like, 100th – I hate to break it to you – but you probably ain’t getting in.

    What should you do now? There are several possible courses of action:

     

    a) Drop the course and add something else that has room; OR

     

    b) wait until 6:00am on August 7th (when your course load limit increases to 6.0) and add an additional course as a backup in case you never get in to FAH102; OR

     

    c) wait until the waitlist is removed (on January 3rd), and try to grab a spot that opens up. You have until January 10th to add courses. This will require you to be obnoxiously persistent in checking ROSI to see if a spot becomes available. Depending on how much of a life you have, I would check it at least 5 times per day (I am a ROSI junkie, mind you). This is only a 7 day window… that is not a lot of time. Do not get your hopes up about this option. Also, think about attending this class in the first week, so that you aren’t behind if you do eventually get enrolled.

     

    I did some snooping in the archives of ROSI, and it turns out that last year FAH102 offered two meeting sections with capacity of 188 – neither of which was full, but the net enrollment was 275. This year there is a single meeting section that accommodates 188 students. I also noticed that FAH102 was offered in the summer of 2007 and 2008, but not this past summer.

     

    So, Art History, why offer half of the spaces in a course that obviously has a greater demand?? Beats me. This bizarre/frustrating observation suggests one of two things. One, that Art History is sick of first-year students, and is trying to wean them off; or two, Art History is struggling to staff that course. Perhaps an issue of limited social or economic capital?

     

    In any case, I concur with what you are all thinking right now – it is super annoying.

     

    Now I did a Minor in Art History, and I have taken FAH102, so let me give you some advice, from the school of hard knocks. I can’t believe I just said that. If you are NOT enrolled in FAH102 this year, consider these two things:

     

    a) In all likelihood, you WILL be able to take this course next summer, when enrollment never meets capacity.

     

    b) You can always take this course in an upper-year, when you will have an earlier course enrollment start date, and therefore will stand a better chance of getting in. This works because you will find that none of the upper-year FAH courses actually list FAH102 as a pre-requisite. Sure the content of 102 may be useful preparation for 200-levels courses, but it is far from mandatory.

     

    c) Based on this, you could go ahead and enroll in a 200-level FAH course in your first year. They have “P” enrollment indicators, which means that you will be eligible to enroll on August 7th (at 6:00am SHARP). Let me give you a breakdown of these potentials…

     

    Although you might not ever be able to spell/fit her name on your test booklet, Prof. Katsougiannopoulou is a lovely lady who is teaching FAH207: Greek & Roman Art/Architecture. FAH246: Modernism is a little heavy for first-year, unless you have a good modern art background and/or interest. I’m totally biased, but I found FAH272: Modern Architecture to be a blast, and VERY doable in your first-year. FAH230: Renaissance Art/Arch is somewhere in between. The content is straightforward, but a little dry – depending on how much you can handle starting at triptychs of “virgin and child.” Annnd… I’ve never taken the Later Medieval Art course. Did they even create art in the Dark Ages? Watching The Sword in the Stone will probably suffice for knowledge on that time period, anyway. Ah ah ah Merlin! (If you got that reference you are a loser, and I love you).

     

    Should you (wo)man up, and take a 200-level course, I suggest limiting yourself to one per semester. They ARE 200-level so they will jump into things quicker. But, as I said, there is no reason why you can’t do well in these courses in your first-year.

    Think about what a breeze FAH102 will be when you finally take it in 4th year! Such a treat!! It’ll be like finding a curly fry in your regular fries from Arby’s.

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  • deferral,  fees,  important dates,  OSAP,  registration

    Waiving to REG.

    July 29, 2009

    Please help! This year’s OSAP deferral date is August 19th; Since I will be out of province until September 1st, I cannot go into the admin and awards office to officially defer me OSAP fees.

    I’ve emailed the OSAP staff at admin and awards several times in the last month with no response!

    Do you know of any options to defer my fees without having to fly back to Toronto?

    Thank you so much.

     

    First, a lesson: emailing or calling Admissions & Awards is futile, my friend. Don’t hold your breath waiting for a response. You really can’t hold it against them either – they are insanely busy at this time of year. One’s best bet is to go there in person. But that advice doesn’t do you a lot of good, does it?

     

    I hope you didn’t try too hard, because they won’t be able to defer your fees anyway.

     

    For those of you who don’t understand… deferring your fees is like waiving the fee payment deadline (19 August). Well, it’s not “like” that – it is that. You are registered in your courses, without having paid the minimum installment, under the assumption that you will pay your fees whenever your OSAP money gets dumped into your personal bank account. Which, by the way, is one of the greatest feelings on Earth – a fleeting reprieve from the weight of student poverty.

     

    But don’t get too excited, you will have to pay your outstanding tuition balance eventually (before you can pay for NEXT year’s fees). 1.5% monthly interest will also start to pile up beginning on 15 November.

     

    There are two methods for deferring your fees. One, a laborious and traditional approach that forces interaction with your Registrarial staff. The other, a brand new and slick approach that requires the most minimal of energy inputs (the rest of your energy being spent lugging around the Calendar and Timetable, and tweeting).

     

    Sounds nice, right? The institution is actually enabling our generation’s chronic laziness (…it’s sooo not our fault).

    What is this new fangled fee deferral method, you ask?!

     

    Beginning in the middle of the first week of August, an option will appear on the ROSI main page (near the bottom) that links you to a fee deferral request. Just follow the subsequent steps, and – if you have applied for OSAP and are eligible for some kind of funding – then you will soon be registered in your courses automatically. If you get an error message along the way, that’s either because you are ineligible, you’re not doing it correctly, or (more likely, in my opinion) the system is malfunctioning.

     

    If everything seems to run smoothly, then periodically consult your “registration status” (indicated below your Personal Timetable on ROSI). It will change from INVIT to REG. REG is good. You want to see REG. Reg is your real friend. Invit is just a flake who will leave you… on August 20… taking all your courses with him.

    If you can’t defeat some sort of error message on ROSI then resort to the old-school fee deferral method:

     

    Locate your Notice of Assessment (or print the screen that shows your name and the chart with your funding breakdown). Bring it to your Registrar’s Office. Fill out a Fee Deferral Request form, and you’re done. If you can’t be bothered to come downtown (cause you’re a lazy generation Y member – or you live in Wawa), then fax/email a scan of your Notice of Assessment to your Registrar’s Office and follow up with an email with explicit instructions to defer your fees. It can’t hurt to call them to make sure they received it, but give them a little time first, k?

     

    Do these options make sense? Good. Have fun “outside of the province” – unless you’re in Alberta.

    Then I’ll just offer you my condolences.

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  • important dates,  summer

    That sucks.

    May 25, 2008

    Hi askastudent, Do we have class on Monday June 30?
    According to the artsci calendar, the university is closed on June 30.
    However, my prof told me that there will be class on that day.
    Is it even legal for the prof to have class when the univerisity is closed?
    Thanks.     ?    ?

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