• admissions,  financial aid,  first year,  scholarships/bursaries,  victoria

    welcome to u of t, here’s too much info!

    March 12, 2018

    So I was accepted into U of T today for Life Sciences at St. George and I also got into Victoria College (which is supposed to have a lot of scholarships). I was really expecting to receive at least a small scholarship as my average was 94.5 (if I include English, because i think i read somewhere that they include English no matter what) and 96.7 without English. Do I get notified about scholarships at a later time or have I just not received any. On another note, I am planning to do a specialist in Pharmacology and Biomedical Toxicology. Do you know how competitive that program is?

    ——————————————

    hi!

    first of all, congrats! yay! u of t! life sci! vic! yay! yay!!!!

    ashley olsen applause GIF

    u of t-wide admissions scholarship recipients are notified at the time of admission, either with your acceptance letter or under a separate cover. if there’s any confusion about this, you should contact enrollment services who’re the scholarships/ financial experts on campus. check out their contact info here. 

    as for vic-specific scholarships, the website says that “applicants with an average in the mid-90s will be automatically considered for (though not guaranteed) an admission scholarship when they apply to victoria college.”it doesn’t say anywhere when applicants are informed, but i would assume that it’s at the same time as the u of t-wide ones. on the u of t scholarships website, it says that “MOST faculty and college scholarship offers are made at the same time.” i would contact the vic awards office over any confusion, as i am but a humble student blogger who isn’t privy to all the mysterious workings of this crazy university. their contact info is here, at the bottom of the first part of the page.

    i know how closely related getting scholarships and accepting an offer of admission can be– we’d all like to pretend that the school we pick is actually and completely our choice, but in reality… school costs money and sometimes ya gotta go where the money is. i suggest looking into other sources of funding like OSAP (or your local student loan) or UTAPS (u of t specific financial aid). there are a lot of different ways to get funding, apart from scholarships, so if you haven’t received any scholarships this year, looking for other sources of funding could be super helpful and a good avenue to explore.

    parks and recreation two funerals GIF

    as for the specialist in pharmacology and biomedical toxicology,  i can’t really tell you how “competitive” a program is as it’s based on the pool of applicants during any given year. according to the website, admission to the program is based on a “student’s grades in the following courses: BIO120H/BIO130H/CHM138H/CHM139H/CHM151Y1 and from 1 FCE from any of the following MAT135H1; MAT136H1; MAT137Y1; PHY131H1/PHY151H1; PHY132H1/PHY152H1”. whew… that’s a lot. basically, it looks like those are the required courses that you have to take before you can apply for the program… i think. this is “askastudent” after all, not “ask a department admin person.” you should get in contact with the undergraduate coordinator for the department of pharmacology and toxicology. their contact info can be found here. 

    i hope this was helpful! that was a ton of info to slap onto a freshly minted, newly admitted, not even first year student.

    reaction chocolate too much dark chocolate thats too much GIF

    good luck!

    xoxo,

    aska

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  • admissions,  scholarships/bursaries,  victoria

    an issue of timing

    May 27, 2014

    So, I got the President’s Entrance Scholarship last week which was awesome 😀 (I’m super duper glad) and a friend of mine got it a day before me. However, we’re a bit confused because a lot of other people received their scholarship along with their admission letter. We got ours several weeks after our admission letters came in. Another puzzling point is that it says on the website that average of admissions is what they look at, yet we got our admission before our midterms and got the letter after our midterms. What is going on? We were also wondering if we got any money from our college (both of us are at Vic). How will we know and when will we be informed? My other friends who already received everything said that they got the email from Vic a week after the scholarship letter. What on earth do they do over at registrar to give out these scholarships? We’re so confuzzled, help us aska!

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    i’m in a counting kinda mood today, so i’m just gonna go ahead and number all your questions/concerns, because there’s rather a lot.

    1. why did you get your scholarship letter when you did?

    the university can’t do everything at once! it might not look it, but the people working at the university are only human.* also, admissions explains that “the decision is sent either in the offer of admission or under separate cover” – so it’s not a big deal if your scholarship didn’t come with your offer of admission. as long as you got the notification, then you’re getting the scholarship, same as all your friends.

    2. why did you get your admission offer when you did?

    do you mean that you received your admission letter before midterms, and your scholarship letter after them? again, it just takes time to do these things. if you didn’t get them all together, that’s not significant to you or your studies.

    the reason you got an offer of admission so early is because it was a conditional offer; the conditional offers are reviewed in July and made final for students whose final transcripts meet the conditions of admission.

    3. will you get any scholarships from vic/how will you know?

    that’s up to vic to decide. they say here that students “will receive notification of the award with their offer of admission from the University of Toronto,” so if you’ve received your offer of admission, but you didn’t get anything from victoria college, then you probably haven’t got a scholarship from them, unfortunately.

    all in all, everything looks like it’s going as it should be! just keep an eye on your Join UofT account and your physical mailbox, and you should be all set. if you’d like to make sure everything in the process is continuing on smoothly and correctly, read over this checklist. and i’m always here to answer any other questions you may have!

    cheers,

    aska

    *will smith trying to act in a serious way is probably one of my top 10 favourite things. if you ever want to woo aska for free uoft keychains or something, take me to a will smith action movie. oh man. what a riot.

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  • admissions,  transfer credits,  victoria

    coming in from la belle quebec

    May 27, 2014

    1. I’m coming from Quebec, and my whole life I studied in French. So if I check the English requirements, this is what it tells me: “If your first language is French and you have four years or more of full-time study in a Canadian school system achieving satisfactory academic progress, you are not required to provide proof of English facility. Instead, you must include Grade 12 English ENG4U/EAE4U (or an equivalent course) among the courses you offer for admission.”I’m not sure I understand what that means? Does it mean I have to take an English course during my first year?
    2. Since I will be in Victoria College, do you know how far is it from other Colleges? What I mean is, what if I have a course in one College building and right after in another building, is it a long walk there? I don’t want to be late to classes and whatnot.
    3. When I applied, I applied to Social Sciences (with the intention of then majoring in either Equity Studies or International Relations), but I was made an alternate offer to Honours of Arts and Sciences. Will I still be able to have Equity Studies or IR as my POST?
    4. Last question I’m not sure you can answer and maybe I’m better off calling directly the university but I’m gonna give it a shot, this is going to be my first year of University (as in I have never attended University in my life). However, when I go on my ROSI account, in the “Year of study” category, I have the number “2”. Do you have any idea why? Shouldn’t it me written 1??
    Thank you again so much!

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    1. ENG4U is a Grade 12 English course that Ontario high school students take. what they’re saying is that you need to have taken an equivalent English language course in your last year of high school (or during CEGEP) in order to prove your English facility. from here: “Twelve Academic Subjects including English/anglais (2 terms)” are required if you’re coming in from CEGEP. if you haven’t taken an English course, then you should contact admissions to see whether you need to provide some other type of proof.

    2. nah. take a look at this campus map; i’ve circled the victoria college buildings. as you can see, they’re on queen’s park circle, which has university buildings all along it. obviously some buildings will be closer to you and some farther, but most university buildings should be a maximum 10 minute walk from you.

    3. yes! social sciences is just an area within the Faculty of Arts and Sciences; as long as you meet the first year requirements for equity and international relations, you should be fine (note that IR is a type 3 POSt, meaning that even if you meet the requirements, you may not get in, because enrolment is limited; equity is a type 1 POSt, meaning enrolment is unlimited).

    4. it’s probably because you’re coming from CEGEP; since Ontario doesn’t have CEGEP, those credits will likely count as transfer credits for university here.

    from here: “Transfer credits will be granted to CEGEP candidates who have completed more than the 12 academic courses. If you have completed a two year DEC, you may receive up to 5 full credits towards an arts, science, commerce/management degree.” 5 full credits is one year at uoft, so maybe that’s what happened to you!

    you can, again, call admissions to make sure of this – they have access to everything in your student account, and will be able to tell you exactly where you stand.

    have a sensational first (second??) year!

    aska

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  • colleges,  university-college,  victoria

    hello darkness, my old friend

    March 14, 2014

    Hi!

    I got in to UTSG’s physical and mathematical sciences program along with Victoria College, but I’m not so sure about whether I want to stay at Vic or switch to UC. according to this —, uc is more diverse than Vic, and its residence is definitely newer. So my questions are:

    1. Does choosing a college really matter if I commute? What changes if I don’t commute?
    2. If I live in residence, which one is better? (so for example food, rooms, people, parties, environment etc)
    3. Is it still possible to switch colleges after being accepted?

    Thanks!

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    ahh, the college question. i’d almost forgotten about it by this point. almost. until you brought it up again.

    not to fear though, my friend, you have levelled up from the most vile college question – “wot college is da best 1” – to a tolerable college question! are you proud? you should be proud.

    ok, so if you tried to link to something in those three dash marks after “according to this,” i didn’t get the link, so…i’m just gonna ignore it. onto the questions!

    1. choosing a college does matter if you commute! apart from those abstract notions of college pride, there are a few concrete ways i’d say college choice matters for the commuter. first, the size of the college’s student base determines how busy the registrar’s office will be. do you want to avoid waiting eons for an appointment at the registrar’s office? then maybe pick a small college. on the other hand, colleges with larger student bases may have more resources.

    second, if you think you’ll ever be interested in applying for scholarships, it’s worth it to take a look at the different scholarships each college offers.

    third, different colleges have subtle differences in the kinds of extra- and co-curricular programs they offer, so maybe do some digging and see if any offer things you especially like.

    if you DON’T commute, then you have to factor in what you want out of residence into your college decision. that includes whether or not you prefer co-ed buildings/floors/rooms, whether you want a suite-style or dormitory-style room, the location of the college’s different residences, and the price. nothing else changes, practically or formally speaking. you just live on campus.

    2. i haven’t lived in residence at vic or uc, so i can’t say for sure. what i’d recommend is that you take a residence tour and make decisions based on your own impressions. only you know what you want!

    3. it is possible, but it’s difficult. usually you need a pretty good reason to switch colleges, and it involves a bit of hassle, what with going to your college registrar and having to talk with them about it and stuff. you can read what vic (the only college that even mentions the possibility of switching, to my knowledge) has to say about it here. tbh, i doubt there’ll be reason to make a switch. you’ll see once you come here that you’ll have more important things to focus on than college affiliation, and that colleges don’t figure as much into your student life as you might think.

    i hope you have a grand-slamming end of high school, and that you enjoy first year!

    cheers,

    aska

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  • scholarships/bursaries,  victoria

    some good news for a change

    February 24, 2014

    Hey, aska!

    This is going to be a scholarship question…

    I received my letter telling me that I’m a UofT Scholar, which comes with a $5000 award. I also got an email from Victoria College informing me of a $3500 scholarship from the college. Does this mean I get the combined sum in total? Or is one counted as part of the other? The FAQs on the website weren’t clear enough.

    Thanks!
    P.S. Can’t wait for the next season of GoT!!

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    wow, this is a great question to be able to answer. according to vic’s handy FAQ, the college scholarship can be held along with other uoft scholarships. meaning you should be in for $8500 in financial aid. you excited? you should be! i’m seriously psyched for you, and i don’t even know you. congrats!

    P.S. i’m glad you’re excited about GoT. i’m excited. everyone should be excited. i hope everyone who reads this decides to start watching it and i can graduate knowing that i’ve made a positive impact on the uoft community.

    P.P.S. also, I know this should go without saying, but you’ll only get the $3500 from Vic if you actually choose to attend Vic. I know that seems obvious, but I’ve learned to cover all my bases on here. cheers.

     

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  • colleges,  trinity college,  victoria

    vic or trin?!?1!?1111

    November 29, 2013

    I know I’m supposed to use the email form for this – next year I’d like to go to U of T… I’m in Gr. 12, so OBVIOUSLY looking at colleges. I read all the stuff, but still am at a loss. I’m debating between Trin and Vic as my first choice, and instead of being all positive and optimistic, can you try to convince me why not to go to each? Could be fun…?*hint*

    ———————————————

    I have decided that every time i get another college question i am going to share a fact about koala bears.

    Did you know that koalas eat 2 1/2 pounds of leaves per day? That’s over ten percent their body weight!

    seriously, though, dude. you’re gonna get the same advice as everyone else – visit the colleges, read the college tag (and the trin tag and the vic tag), read up on what each one offers. that’s all you can do. just like all i can do is share koala facts, because koalas are rad as heck.

    aska

    P.S. Hello I am taking this opportunity to say once more that there will be a comprehensive college FAQ up on this website VERY SHORTLY, so keep an eye out for that. that goes for all the rest of you hooligans who are having massive coronaries over the college question, too 😉

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  • admissions,  colleges,  international students,  university-college,  victoria

    the british-patterned education system hurts my head.

    November 28, 2013

    HI, I recently applied to UofT for Maths/physics specialist degree. I just have a few questions…I did my A-levels in maths, physics and chemistry and achieved A, B and C respectively. Since my school did not offer Further Mathematics, I retook the last year and finished Further maths A-level (B) and retook some physics modules as well. So basically I completed my A-level in 3 years…sigh..but thats not all…i am on my gap year now and have applied for September 2014 intake.. soo long story short:1. Are my grade enough for the Maths/physics degree? A,B,B,C2. will the retake and the gap year affect my chances greatly? 3. How should i send my documents to the uni? i emailed them about it but didnt get the answer i was looking for. Should i just photocopy my originals and enclose a letter from my head teacher for the validity of my certificates?Thank you soo much 🙂 Also please refer me to the colleges posts…i have chosen Vic and University college…any views? Social scene, people, late night parties 😛 but above all the FOOD 🙂

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    i hope you international folk know that when you babble on about sixth form and A-levels and GCSEs and whatnot, most of us north americans have no idea what you’re talking about. fortunately i consider myself kind of a jack-of-all-trades when it comes to international education systems, so i’ll give this my best shot (and fail completely probably lol but i do my best).

    for the program you’re considering, the cutoffs haven’t been published anywhere. the admissions site for uoft says you need three different a-levels. it doesn’t specifically cite any marks, but generally, A’s and B’s are what’s deemed acceptable from the british-patterned system. however, international students are really looked at on a case-by-case basis, so i’d say you should still go right ahead and apply. i’d also advise you to mail a letter to enrolment services explaining about the C, if there’s any particular reason or extenuating circumstance behind it. there should be an opportunity to do that when you apply.

    speaking of applying (the MOST fun and exciting process -.-) you should follow the ouac 105f form in order to apply. it’ll get all your personal information and academic history and will probably prompt you to send your transcript physically to the university. as for whether you need a letter from your head teacher or any additional documentation, just keep e-mailing enrolment services until they give you an answer – only they know what specific documents they need.

    the gap year shouldn’t impact the admission decision at all.

    finally – the age-old college question rears its ugly head once more! you should know that if you’re choosing between vic and uc, vic will only consider you if you rank it first, whereas uc doesn’t care, so i’d recommend ranking vic as number one and uc number two. as for my views, they’re both lovely places. i have a class in uc this semester and i never fail to be amazed at how old and grandiose (and friCKIN HUGE) it is. if you don’t mind walking a lot and occasionally getting lost for a million years, uc’s great (think hogwarts’ shifting staircases).

    on the other hand, vic has some pretty old, fancy buildings too. it has a really modern library, which is cool. if you really want to know about the colleges’ personalities, i would recommend reading their student papers – here’s university college’s and here’s vic’s.

    as to parties and food, all colleges have that. you can’t put this many twenty-somethings in one place without those things, or they’d wither and die. seriously.

    finally, here are some useful tags for stalking: college, uc, vic

    best of luck,

    aska

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  • colleges,  victoria

    vic really wants that small-town feel

    November 15, 2013

    Hi,

    I was wondering what would happen if I don’t meet Vic College’s small class requirement? According to the website, as a first year student I need to complete at least a half credit in a small class such as a 199 Seminar. I really don’t have any space this year without overloading since I’m pursuing a Specialist and Minor, and I already have some pretty tough courses to handle without adding more into the bunch.

    So would I get like kicked out of Vic or something? Or not graduate?

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    thanks for the great question. turns out there’s not a lot online about this particular requirement, so i had a little chat with the registrar’s office to figure it out.

    unfortunately, it’s a pretty hard and fast rule, and it’s strictly enforced. according to the registrar, there is a 95% compliance rate with this small class requirement of vic’s, and for those 5% who don’t take a seminar class in first year, they get followed up on. So you won’t get kicked out, per se, but they will call you and like…make you take one? i don’t know. but there will be some kind of consequence. if you absolutely can’t meet the requirement, that has to be cleared by the registrar.

    why is this the case? you got me, man. seems like vic’s seminar classes are kinda desperate for some lovin’, but hey, who knows – you might actually end up really liking the class you take! small classes really are helpful for developing your critical thinking and having a professor look closely at your work. plus, lots of opportunity for prep school-esque gossip and drama.

    so, if there’s any way at all to squeeze a seminar class into your next semester, go for it. otherwise, maybe talk to the registrar about the possibility of excepting you from the rule before they start bugging you about it.

    good luck!

    aska

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  • admissions,  IB,  victoria

    i b in need of some info

    November 26, 2012

    Hey aska! 🙂

    I am currently in a program called the IB. School is tremendously torturous not only for me, but for all of us, and it’s safe to say that most of us
    feel like we aren’t even going to get in to university. I do have some questions for you though, so that hopefully I’ll feel less hopeless… first, do you know if the colleges (Vic, specifically) have any entrance requirements in terms of IB points? Secondly, I have heard rumours from graduates of the program that universities do tend to look for students that have weathered such a tough program, though they aren’t exactly allowed to openly state so on their websites. Is this true (it’s perfectly fine if you can’t answer!), and are we really given a slight advantage? I’m also extremely interested in taking up the Vic One program. How difficult is it to get in? And finally, are there, again, any entrance requirements in terms of IB points?

    Thanks so much for your help, aska, and may you have a stellar day!

    Sincerely,
    IB nerd

    ———————————————

    Hey IB nerd!

    Yeah, I know what IB is. I’m pretty sure most people do. Likewise, they’re perfectly aware of just how gruelling it is. I for one did a bit of pre-IB and realized that masochism wasn’t my thing. Anyhow, there’s no need for that kind of negative thinking! And if it makes you feel better, plenty of non-IB students don’t think they’ll get into university either, so no need to freak out!

    So let’s start with the points business. I can’t tell you anything about entry into Vic specifically, but I can tell you what basic admission into the Faculty of Arts and Science calls for! Basically, you’ll need a predicted score of 28 or higher for a provisional offer of admission. More competitive programs will require 30-35, but be aware that pretty much everything is competitive here. Next, that provisional decision will be based off of your midterms or predicted marks and your academic record thus far. According to the website, most successful applicants are in the the top third of their class.

    As for these rumors… who knows? Naturally, that does sound like something universities wouldn’t outright post on the Internet, but I do suppose being part of IB does show off a devoted, hard-working side of a student. However, that’s only really worth anything if said student’s grades are good enough for the university. So I can’t really say if there’s an advantage or not — mostly because I don’t actually know — but I think it’s safe to say that like any other applicant, what matters are your grades, not what program you got them in.

    Now Vic One… Ha. One of my best friends did that actually and I suppose that yes, it’s competitive. I won’t sugar coat that for you. Most College One programs are , but just take a look at the requirements for help! This may very well be a shining moment where your toiling through IB will definitely come in handy. For example, in the first section, you can probably sell yourself based on how much learned and grew as a result of IB.

    Anyhow, everything that you’re looking for is really all over the UofT website, aside from that tidbit you had the sense to know wouldn’t be something the university would post online. If you’re still confused, take a look at the hyperlinks!

    Good luck getting in!

    aska

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  • admissions,  concurrent ed,  victoria

    steppin’ towards CTEPpin’

    September 17, 2012

    Dear Aska,

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

    Look forward to your answer, and thanks!

    —————————————————————–

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Good luck pal-o!

    aska

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  • victoria

    Rowell, my love-ell …

    March 2, 2012

    Dear aska,

    I’ve applied to U of T, with Vic being my first choice. Assuming I’m accepted to Vic, how are residences assigned? I want to live in Rowell
    Jackman because I want to have a kitchen in my room, and I much favour suite style over traditional style. That being said, I know Rowell is a
    popular spot for upper year students, and if it was up to pure chance, I’d probably end up at one of the Burwash halls.

    So my question to you is how am I assigned my residence? Is it a merit based application? Do I get a choice? Is it randomly assigned by lottery?
    Do they try to accomodate everyone’s first choice?

    Thanks a lot, you’re a super helpful resource 🙂

    — suiteplease

    ———————————————

    Hey Suiteee

    I just contacted my super secret informant at Vic and they said that the applicant will be given a choice after they are admitted. Apparently the option is given in a drop-down box in the residence application … so be aware of the drop-down.

    They also said that Rowell is a popular choice for upper-years just because of the suite style, but first years are still welcome to choose there to live.

    happy living,

    aska

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  • architecture,  art,  courses,  victoria

    make your decisions without considering stereotypes

    February 16, 2010

    Heyo aska,

    I’ve just applied for the Frye stream at Vic One and am wondering if the whole affair is actually worthwhile/fantastic vs. pretentious. I’m quite sure it will be at least a little pretentious, but the small class sizes and interesting seminars could make it absolutely marvellous. What is the general reception towards the program at U of T? Is there a “Vic One is smelly” stigma attached to it?

    Also, I’m hoping to keep my options for my major at least a little flexible. I hope to do a double major in Art History/to be decided…And have recently become interested in perhaps doing some intro architecture courses in my first year. Otherwise, I would be leaning towards human geography or history. Something along the lines of urban theory… So I guess the question is, if I take Vic One will some of these options be totally thrown out the window in exchange for a survey of Baudellaire and Derrida?

    Thanks a bunch.

    Your website is pretty much the bomb.

    —————————————

    Let me tell you right now that the affair won’t be worthwhile – not with that attitude.

    One thing I think you really have to train yourself to do is to detach yourself from the stigmas attached to your program(s). For instance, I’m in physics, and I’m sure that when I tell other people what program I’m in, a lot of them automatically label me geek or nerd (or whatever). Stereotypes like these really annoy me – sometimes, they make me question my decisions. But I do my best to ignore them, because I feel that studying physics, personally, a worthwhile pursuit.

    You have to decide yourself whether or not Vic One is personally worthwhile for you. Try hard to ignore the stereotypes (whether real or imagined). If you’re already starting to stereotype Vic One as being smelly/pretentious, there’s a good chance that you won’t enjoy the program at all. But if you instead look at Vic One as a unique opportunity to learn in a multidisciplinary environment, you may find that you enjoy it.

    A major program in Art History only requires 6 full course equivalents, and you only need a half-course in first year. For Architecture, you only need two half-courses (one credit). Even if you factor in your other distribution requirements (one science credit and one social science credit), that’s still only 3.5 credits. You can easily take your Vic One course, and still have another free half-credit you could use as an elective — or more, if you decide that you want to take more than 5 credits. If you’ve found that you’ve made a mistake and would like to add a major in math or something, you can always take a 100-level course in your second year.

    Another thing first-year students can feel disorienting to a lot of people because they are so huge (try sitting in a BIO151 lecture). A seminar-style course could be an opportunity to learn in a more personal setting in which the professor is able to pay a lot more attention to his/her individual students.

    That said, many students don’t take Vic One or TrinOne, and they’re still getting along just fine. So it’s not like Vic One is something that I think you MUST or DEFINITELY SHOULD do. If there’s a course that interests you more than Vic One – be it geology or Japanese or religious studies – then by all means, take that course. But I really advise you to make your decision without the influence of outside opinions/stereotypes – and most importantly, no matter what you choose, to keep an open mind.

    …so this post wasn’t funny at all, but eh… I’m running low on funny these days. In the meantime, go play this game and see if you can beat my score of 10840 (and leave a comment if you do!).

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  • residence,  victoria

    joy in solitude? not at Vic

    January 22, 2010

    Dear Ask A. Student,

    I am a prospective student who is currently debating between Vic and Trin, and I was wondering what you knew about the possibilities of a first-year student getting a single room at vic. That seems to be the main tipping point for me, as I prefer the arts orientation to the law/ethics one of Trinity, but I don’t want to go there if I can’t get a single room.

    Thanks!

    ——————————-

    Hi. I just looked at Vic residence site, and they say that ?Most first year students are assigned to shared double rooms.? I?ve also had a couple of friends who lived at Victoria and all of them had double rooms, so this seems pretty truthful. (You may want to email or call Vic College if you want more concrete stats). Guess all the lone wolves go to other colleges.

    Then I checked Trinity?s site, and they said that around 50% of their students get single rooms.

    It sounds like to me that you?d have a higher chance of getting into a single room at Trinity. However, even if you go to Trinity, you?re not guaranteed a single room by any means.

    Still, don?t be dismayed if you don?t get a single room. Some people who I?ve talked to who have lived in single rooms actually wish they?d lived in a double room, just to get the ?traditional dorm experience?. It?s always possible that you?ll get a terrible roommate, but on the other hand you might also meet a lifelong friend ? so don?t feel too sad if you don?t end up getting that single room.

    Oh, and one other good point was brought up by a commenter. ?Trinity doesn’t really have a law/ethics bias; rather, the Ethics, Law, and Society program is just one program that Trinity hosts. However, students don’t even have to be from Trinity to be enrolled in that program. Similarly, Innis College hosts the Cinema Studies program, but a lot of people who major in Cinema Studies are not part of Innis College, and the majority of Innis College students are not Cinema Studies majors. In fact, you can probably expect a pretty diverse mix of majors at any college – they’ll probably be lots of life scis and commerce students, but then you might also meet an occasional archaeology, astronomy, zoology, equity studies, or Portuguese student here and there.

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