• colleges,  student groups,  Transferring

    at least you know aska will always be more antisocial than you.

    May 9, 2014

    I’ve just finished my second year of university at St. George and I haven’t really gotten into university social life. I went to UTSC, hated it,
    transferred to UTSG and I’m just getting the hang of things around here. I’ve had a really rough past two years, but to avoid the sappy story, I just need some guidance on how to be social and make new friends when everyone seems to have a set social circle already. I know many people build their university relationships during frosh week and first year but since I wasn’t in the best emotional state during that period, I didn’t go to frosh. To solve this, I tried to become a frosh leader at SMC but I did not get the position. I tried really hard and put in my best effort but again, everyone knew each other already so it was hard to make an impression when you’re kind of the new kid. I guess my question is – are there any ways to get involved in UTSG social life during the summer? Any tips or resources on how to be social during the school year? I’ve joined The Varsity and UFashion but those are not running during the summer, I believe.

    Also. another question.

    I am thinking of transferring colleges. I’m currently in St. Mike’s but I spend a lot of time at UC and everyone that I’m close with is a UC member. I know it’s always good to go your own way but I feel comfortable at UC and the commuter resources are helpful. Overall, I just like UC a whole lot better for a lot of reasons. I know to do this I’d have to contact the college registrar and such but have you heard of any instances where someone was successful in doing this or am I just wasting my time?

    Thanks!

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    there are plenty of different activities that run in the summer. hart house has a whole range of different clubs and activities you can get involved with (archery??? heck yeah!). there are an overwhelming number of student organizations at this school, many of which run throughout the summer as well as into the school year. you can also browse work and volunteer opportunities on the student life website, which updates throughout the year.

    as to transferring, i don’t know anyone personally who’s switched colleges (most of my friends are really lazy/contented though, so don’t take that to mean anything), BUT you’re definitely not wasting your time in trying. it never hurts to go and talk to your registrar’s office about it.

    also, just a side note – if you’ve got friends at UC awesome enough to transfer for, then it seems like you’re already pretty involved in the social life here. maybe you’re just comfortable with a smaller amount of friends, and there’s no need to push yourself to do more. you should only ever be as social as you’re comfortable with – if you’re not enjoying yourself, it’s just not worth it. obviously this is just a suggestion, and getting involved is always a great idea, but maybe you’re not as much of an outcast/new kid as you thought!

    best,

    aska

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  • Transferring

    why does everyone ask this *sad emoji* *banjo sounds*

    May 8, 2014

    I am first year student at utsc hoping to transfer to the st george campus for my 2014-2015 year (second year). My gpa will be about a 3.05-3.1 by the end of the year (still haven’t got all my grades yet). Anyways i am hoping to apply to the health studies major program and political science major. How do i do this if i still haven’t got accepted yet? Also, do you know how competitive these programs are, and what the generally competitive gpa is? (They post absolutely nothing online) Thanks!!

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

    hey there,

    you should have been able to apply to a program?when you applied to the school, through this application. if you weren’t able to do that, try calling admissions?and asking them about it. if you are accepted into UTSG, it could be that they won’t put you into a program right away?because you don’t meet the requirements for any subject POSt, but you’ll learn more about that if it happens.

    unfortunately, if they don’t publish specifics about POSTs online, that’s because they don’t want you to know them; hey, they’re allowed some privacy too, right? SHEESH.

    however, even if your knowledge about your chances is limited, the course calendar can usually give some pretty good pointers. health studies, for example, is a type 2L subject POSt. that means that enrolment is limited and competitive to a certain extent. admission is based on marks and a personal statement, so the better those are, the better for you. unfortunately, i can’t tell you exactly where your marks need to be to get in, because it changes slightly every year depending on your competition, but just sit tight. you should?typically?hear from them by the end of may or early june.

    as for political science, that’s a type 2, so as long as you meet their requirements, then you should be accepted into the major.

    just remember that acceptance into any program?depends on your being accepted into the school. even if you meet the requirements for?the programs, your application to transfer to UTSG may not be accepted. again, you should hear from the school about both your acceptance into the school and any program(s) by end of may/early june.

    best,

    aska

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  • Transferring

    WillIGetIntoUTSG.jpg

    May 8, 2014

    Hi! I have just finished my first year, and is attending the UTM campus. I want to transfer to UTSG seeing as how I live closer now. Problem is, I flunked one of my courses (Intro Physics) in the first semester, seeing as how I cannot transfer to UTSG with the current state of affairs, I decided that I should apply for the transfer next year after I retake it and gloriously pass it, instead. Oh, also, I LWD-ed a course, how will that affect my chances? It’s a shame, but I only have a cGPA of 2.8 right now, I hope to bring it up to a 3.0 in the next year. 🙁
    The program that I want to apply to in UTSG is a Type 1 program and has unlimited enrollments, any thoughts whether that would make it easier for me to transfer? I have also heard that it’s easier for a UofT student to transfer between campuses than a student transferring in from another university.
    Much thanks, more power and all that! 😀

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

    hey there,

    well, there’s a difference between being accepted to the school?and being accepted into a program. let’s tackle getting into the school first.?under the “Transferring from another UofT Faculty or Campus” heading on the uoft, they just say “[a]dmission consideration is based on your CGPA and most recent annual GPA.”

    that’s a bit?vague, so there’s really no way to tell exactly where your marks have to be in order to transfer from UTM. however, as i’ve said before (and will keep saying as long as you guys keep asking this diddly-darn question), you can call admissions?and ask them the general grade range that’s typically acceptable, and they’ll have much more specific information than i do. you can also ask them about finicky details like LWDs and failed courses, and how that’s likely to affect your application. ’cause i just don’t know those details. but hey, that’s why admissions is there. it’s kind of their job to know that stuff – so take advantage of it!

    plus, it makes sense to ask the people who will have your application about your application, doesn’t it?*

    as to getting into the program, if it is a type 1, then it will be easier for you to enrol in it. however, acceptance into the program only happens if and when you are accepted into the school. POSts can always be changed around once you’re on campus, but you can’t do anything if you’ve not been accepted into the university, so try and focus on that if you can.

    i hope that was somewhat helpful. transferring is never easy, but the harder you work, the better a chance you give yourself.?so you take all that power you just gave me right on back, and channel it into getting onto this rad campus. best of luck!

    cheers,

    aska

    *geez, aska, say “application” more.

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  • OSAP,  Transferring,  UTM

    transferring (you to the experts)

    April 17, 2014

    Hi there!
    I’m trying to transfer to UTM for the 2014-2015 year from another university. This meaning I’d be in second year if I got in. Now I’m worried
    sick. I’m afraid I won’t get accepted. I did pretty amazing first semester and was able to get a 3.8 but this semester I probably won’t get more than a 3.0 (That’s just a guess but probably around there). Now I know UTM has requirements for the subject PoSts when it comes to gpa. Then theres also the fact that I can’t enroll into courses until I’ve declared a post. All I want to know is whether I’ll be accepted or not because then I have to make arrangements at another university which just seems really messy to me and want to avoid it.

    There was also a question of OSAP, not sure if you would know. I have an resp which I’ve taken out but most of it is with my parents and not in my hand. I did get some of it but it was used up due to emergency’s and I don’t plan to use the one my parents have with them this year. When I apply to OSAP do I need to let them know of this money? I don’t want money that I don’t have anymore to affect my funding.
    Thank you!

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    whoa nelly, you’ve got a lot of super specific question, my friend! i want to offer my sympathies to you for having to go through the nerve-wracking process of transferring. believe me, i’m a transfer student too, and i know how anxious you must feel right now. despite that, i want you to channel the energy you’re currently experiencing that’s making you want to scream in a roomful of people or tear out your hair into something productive.

    i’m not gonna deny that asking me questions is usually productive (i mean i can just imagine what a privilege it is to have a chat with me, whatever the circumstance), but in this case, i think your questions would be better directed to people who know about the specifics of your situation. keep checking your application/admission status on the JOIN UofT Portal, but know that UTM will likely wait for your second term marks to make an admission decision, so you might hear back from them as late as the end of May. however, that is still not too late to sign up for courses and declare a subject POSt, so don’t worry.

    as for your chances about admission, i’d recommend calling UTM Admissions & Recruitment at 905-828-5400. they’ll have specific information about your application and also about what they look for in applicants, and can probably better predict whether you’ll get in than i can. i know some people have issues with calling institutions on the phone, but it’ll be fine. they specifically say to call that number with admissions inquiries, so you’re good. i promise.

    finally, for your OSAP question, there are people at the downtown campus who specifically answer questions about OSAP, and i think they’ll be your best bet. you can e-mail them at osap.staff@utoronto.ca for general questions, or if you want to talk with someone about your current application specifically, try calling them at 416-978-2190.

    i hope that is helpful in pointing you in the right direction!

    best,

    aska

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  • admissions,  Transferring

    WILL I GET IN?!?!

    April 15, 2014

    WILL THEY ACCEPT ME AT ST. GEORGE (FROM UTM) IF I HAVE A 3.1-3.2 GPA? TELL ME PLz. DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE ACTUAL NUMBERS ARE?

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

    hey there,

    ARE YOU HAVING A STROKE? DO YOU NEED EMERGENCY CARE BECAUSE I CAN SEE YOU ARE SHOUTING QUITE URGENTLY.

    dude, if you’re gonna type in all caps, i’m pretty much obliged to make fun of you. just a little bit. just ’cause it sounds like you’re shouting to a stranger over the internet, and you don’t need to be doing that, you know? so i gotta poke fun. but don’t you worry, i answer everyone’s questions; you don’t need to shout to be heard.

    alright, your question. are you talking about transferring? ’cause that’ll depend on the program/stream you applied to. whatever it is, whether you’re accepted will depend on whether you completed the?program requirements and your previous averages. you can take a look at the anticipated grade range of accepted students for fall 2014 and the average averages of students accepted in 2010 to gauge where you stand. your application to transfer will basically be treated like an application from grade 12 to uoft, so those numbers still apply to you.

    also, if you need to convert your GPA to a percentage, you can use this. i don’t have any more specific knowledge than that, unfortunately. i wish i did.

    i hope that’ll help you stop yelling so much. it’s bad for your larynx, y’know.

    best,

    aska

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  • colleges,  Transferring

    should i stay or should i go now

    April 3, 2014

    I basically chose my colleges at random and got accepted to St.Mikes (which was my first choice). However..I feel like Trin or Vic would be the better choice since I’m going into Poli Sci and hopefully Law if all goes well. I will be a commuter so is it really a big deal? Also..what are some ‘legitimate’ excuses for transferring to different colleges?

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    honestly, i don’t think it’ll be a huge deal, even if you weren’t a commuter student. the only way that college choice will really affect you will be through the scholarships you’ll get to apply for, the registrar’s office you may or may not deal with, and maybe there’ll be some extra-curriculars that are college-specific.

    that said, i think you should really give st. mike’s a chance before you think about switching. i’m willing to bet you’ll find it’s such a peripheral part of your life that you won’t bother trying to go through the process of transferring.

    there’s nothing that vic or trin could give you that st. mike’s can’t, in terms of your academic program. you say that you think vic/trin will be better because you’re going into poli sci, but ask yourself why you think that. what do you think those other colleges can provide a poli sci student that st. mike’s can’t; a more active student union? i don’t think that’s true. better work/volunteer opportunities for poli sci students? well, that’s all organized through the department of poli sci anyway. and finally, your college choice will not affect your academic ‘reputation’ or whatever when it comes time to apply to law school. trust me.

    however, if you spend some time as part of st. mike’s and you find that you’re participating in vic or trin student life so much more – i.e. you do extra-curriculars there, you’re taking their ‘one’ classes, or maybe you have a part-time job there, etc. – then you can inquire at your registrar’s office about a transfer. or, if you’re adamant right now that you made the wrong choice about colleges, you should “contact [your] desired College as soon as possible to see if this is a possibility.”

    but if you want my honest, personal, organic, Ontario farm, 100% grain-fed opinion: it doesn’t really matter. i would just go with the flow for now. who knows? st. mike’s may surprise you.

    best,

    aska

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  • colleges,  Transferring

    a mysterious connection

    March 27, 2014

    i’m in the process of an internal transfer. i recently emailed the program director of the program i want to apply to about next steps and he asked me which college i intended to transfer to. he hasn’t emailed back in 2 days. can i hope that he’s pulling strings and talking to registrars about my application? is there precedence of this happening before? if this is possible then he is the best human on this planet. also this is a mighty fine blog you’re runnin’ here!

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    i’m a little confused about your question (i always say that, don’t i?) i’m wondering why your college choice is relevant to the program you’re transferring into; because it shouldn’t be. whatever college you join has no bearing on your application to whatever program it is. so why the program director cares about your college is beyond me. i assume you need to rank your college choices as part of your application in order to transfer – just like you need to provide your name and date of birth – but like i said, it’s not related to your academic program.

    either way, program directors are busy, busy people, so give him a couple of days to respond! and maybe ask about the relevance of your college choice to the program, and whether there’s some other consideration to do with colleges that i can’t think of that is related to your program.

    if for some reason he is involved in your application to transfer generally, outside of academic program, then i guess he just asked because that’s information that’s relevant to your transferring? either way, i wouldn’t worry too much about it, because it shouldn’t have any connection to whether or not you get into the program you want!

    best,

    aska

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  • Transferring

    you all want in to uoft for the great weather, right?

    February 26, 2014

    I have a question, when should I hear back from U of T? I am close to the end of my degree in Sociology and Anthropology. I am switching majors into psychology or Neuro. I chose both options. I had a 3.77 GPA annual average and this year it is 3.9 so far. However the catch is I am taking my last math now. I fucked up my previous math in college. Other than that my cumulative GPA average is 3.40. After I am done this semester, it should jump up to 3.65 average overall because I am retaking a course I fucked up. What do you think my odds are of getting in?Sincerely,A Montrealer whose scared

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

    hey there,

    ahhh, i’ve missed these “am i going to get in???” questions. they’re comfortable and familiar, you know? like your favourite pair of bootie slippers.

    alright friend, i understand that transferring is a very nerve-wracking situation. believe me, i was exactly where you are this time last year. however, your GPA is in pretty good shape. Uoft transfer students usually have a solid ‘B’ average, and you’re already well above that, even if you stay at a 3.40.

    of course, you’re looking to get into specific programs, and they might be a little more difficult to get into. however, if you’re looking to get into the neuroscience major, that shouldn’t present many problems. as long as you’ve completed the appropriate first-year courses, you should be fine. the neuroscience major is a type 1 subject POSt?(just ctrl+f neuroscience), meaning there’s unlimited enrolment. translated from uoft jargon, that means that you’ve got no competition. as long as you meet the requirements, you’re in.

    the psychology major is a type 2L subject POSt, meaning not everyone who fulfils the requirements gets in. you can take a look at the requirements here?to see how you measure up. basically, it all depends on how well you did in your equivalent of PSY100.

    the one thing i want to mention is that if you’re ‘nearing the end of your degree,’ i’m thinking that you’re in your third or fourth year, so you’ll only be eligible for a maximum of five transfer credits. meaning you might have to stay at school a little longer to finish this degree. just a heads up.

    good luck! hope to see you groovin’ on campus soon.

    cheers,

    aska

    P.S. You’ll probably hear from them in late to mid-March!

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  • subject POST,  Transferring

    trans-fur-ing

    February 25, 2014

    I’m not sure if you’ve answered a question similar to this one already and?I’m sorry if I’m making you repeat yourself, but I couldn’t find anything?similar to it on here, so here goes.

    I’m a first year UTM student, I was taking four 1.0 credit courses, but I?ended up dropping one, so I’m set to end this school year with only 3?credits. According to all the the Subject POSt stuff I’ve read you need 4?credits to actually be placed in second year courses and the like.

    So my question is this, if I take a course in summer school, do I only get?to pick my courses after I’ve completed the summer school course, which?would limit my options, because the longer you wait to sign up for courses,?the less room there is. AND, if I’m not confident enough in my ability to?learn course material at an accelerated rate and don’t want to take a?course during the summer, how does the Subject POSt thing work? Would I be?barred from all second year courses until I completed a fourth first year?course? Meaning I’d be stuck with only first year courses if I don’t take a?course over the summer?

    Thank-you for your help.

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

    hey there,

    don’t apologize! i’m glad you took the time to read the site a little before asking a question. you’d be surprised how many people e-mail me “whaT CO lLE gE shO Uld I ?g O tOO?@?!!?11?!1?” before reading a single word of this blog.*

    i’ma start by saying right off the bat that this is a really tangled question. it depends on your specific case, like, what subject POSt you want to enrol in, whether you have the prerequisites, etc.

    however, if you do do this course in the summer, you will have to wait until september to pick courses and enrol in a subject POSt. you will be at a disadvantage for course enrolment, but it won’t be impossible. if you want to learn the specifics about waiting lists, which you’ll probably have to deal with in this scenario, you can go here.

    if you didn’t take the summer course, you wouldn’t be?barred from taking courses in the fall?- sheesh, that sounds so violent! you just likely wouldn’t be put in a subject POSt yet, and would have to wait for the following april to enrol in one. all that means, practically speaking, is that some courses will have enrolment controls that will exclude you from taking them. if you’re looking to get into a highly specialized subject POSt, that may present a problem. but lots of courses at the faculty of arts & science have no prerequisites or enrolment controls (i.e. you can enrol in them even if you’re not in a subject POSt), including 2nd year courses. that just may or may not include courses you want to take.

    so yeah. there’re a lot of ifs in this answer, i realize, but i think, no matter how it pans out, everything should turn out alright. it just may take a little longer than you expected!

    cheers,

    aska

    *college question askers, you know i love you best. that’s why i tease. ’cause of the love. i know you read this blog. we have a special relationship, you and me. always.

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  • Transferring

    take on me (take on me), take me on, to uofteeeeeee!

    February 25, 2014

    heyhey! i’ve got a 3.35 gpa right now, but it’ll likely drop down to a 3-ish by the end of the term. i’ve also applied to transfer to st. george’s arts and science faculty from utm, this year (2.5 gpa is minimum, right?). i know these kinds of Q’s are very common but i’m desperate and this is my only choice right now. i’m also only taking 3.0 creds this year (its my first year). have u heard success stories from peeps in similar a situation?

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

    hey there,

    firstly, a couple of things to clear up: uoft says that students eligible to transfer usually have a B average. in uoft GPA lingo, that translates to a minimum 3.0, not 2.5. so keep that in mind. however, “usually” does allow for some leeway, and i’m not an admissions committee, so i can’t say anything for sure – but they do say explicitly that transfer students typically have a B average, so if you can try and keep it at at least a 3.0, that would be to your advantage.

    secondly, about your 3.0 credits. if you want to transfer into a subject POSt, or program, you’ll typically need to have completed at least 4.0 credits?(i’m linking to woodsworth college’s explanation because the artsci website is down right now, thanks a lot uoft, but the same information is given by artsci). with only 3.0, you may have to start your second year as a first year student again, that is, someone who’s not in any specific program. however, those specifics are something you can talk with your registrar’s office about if you get accepted. and that’s certainly not ME. i can’t register people (registrar people? registrate? what’s the verb for that anyway?)

    what was i talking about? right.?having done 3.0 credits probably won’t impede your actually getting admitted to the university.

    so yeah, i can’t give you like, “76% of people in your situation were admitted,” but what i can say is that you do have a chance. so good luck.

    best,

    aska

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  • economics,  transfer credits,  Transferring

    recon for econ

    February 24, 2014

    Hi, regarding admission to Economics Major, does this apply to transfer students as well? “All students who meet the minimum grades listed here will be able to enrol in the Economics Minor, Environmental Economics Minor, Economics Major, Economics Specialist, and Economics & Mathematics Specialist programs;”

    Regards

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    alright, a coupla things. firstly, that link you’re looking at is outdated! biiiiiig no-no. we’re in 2014 now, and you have to look at the current requirements on the 2013-14 calendar for economics. your second issue is that you should only be looking at the economics major, because the requirements for different economics programs will likely not be the same.

    so, for 2013-14, admission to the major program requires completion of ECO100Y1/105Y1 with at least a 67%/80%, and MAT133Y1/135H1+136H1/137Y1/157Y1 with at least a 63%/60%+60%/55%/55%.

    now if you’re looking at those course codes and you have no idea what they mean, that makes sense, ’cause you’re from a different school. however, if you want to transfer into the program, you still need to have completed the equivalent of those prerequisites in your school. “but i don’t know what the equivalent courses are??!?!1??” i hear you panic. well, ECO100Y1 and MAT133Y1 are very popular courses here at old u of t, and the school has graciously provided us with a chart showing course equivalencies from a few major canadian universities.

    just scroll down to economics and mathematics – introduction to calculus, and see if your school has an equivalent course to ECO100Y1 and MAT133Y1. if it does, then you’re eligible to get transfer credit. if your school isn’t on the chart, read up on the uoft courses and see if any of the courses you’ve taken sort of match them. it’s not guaranteed, but you might still be granted transfer credit.

    so, let’s say you have the proper course equivalencies and you’re on your way to getting the minimum required mark in both ECO and MAT. now you’re eligible to apply to transfer into the program, but you’re still not guaranteed to get in. economics is a type 2 subject POSt, which means that not everyone who applies to the program gets in – even if they’re from uoft.

    i hope that cleared up your confusion! and i look froward to maybe seeing your lovely face at uoft sometime soon *waggles eyebrows*.

    best of luck,

    aska

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  • Transferring

    maybe next time they’ll think before they transfer

    February 4, 2014

    Hi there,

    I was a student at an Ontario university. I’ve completed 10.5 credits, and?was majoring in Biology. Unfortunately, I have experienced some traumatic?and personal events that have truly affected my performance in school, and?therefore have been required to withdraw from my school for one year. I am?currently seeing a therapist for my issues, and I was wondering if at all?it might be possible for me to possibly transfer to UofT with special?considerations?

    Thanks for your help 🙂

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

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

    aska

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

    hey there,

    I’m not really sure what you mean by “special considerations.” transferring to uoft is a process only slightly less rigorous than applying to first year. you?usually need a B average to transfer?in – and i say usually not because it can sometimes be lower, but because sometimes (like utm commerce for example) ?you need an even higher average.

    seems like you’ve been put on what we uoft folks like to call “academic suspension.” that means that you have a chance to go back to your school after the suspension, and that’s what i’d advise you do. take as much advantage of the therapist as possible (by which i mean learn and heal from the experience, not, like,?mess up your therapist’s car), then go back after a year and improve your marks.

    transferring over ain’t gonna solve anything, my friend.

    cheers,

    aska

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  • St. George,  Transferring,  UTM

    everybody, everybody wants to be downtown (yeah)

    January 27, 2014

    Hello,

    I am a first-year student currently attending UTM. It was my plan all along to live at home and attend UTM for my first-year, and then switch over to UTSG (where my program of interest is) for the remainder of my undergraduate degree. I’m just about ready to submit my transfer app.

    The site says that for transfer students in their first year (They also said this when I contacted them) They look at your first year marks, as well as your grade 12 makrs from highschool. They do not look at transfer credits as first-year students aren’t eligible to use them.

    To the best of your knowledge, is it very easy to transfer, since it is just between campuses?

    Please get back to me!

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    “please get back to me,” as if i ever DON’T get back to people. c’mon guys, doncha know by now that you can TRUST me? i’m like the friendly neighbour down the hall who always talks with you in the laundry room even when you’re pretending really hard to read a book: dependable. chatty. always there. regular in my laundry habits.

    now, about your question. one, what ‘transfer credit’ are you referring to? do you mean ib/ap credits from high school? or transfer credits from first year? because i transferred to the downtown campus after first year and i got transfer credit for both those things. you gotta be specific in your questions, peeps.

    anyway, is it easy? i mean, yeah, bureaucratically speaking. you just use the internal application that i’m sure you’ve already got in order, follow the instructions and voila! i don’t think it’s any more or less easy than transferring from another canadian university.

    obviously, if you didn’t do very well in your first year, you’re going to run into some problems (i’d say that a first-year average of 5% lower than the cut-off your program uses to admit students from grade 12 will give you a good shot at getting in), and it’s harder to get into some programs than others (i’m lookin’ at you, commerce) but i think that goes without saying. you should hear back from them in late march/early april. it’s all pretty straightforward after that: you just, y’know, get on the train to a different school.

    cheers,

    aska

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