• admissions,  computer science,  international students,  masters

    weaselling past GPA requirements – yeah good luck with that

    September 30, 2013

    hi, I am currently doing Bs(Computer Sciences) in Pakistan – 5th semester (start of 3rd year). I would really like to get admission in Masters Degree program offered in uoft. Although i am quite good at what my field focuses at, yet my GPA does not express that at all. I have a current CGPA of 2.30. uoft site says that the minimum gpa required even for applying is 3.00 (B). I am so much paranoid that i cannot express. The thing is that, surprisingly, the university i am doing my BSCS from is ranked #1 for CS in Pakistan and is actually really good. But at same time, their grading is very very very strict. what i mean to say is that with the amount of effort it took me to maintain gpa of 2.30 at FAST-NU (my university name), i could easily maintain way above 3.00 in any other university from Pakistan (just that they don’t teach as thoroughly as FAST). So this makes me think that if i was in a less competent university, it would have been easier for me to get to uoft. is it not a bit unfair? why is the teaching level of institutions not also considered.

    And, please please please help me, i really want to make it to uoft. Can’there be any other way? If with gpa like this, i apply to uoft anyway, are there chances that i can get selected? what if i score really good at GRE test (or international students)? will the University of Toronto consider
    me on the basis of anything other than my gpa? 🙁

    Will really appreciate helpful suggestions.
    Thank You

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    I appreciate how much you want to get into uoft. Seriously, it’s a pretty rad place. I’d love to help you as much as possible; you’ve come to aska for help, and if there’s anything more rad than uoft, it’s aska.

    Unfortunately, I am just a lowly messenger, and I don’t have the power to bend uoft’s admission requirements. They do say explicitly on their website that they require at least a 77%-79% GPA in the final two years of your undergraduate course. Lucky for you, you’re just starting on your third year, meaning you’ve got almost two years to get your GPA up. I get that your university is crazy hard, but if you really want to get into uoft, you’ve got to find a way to boost it.

    If there really is nothing you can do to bring up your marks but you feel like a master’s in CS here would be a breeze, the School of Graduate Studies does make exceptions in special cases. Do you feel like your case is special? Hint: it’s probably not unless you have some kind of industry experience to back up your knowledge, but I don’t know man, give it a shot, why not.

    As for other parts of your application, a good GRE result will strengthen your application, but it’s not everything. At the end of the day, fair or not, the requirements are the same for all students, and you’ll probably just have to work within uoft’s GPA cut-off.

    Bottom line, just do whatever you can to get your marks up in the next two years, and maybe consider applying to other universities – they’re alright too. I mean, they’re not us. But they’re alright.

    aska

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  • housing,  international students,  partying

    where the party people at?

    November 16, 2012

    Hello,
    I’m an international student possibly studying in Toronto. Where do you think I should live… on campus or find a house to rent a room in? My criteria are:- people who know how party…- but also aren’t completely out of it 100% of the time and work too
    thanks!

    ———————————————

    Hey hey!

    Since you’re an international student, I’m going to recommend taking advantage of UofT’s guarantee for housing for first-year students just to be safe. Considering you’re not from here, you won’t really know what neighborhoods would be best and/or affordable for you. Furthermore, if you’re living on res, you’re most likely going to be with a bunch of people with a similar mindset of Party! Party! Party! and who will want to join you in that endeavor so there you go.

    Cheers!

    aska

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  • exchange,  international exchange,  international students

    a most excellent exchange

    October 1, 2012

    Hi there!

    I’m currently a first year architecture student at the University of Auckland in New Zealand and am thinking of applying for an exchange at UofT next year. Unfortunately I have been ripping my hair out for the past month trying to figure out how courses and things work over there… if it’s not too much of a bother, would you mind answering a few questions please? How many FCEs do you have to gain/complete in a session? What are the core courses for second and third year students? I have looked at the Daniel’s website (many times) but I’m still a bit confused, the core courses courses currently listed under their Bachelor of Arts majoring in Architecture tag and the courses listed in their time table don’t seem to match up. Is their an academic calendar of some sort for the Daniel’s faculty?

    Thanks so much 🙂

    ———————————————

    Hey there, future Torontoian!

    Indeed, U of T’s department websites can be a bit daunting and confusing at times, but that’s why you have aska, so there’s no need for ripping out your hair anymore! 🙂

    U of T’s academic year is divided into two sessions: the fall session lasting from September to December, and the winter session, lasting from January to April. According to the Centre for International Experience, if you choose to study in lovely Toronto for an entire year, you’ll need to take between 3.0 and 5.0 FCEs. If you come for only one semester, however, you’ll be taking between 1.5 and 2.5 FCEs and will only be able to take the courses available during the term you’re studying here.

    Luckily for you, a good number of the second-year courses from the Architectural Studies program have no perquisites. ARC213H1 Architectural Design I and ARC221H1 Architectural Representation I, on the other hand, do require enrollment in U of T’s Architecture program. I suppose you can deem these two the core courses as without them, you’ll be limited to the second-year courses that lack perquisites. But since your program at the University of Auckland is the same as what you want to take here, you can probably work something out to get into the courses with restrictions by talking to either Barbara Muniz, the Exchange Officer for Inbound Students, or the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design directly.

    For now, you can refer to the Faculty of Arts and Science calendar to see the courses that they recommend second-year students take. Unfortunately, the Architecture Studies program is in a transitional state at the moment, moving from the Faculty of Arts and Science and to its own personal Faculty, so the website may be a bit wonky right now.

    I know the process does seem quite troublesome, but don’t let the currently messy faculty website deter you from any future adventures at the University of Toronto. We have a beautiful campus, a multicultural and diverse city, and, most importantly, Tim Horton’s, the world’s greatest coffee shop, so you definitely won’t regret studying here.

    cozy in canada,

    aska

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  • being canadian,  fees,  international students

    citizenship saves the day

    September 19, 2012

    Hi, I currently reside in good old Blighty but straddle the Atlantic pond in terms of citizenship (British/Canadian). Will I pay international or domestic fees if I attend Toronto Uni? You are spiffin’ but only if you answer, Aska. Thanks and “Cheerio mate!”.

    —————-

    Hey Mr. Bean!

    You’ll pay domestic fees, you lucky dog!

    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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  • international students,  switching,  UTM

    don’t knock UTM ’till you try UTM

    April 14, 2011

    Dear Aska,
    This site has been EXTREMELY helpful! Thanks so much !

    I’ve recently been admitted to UTM as an international student and have accepted my offer since then. I’ve also been doing some research and asking around, and many (if not most) of the responses I have gotten are starting to make me worry. They all seem to point out that UTM is inferior to the main campus which I did not apply to, and that residence life at UTM is extremely boring and dead and that UTM is mostly international students. As well as that it is a commuter university, and that Mississauga is lifeless and there is nothing to do there. I can not visit the campus anytime before the academic year starts since I live halfway across the world, so I can’t really see for myself how the campus is and if I even like it. I really don’t want to be spending the next four years of my life in a place I can’t stand. From what I have seen in the university website, it seems really awesome which is why I chose it in the first place! As well as it’s academic excellence. I really like it, but i haven’t been there to judge. I have looked through every possible website for answers. But I just can’t seem to get any help. :S
    Any advice?

    Sincerely,
    Confused prospective.

    ———————————————

    Dear Confused,

    Don’t listen to those haters. Anyone cool understands that university is what you make of it. UTM might be small, but it is very pretty (lots of nature wildlife), has an insanely vibrant student council and probably will be great once you get situated. Look at these promotional videos! Look at this cool list of clubs you could join!

    Okay, that might not impress you much, which is why I’m going to suggest that you get in contact with the University of Missisauga Students’ Union, via Facebook.

    They might be able to sell you on UTM, which it seems like you already loved before other people tried to convince you otherwise. You know that old saying, don’t knock it ’till you try it? Well you need to try UTM before you pull out. Doing internal switches at U of T is much harder than you might realize, but don’t think of it as a bad experience you are heading into – think of it as a possibly wonderful adjustment period.

    Let me know what happens.

    xoxo, Askastudent

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  • international students

    aska does not know the answer

    September 23, 2010

    Hi, I’m an international student studying in UAE but under the Indian CBSE system. I want to know if there is anyone from CBSE, how much marks they scored in CBSE for admission. And how are they supporting themselves for the fees, etc.

    Thanks,
    Ramneek Singh

    ———————————————

    Hi Ramneek,

    Unfortunately neither I nor anyone at the Innis Registrar understand your question, which I why I have to do the cardinal sin of U of T – referring you to someone else. Here is the page on international students at U of T (which is a little too student experience-y for my tastes.) The place to talk to would be Admissions and Awards. They will know exactly what you’re talking about and how it pertains to your program of study.

    Sorry that I don’t!

    xoxo, Askastudent

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  • international students,  pharmacy

    is there a ‘plus’ to pharmacy?

    September 23, 2010

    Hey aska!

    I plan to apply to the pharmacy course in U of T, though it’s quite vague what are their admission requirements are since I’m taking IB. However, do you know how many IB points would be considered ‘competitive’ and is it better to live on campus or off campus? Also, I’ve never been to Toronto before and I’m from singapore. Can you please give me an idea on how life is like over there? (such as the cold weather, the people there ‘cus i heard they’re all mean and etc.)

    Thank you! x

    ———————————————

    Hi there! Writing to you from Toronto where today it is warm and nice, and the people are delightful. In terms of Toronto, basically all you need to know is that we have awesome Chinese food, cold winter (get a good parka) and a mediocre subway system. But U of T’s library, campus and culture are all top notch dude! For your first year, I would recommend living on campus to obtain the U of T experience and meet people. Then you can move to a mouse-infested basement apartment on Bathurst Street like I did in my second year! Or you know, someplace nice.

    It’s important to note that one doesn’t immediately get into the pharmacy program at U of T. There’s a two year period before you are admitted. Whatever “IB” credits you get, will be considered transfer credits to the program. If you look at the pharmacy program website, you’ll see all the requirements outlined here.

    I would recommend calling Admissions and Awards and the Pharmacy Program to get more information about how your international credits would stack up. Just remember, there’s two years of school before you can apply to Pharmacy. Okay?

    This selected “FAQ” is also good to keep in mind:

    5. Is it more difficult for me to gain admission as either a non-Ontario or non-resident (international) applicant?

    International students may find it more difficult to meet specific subject requirements, depending on the system in which they are studying, and may encounter difficulty in making suitable PCAT arrangements. However, there are no exceptions to admission requirements and all applicants are expected to comply with all requirements including the PCAT and the interview requirement. Candidates should note that they may be required to travel to North American for PCAT testing arrangements and, as well, if selected for an interview? must be prepared to make appropriate travel and accommodation arrangements at their own expense to attend the interview in Toronto, Ontario.

    Provided you are able to meet all published requirements you will initially be considered in the same manner as Ontario applicants; the standards required in each of the criteria are the same for all applicants regardless of whether they are Ontario or non-Ontario residents. Although the Faculty may admit only a maximum of 10% of the first year class from out of province, in recent years all competitive non-Ontario applicants have been offered admission and none have been denied admission solely due to the fact that they are out-of-province applicants. The number of non-Ontario applicants (including international students) has typically ranged from 7 to 10% of the total applicant pool and provided this percentage of out-of-province applicants remains in proportion to the percentage of allowable out-of-province admits there is no disadvantage to any candidate on the basis of status. In the event that more than 10% of the top 240 candidates are out of province some out-of-province candidates would be moved to the waitlist. This would be determined by the overall ranking of the candidates. Those in the lower range of the 240 would be moved to the waitlist. As mentioned above, this has not yet occurred.

    xoxo, Askastudent

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  • international students,  residence,  scholarships/bursaries

    questions from a boy and his chinese mother!

    August 4, 2010

    Hi Aska: I’m an upcoming student, currently live in China, and about to head to U of T in several weeks. I found your website really helping. As I trace back to earlier questions, I discovered many important details that I missed for a first year student. And I still have some questions about academic life and… something embarrassing (LOL)
    First question is about the POSTs. The handbook said that to satisfy the BA/BSc degree, I have to enroll in at least 2 major or 1 specialist programs. What I wanted to know is, can I enroll in 3 majors or 1 specialist and 1major program? Is that possible to be completed in four years? Should I pay additional tuition fee for that?
    I know there is some scholarships available for international student. Can I apply for more than one scholarships at a same time? Is there any limitations about the number of scholarships I applied for? I’m not greedy, but the tuition fee is really expensive (Honestly, more than $20,000), I wish to know if there’s some way to make the situation a little better.
    And the final, blockbuster question is from my mum. I bet this is the first time in aska history, that somebody want to know if the Innis Residence offer bedclothes, and should her son carry his bedding set for several thousand miles all the way from Beijing to Toronto (Oh, mom!).
    That’s all, many thanks, and, looking forward for your answer.

    ———————————————

    Hello there all the way from Toronto! (But on the internet, we’re the same.) Don’t feel embarrassed by your inquisitive nature or your darling mum. And congratulations on making Aska history!!!

    First things first. While it is possible to complete a specialist and major, or three majors, you have to consider your time and course registration. Many students end up with these combinations because they take courses that overlap, or have interdisciplinary seminars. No one is stopping you from taking as many courses as you need and want to, in order to complete your program, but it is good to keep in mind that a Specialist is 10 courses, and a major is seven. If you have to fill to fill five breadth requirements, plus 10 courses as is…maybe you won’t be able to give yourself the wiggle room needed. Talk to your registrar about your ambitious plans and they will help you (I promise!)

    You might finish your program in four years, or more, depending on how many courses you take (many students find themselves taking 3-5 courses a year, which designates you as a “full time student.”) There is no additional fees, depending on whether you complete a specialist or a major, just the fees towards courses and other compulsory fees for student societies. Keep that in mind.

    In terms of scholarships, by all means, apply for as many as you humanly can apply for! No one is going to be aware of how many scholarships you are applying for, and if you are eligible for more than one scholarship (and you receive more than one scholarship) – that is totally sweet-ass-sweet. Admissions and awards lists some scholarships on their website that you might be eligible for, though it gets a little trickier for international students. Your registrar should have some advice about good places to hit up, and while you may not be eligible for OSAP, there are some bank loans with low interest.

    In response to your mom, all beds come from the Innis Residence stripped bare. (Which is actually a good thing, considering.) Bring your own bed clothes or buy some new sheets at a local department store. I recommend The Bay, for that touch of classic Canadiana.

    Best of luck with your upcoming move!

    xoxo, Askastudent

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  • film,  grad school,  international students

    UofT isn’t always the answer

    January 8, 2010

    Hello,

    I am a Chinese Senior student in Hunan Normal University, Oh, I bet you have never heard about it. Never mind, I am so happy that Innis College have such a good access for us to know more about this college, since I got so many questions in my mind to ask.

    For one, I want to apply for a M.A program in film studies. But I have no idea, what exactly a graduates’ life should be? I mean, what a graduate should do during the two years studies? Are they go to classroom everyday, and fulfill the professor’s assignment? Or they will get the chance to help their profressor to accomplish a real film? Or they just be given the topic of a paper, and then try to finish it before they get the degree? You know, cultures and policies vary from countries, I do really want to know what a graduate mean to a native Canadian.

    Another thing is that, what’s the relationship between a student and a professor in graduate level? Someone told me that what a professor to a student just like what a boss to a employee, is that ture? Is there any chance that I can contact my “future boss” before admission? Or is there any Chinese student, I mean graduate students, in your college right now is in film studies program? Can I contact to them?

    Thank you soo much and it would mean so much if you replied

    —————————————–

    My understanding is that here at UofT, at least, graduate school is often the stepping stone to a PhD degree. Currently, there’s no PhD in Cinema Studies at U of T – but that could change. If you go on to do a PhD, you’ll be doing a lot of research, not film-making. After getting a PhD, you’d probably (though not necessarily) become professor and teach and research film theory. I’m guessing that not a lot of film-making will go on in the cinema studies courses at UofT. As a comparison, take the English department. Generally, the majority of the courses offered in the English department are about literature and not on how to write and publish novels.

    Similarly, it seems that the cinema studies program at UofT will prepare you for research. I’ve taken a look at the courses, and most of them seem pretty theoretical. Here’s a list of them if you wanted to check it out.

    From your email, though, I get the feeling that you want to get there and do some film-making, instead of sitting in a classroom and doing assignments. The link I gave you says that you’ll be given a choice as to whether to do an internship or a major research paper, but I doubt that the internship will entail making a film. I’m not in grad school myself, but I’ve attended several presentations on graduate schools and have been told research is the biggest part of grad school.

    If you’re looking for a film-making degree, the Cinema Studies department suggests considering other Universities or colleges that might provide you with direct experience. For instance, York University has an MFA (Master of Fine Arts) program in Film Production in which you would tak[e] courses with [their] faculty of award-winning filmmakers, completing a thesis film or digital work, and Ryerson University has a Documentary Media degree. Check the Universities in other countries too.

    However, that’s not to say that a grad school wouldn’t help you with film-making. Just as knowledge of music theory would help someone compose music, learning the theory behind films could teach you a lot. Knowing about movies and movie history can offer some context and some inspiration. In addition, while being in grad school, you could pursue film-making on the side. For instance, there are film-making courses at Hart House (UofT’s student centre).

    I’ve contacted the film department and they have told me that you are free to get in touch with anyone in the cinema studies graduate program right now. Contact gradcinema.studies@utoronto.ca, and they will find someone who’s willing to answer your questions. Being a grad student brings you much more in contact personally with professors, because you are in effect on track to becoming an independent scholar in your own right – so you keep learning, but you also engage with the profs a lot more. You’ll write papers and present them at conferences, probably, and get direct supervision.

    Feel free to ask more questions if you have any or if I’ve been unclear.

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  • admissions,  international students,  psychology

    Munch munch

    November 10, 2009

    Hey, so I have a few questions about admission.

    Right now I’m a Canadian citizen living in Minneapolis. I’m not sure how Minneapolis is relevant to my question, but I’m just throwing it out there.

    Anyway, I really REALLY want to be accepted into UofT. It seems pretty sweet and my cousin went to Innis and reccommends it to me. Last year I had a GPA of about 3.3 (not sure though. I never paid enough attention). Right now I have no idea what my GPA is but I bet it’s bad. My current grades are C- (AP Literature), B (Advanced Pottery), A (Human Geography) and a C- in French 4.

    I know you probably don’t want to calculate that GPA but yeah. I’m in the fall semester of my grade 12 year, and I plan on improving my grades a ton, but I think I’m sending my transcripts in a few months to the school. I took the SAT and did well on that though, and two SAT subject tests, which I haven’t gotten the scores back for yet. My

    Ermm, uhh. Hey again . I just realized that it might help you to know that I’m planning on a psych major? Yeah. Life sciences I guess would be the program I’m trying for.

    …also looking back at my original message, I cut off after my. Sorry about that.

    I’ll continue it here.

    ..My ACT score was a 30, and I also took the AP Psychology and AP Composition tests, getting a 5 on both of them. I think a 5 is a perfect score too right? I’m somewhat hoping that my ACT and AP test scores will redeem me for having terrible grades this fall..also, my term ends on Nov 12 (there’s 2 terms in a semester.) and I’m planning on sending my grades and teacher recommendation letters sometime before December.

    So yeah. I was just wondering if I completely screwed myself by not caring about my classes this fall, or if there’s still a chance that I could be admitted into the University of Toronto?

    ———————————————

    Heads up. In University, you’ll have to teach yourself how to research effectively in order to expect to do well. Guess they don’t teach you that in Pottery class. But since you haven’t been disenchanted by the harsh reality of University yet (ah, I remember the days when ‘doing homework’ meant going on MSN), I’ll begrudgingly do the research for you and direct you to the admissions site.

    If you click around a bit, the site will tell you that you need a high GPA and SAT Reasoning exams and three SAT Subject Tests. Now, I’ll admit that this does sound a little ambiguous. Blame the admissions people. But just to give you a comparison, students from Ontario need low to mid 80s to be admitted into the Life Sciences stream. That’s an A-. The marks that you have now seem a bit low by comparison. But there’s definitely a possibility that your SAT and ACT scores will help your case. The admissions people said, “Successful applicants have presented scores of at least 600 in each SAT component and 26 in the ACT,” and your ACT score is obviously higher than that. As for whether or not you’d actually be accepted, no one knows except the admissions people, but there’s really no harm in just applying. Just remember to keep your options open, just in case.

    I’m guessing a large part of the decision is probably based on the SAT though.

    One thing. If you’re seriously planning on coming here, you really oughta change your attitude. U of T is not for the people who don’t care about their classes. As friend of aska puts it, if you’re one of those people, UofT will eat you alive.

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