• architecture,  grad school

    come to fall campus day! – a sneaky plug

    Would you know if Daniels is having a separate “fall campus day”/open house other than one one that St George is having? Or if there is a separate such day for grad students?

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    lucky for you, fall campus day is your one-stop-shop for all things uoft. every college, all five undergraduate faculties, student residences, and graduate studies will throw open their arms (or doors) for you on october 18th.

    during fall campus day, daniels will be having two info sessions about undergrad admissions and one mock lecture, both of which i would highly, highly recommend. it’s not every faculty that will allow you to simulate a lecture before you actually get into the program.

    daniels will also be having a graduate studies open house on november 4th and 5th.

    if you’re interested in any of the other bazillion graduate programs offered by uoft, you can visit “almost all” of them at fall campus day.

    oh, hey! speaking of, your very own aska will also be lurking around at fall campus day. do you think you can find me?

    cheers,

    aska

  • architecture

    i just wanna do it all

    Hello,

    I’m an undergraduate architecture student trying to decide between majors.?I would like to work my way to becoming an architecture professor. Is there?any way I can earn a teaching degree while still working towards my?architecture degree?

    Thanks

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

    hey there,

    this won’t?apply to you since the deadline to apply for this was May 15th, but?if you?were?a first-year student in the faculty of arts and science, you were able to?apply for Year 2 of CTEP?at Victoria College. you can read more about the program here, but basically, it allowed you to?pursue your B.A. in tandem with the B.Ed. (Bachelor of Education). now that program is being cut in favour of a two-year B.Ed. program, which you can apply to next year (the program commences september 2015).

    sidestepping the sensitive political issue of teacher education entirely (aska doesn’t DO?sensitive political issues), if you want to be a professor in future, i don’t know that a B.Ed. would be useful to you anyway – you just need a Ph.D. for that.*

    cheers,

    aska

    * “just”

  • admissions,  architecture

    architecture admissions smorgasbord

    Heyy Aska! You’re in Innis College too? No way, so am I!!


    So before I begin, I just wanted to thank you for being such an amazing human being and helping out all these lost souls by answering their endless questions. I cannot begin to tell you how much your witty answers have helped me and/or managed to put a smile on my face on so many occasions. Please never stop doing what you do, and I just wanted to let you know that you’re being appreciated 🙂


    Kso here’s my thing: I just finished my first year at St. George, and I thought I wanted to major in econ, but then I realized how much I sucked so I changed gears into Urban Studies. Recently, however, I started thinking about Architecture, since I’m artsy about literally everything and it has always been a subconscious dream-aspiration for me. But then I thought about how difficult it would actually be and that getting into the program is just wishful thinking, so I pushed the whole idea aside. And then today, out of nowhere, I got hit with the best idea for the program’s O<https://daniels.utoronto.ca/node/2120>ne?Idea supplementary application<https://daniels.utoronto.ca/node/2120>, which you need to complete in order to apply, and I cannot wait to execute it. My question to you is: are there any additional costs involved with the application process? Because it doesn’t say anything about that on their website. I’m also kind of nervous to create something already, because what if they change the application next year? :/ On their website, it just talks about completing the Uoft Internal Application and the One Idea supplementary application.. I couldn’t really check those out because they’re from last year and so they’re inaccessible, but are those really the only two things I should be worrying about? No using the OUAC website? Also, do you have a rough idea of how my CGPA should be in order for me to stand a chance? My average could’ve been around mid 70s-80s, if it wasn’t for a 56 that I got in PSY100.. I wish I could make it disappear from my transcript, but I don’t think there is any way 🙁 Do you? Ughhh so many questions, I’m so sorry for bombarding you, but please try and help a girl out!


    Sincerely, ?

    Forever Confused

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

    hey forever confused (i feel you on that one),

    shucks, aren’t you sweet? you shouldn’t say things like that you know, they go straight to aska’s head. and i’m already the wisest, most benevolent person this doomed planet has ever known.

    the application is?really just based on your GPA and OneIdea essay. there’s always the possibility they might COMPLETELY CHANGE the process this year, but i think you’re safe. still,?maybe just jot down ideas about the essay as you get them, but hold off on writing for now? just in case the essay question changes, or the application process is altered. besides, your writing is probably gonna improve by december. (also, you can still look at last year’s OneIdea question?if you’re interested.)

    by “additional costs,”?d’you mean financial cost? it costs $90 to complete an internal transfer app, but that’s about it. hopefully you should be able to cover that, otherwise you’re screwed for architecture’s tuition.

    there’s no way to remove a?mark from your transcript – that would just be too easy.

    i have?no idea about official or unofficial cutoffs for the program. architecture’s website is vague at the best of times, but it’s completely silent on the topic of grades. if you want to bug architecture about it, then by all means, go ahead. (just don’t tell them i sent you. can’t have any admin staff at uoft after my head).

    cheers,

    aska

    P.S. askastudent runs out of innis college but i’m actually a vic student! you could say i’m infiltrating innis’ ranks. maybe i’m planning something. who knows…

  • admissions,  architecture,  masters

    do not fret, my architecture pet

    Hey so i’m finishing third year and i’ve had a terrible one and i will be applying for master of architecture next year when i complete my fourth year. They require a minimum of 3.0 in last 5FCE so my CGPA is 2.86 right now and would i be fine if i rock next year In terms of gpa?
    Also since its considering the last 5FCE my Cgpa wouldn’t be that important right? considering all the other aspects of the application like the portfolio and the letters of recommendation
    Please get back to me whenever you can
    Thank you

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    right, so the GPA is calculated based on “the student[‘s] grades in academic courses in the last five FCEs completed at the senior level,” meaning that those are the courses that will be considered for your application, and that you’ll need to focus on. like you said, you just have to rock your last five courses (i.e. meet/exceed the GPA cut-off), present a strong application in all the other components, and, based on what’s on the daniels website, your application will have met the requirements for consideration.

    note that there are no specific mark requirements, but there are some prerequisite courses you do need to have completed in order to apply.

    best,

    aska

  • architecture,  enrollment,  first year

    uoft tryna control my enrolment decisions

    Hey!
    I’m in first year Architecture, and when I go to sign-up for other courses?(specifically FAH230H1, CSC108H1, and CSC148H1) it tells me: You do not fit?in any enrolment category. There are 350 total spaces in the meeting?section. What exactly does this mean?

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

    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,

    oh look! a useful question. been a while since i’ve seen one of those around. #shade (i’m just kidding. your questions are all that keep me from my lonely, existential contemplations).

    well, my friend, the thing about university is that everyone is in different programs. and that’s not just an arbitrary thing that happens so that some people (*cough* engineers) can feel superior to others. it actually means something it terms of enrolment, and what it means is that some classes have “enrolment controls.”

    classes with enrolment controls limit enrolment to people in certain programs. for example, FAH230H1 is limited to Fine Arts majors, minors, specialists and Visual Studies specialists. you can take a look at the enrolment controls for CSC108H1 and CSC148H1 here and here.

    what this basically boils down to is that, unfortunately, you can’t take those courses because you’re not in any of those programs. what you can do instead is try to find similar courses without any enrolment controls, like CSC104H1?, CSC120H1, FAH101H1??or FAH102H1. i know, it’s unfair. life is unfair. here’s a cat to make up for it:

    henri le chat party mix

    best,

    aska

  • admissions,  architecture

    daniels website: the enigma of our time

    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

  • admissions,  architecture

    building your future (by aska, architect of puns)

    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

  • admissions,  architecture

    i need an idea for OneIdea

    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

  • admissions,  architecture,  english,  extracurricular,  UTM

    wherein i solve all of youth’s problems.

    Hello there,
    I’m currently in Grade 12, and am thinking of applying to U of T’s Architecture Studies program, and also to the English program (for teachers’ college) in U of T Mississauga. I understand that they’re discontinuing (or working out the kinks at least) the Concurrent Teacher’s Education Program for the 2014-2015 school year. OK. Hereee goess…1. Realistically, what is the likelihood of me getting into the Architecture program with [information redacted] and probably a low to mid 80 average overall? 2. I do a lot of leadership stuff in my extracurricular activities in and outside of school. I am currently in 5-8 clubs and is a leader in at least half of them. Is there any way I can show them the blood, sweat, and tears I’ve put into managing all this in my student life? Does it even matter? 3. What would I need (grade wise) in order to get into the English program at UTM? 4. From my understanding, you can apply to the CTEP in your second year. Is that true? If so, is there a glimmer of hope that I may be able to be in the CTEP in my second year? 5. Realistically, if I get accepted into both programs, would I be able to attend to both UTM and U of T? I have transportation to both.
    Thanks so much

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    you people who number your questions are my favourite people. i bet you’re also the people who colour-code your notes and have daily to-do lists, aren’t you? it’s ok, don’t worry. this is an accepting environment. you can be honest with me.

    anyway, i’m just gonna go ahead and follow your numbering system along, since you’ve gone to the trouble of making it:

    1. yo, guys. i’m not an admissions committee. i don’t KNOW if your precise averages will be enough to get you in. and neither does the school – it all depends on the competition of everyone else applying with you. what you can do to ease your mind is take a look at last year’s incoming averages for a rough idea. that table says that incoming students had an average mark in the mid-80s for architecture, so make of that what you will.

    2. now, this is the one that stings. they tell you for four years that extra-curriculars are really helpful for getting into university – they drill it into you. well, guess what? they LIED. the university only looks at marks, and that’s just the unfortunate truth of the matter. HOWEVER some colleges (*cough* vic *cough*) do require a supplemental form in which you can brag about all your extracurricular achievements, and obviously scholarships and grants (which I would highly recommend applying to) are heavily based on extracurricular achievement, so hopefully it didn’t ALL go to waste.

    3. if we once more look at this glorious page and scroll down to utm – humanities, we’ll see that previous incoming averages came out to the mid-70s.

    4. you absolutely can apply to CTEP in second year! not only can you do it, but it seems like that’s when the majority of people apply, so i think that if you meet their admission requirements, you should be fine. they’re very reasonable requirements too – gpa of at least 2.5, full course-load, enrolled at utm, and complete certain first-year courses. if you stay focused and complete those, i’d say you have a good chance of getting in.

    5. utm and uoft are separate universities. it is possible to take some classes downtown if you’re from utm, but you can’t be enrolled in both institutions, even if you can drive back and forth between them five times in a day. soz.

    hoping you have a smashin’ first year,

    aska

  • architecture,  failing

    beware: failing a course may AFFECT YOU in mysterious ways.

    Hey!

    I?m at Daniel?s for Architecture. And I took PSY100 for a breadth requirement. I?m not doing well in it, I will probably end up with a 60% maximum unless I ace the last test.?Will this affect anything for me at all or am I good to go because I?m not failing and it?s just an elective?

    ?????????

    hey there,

    i don’t really understand the question???

    will it affect you? well, it’s not a program requirement, so it won’t stop you from continuing to fulfil the requirements towards your architecture degree. however, it will be a failed mark on your transcript, and that will bring down your GPA. if your GPA is lowered enough (below 1.50) you will be put on academic probation. a lower GPA may prevent you from pursuing post-graduate studies, depending on how low it gets. also, you need 20.0 credits to graduate, so you’ll need to make up for this credit which you didn’t get with another one, preferably one that will fulfil the breadth requirement you were trying to fill with PSY100, because you still need to satisfy that.

    the only thing i can think of that might be a problem is if architecture has a minimum GPA that needs to be maintained. i don’t know if it does because they put very little of that information online tbh, but if you’re worried about that, definitely talk with the registrar about it.

    other than that, i mean, no, it won’t affect you. it might make you sad. i don’t know. are you sad? i can’t really tell. here, have a muffin, just in case. it’s all gonna be okay.

    aska

  • admissions,  architecture

    so you wanna defect to architect

    Hello!

    Basically, this is a really long question about how? I can transfer into?the Daniels Faculty of Architecture. Currently, I’m a life science major.?I’d like to keep my current major, and study it along with architecture.

    I know I have to fill out the U of T internal application. Around what?range does my AGPA and CGPA have to be in order to be considered, and in?order to be a competitive application??And would I have to have completed the introductory first year architecture?course before applying for a transfer?

    I’ve also had some extenuating circumstances (personal illness, illness of?an immediate family member) that have made my marks lower than they could?be. They are definitely not excuses, but they did affect my performance; is?there any way I can make the decisions committee aware of these factors?

    Also, how much does the application cost?

    Thank you so much for your help, sorry for all the questions!

    ?????????

    Hey there,

    Wow, lots of questions. It’s cool, I had a large coffee this morning. Let’s go.

    I’m gonna be straight with you. I don’t decide who gets into the architecture program. Believe it or not, the mysterious figure behind this blog is NOT an all-powerful admissions authority at UofT. So I don’t know exactly what your marks have to look like to be competitive. Your overall CGPA and most recent AGPA will be considered, but there is no set cut-off. So just do the best you can.

    You don’t need to have taken any previous architecture courses, just as long as you’ve completed a certain number of high school credits. As to your extenuating circumstances, I’m sorry that you’ve been put in that situation. The application for the architecture BA only looks at your marks and a creative essay, so there’s no formal way to explain your unique circumstances. What you can do though is?e-mail the Faculty of architecture, landscape and design’s faculty office assistant?letting them know what’s up.

    As for the application, it costs an arm, a leg, and a monthly 9L plasma donation to the University of Toronto’s department of laboratory medicine and pathobiology. And what I mean by that is that OUAC charges $135 for your application. So. Same deal, really.

    Good luck homeslice, and good luck with your application!

    aska

  • architecture

    dammit daniels why is your site so useless

    I heard that since the architecture is only offering an BA degree, which would sound really bad, so I was wondering if I could purchase a physics major along with architecture studies, so it would be more competitive when I apply for grade school which students from Waterloo and McGill which they offer B.Sc.(Arch). I heard since is a Honors of BA, so it is kinda require u take double major? But physic is a science program, is it possible for architecture student to major in physics? And do we still received a HBA if we has a major in physics and architecture studies? And I been an artist since little, I have ten years of painting experience, but is it require for all the student to take those studio courses? Can I just take the final exam and pass instead, I don’t feel like wasting time on the thing that I’m already good at, I heard since the program doesn’t require portfolio, lots of people actually have no visual art base at all.

    ?????????

    Ah, I remember you.

    Okay so:

    • Excuse you, but there’s nothing wrong with a BA. Arts ftw!
    • You can do the Architectural Studies Major Program in combination with Physics, sure, but for the most part, the Daniels website is completely useless and I barely understand it soooo I’m quite lost on what the difference between that and the general architecture BA is…
    • If you double major in an art and a science, you’re allowed to pick what kind of degree you graduate with.
    • If those studio courses are program/degree requirements, then yes, you have to take them. They’re required.
    • Can you just take the final exam and like… not do the coursework? Ha! If only. Heck no, dude. Don’t you think everyone would be doing that if it were an option? You obviously have to go to class and do the work unless your prof makes you some super sweet deal, which I highly doubt he or she will.

    xoxo,

    aska

     

  • admissions,  architecture

    may may why so far away

    I’m currently a student in grade 12 from B.C. This year my avgs are not that good since I took so many APs and I was away for two weeks. So after calculating using my English 12, AP Chemistry 12, AP studio Arts drawing, and Mandarin 12, which are 76%, 93%, 91%, and 93%. Since my English is too low, my avg is pulled down to an 88%. My one idea is about a painting I done base on my perspective on Vancouver’s buildings in downtown. I don’t know if it is creative enough. I know lots of people who applied with avgs of 90% or above, and we all received the same message on our states which is file completed will have a decision in LATE may. I got a rejection from U of T civil engineering already, and I’m really nervous now. So I wanna ask, with my avg, do I still have a chance? On the admission site, it said susseful applicants are among the top three in their class… Which I’m not. I was, in regular class, but I transferred to AP, people their recived full scholarship form U of Penn..

    ?????????

    Hey hey!

    Is an 88 average good enough for architecture…

    To be honest, I don’t know what to tell you. Generally, we say “high-80s” for architecture, but when you factor in the many, many applicants and limited spaces, you arrive at a minimum in the low 90s. BUT, at the same time, that can work in the opposite way and bring it down.

    So yeah. I’m going to go with the politically correct not-yes/not-no answer and say that it all depends on the applicant pool.

    Your average is fantastic, don’t get me wrong, but I guess you’ll have to wait til late-May to know whether or not architecture agrees with me on that…

    essentially useless,
    aska