• computer science,  subject POST,  UTM

    there’s always next year!

    May 18, 2017

    Hi there,
    Im currently enrolled in UTM and I really want to enroll in the computer
    science major. However, I currently have a 1.67 gpa due to my poor study
    habits and over confidence in my abilities (bad habit that carried from
    high school DX). I’d like to ask, If i do exceptionally well while taking
    second year compsci courses (like getting over 3.0 in most of the courses),
    will they consider me for admission? If not, what the options laid out for
    me?

    Thanks and have a nice day!

    ———————————————

    hello,

    dude, i’ve been there. poor study habits continue to haunt me everyday. just last night i fell asleep on my bed while doing readings for class and then in the morning, i completey slept through my class. it happens. i hope things will be better for you next semester!

    if you successfully completed CSC108h5 and achieved a minimum of 60% in CSC148H%, MAT102H5 and one of either MAT134Y5, 135Y5, 137Y5/157Y5), you can try getting into the CSC major after you complete your second year. make sure you pay attention to when the program request period would be and make sure you request during the appropriate time!

    it states on the calendar that you will also need to meet the CGPA requirement, which changes every year. you’ll have to check if you meet that requirement yourself once it become available. sometimes, even meeting the minimum CGPA requirement won’t guarantee you a space in the program, but if you do want to check your chances of getting in, you could contact the program’s undergraduate advisor. when i was concerned about my chances of getting into my program, sitting down with my undergraduate advisor was really helpful because she helped me figure out what i needed to do in order to get into the program.

    if in second year, you get grades in: [CSC207H5, 236H5, two of (CSC209H5, 258H5, 263H5), 290H5; MAT223H5/240H5; STA256H5]… that bring you up to the CGPA requirement of the year, it would at the very least make you eligible for entrance into the program.

    the question of whether or not you would get into the program is one that i wouldn’t be able to predict simply because program admissions are solely based on the discretion of the department.

    since you’ve already completed 4.0 FCE’s, you would have had to enrol in a program (any program) as a placeholder. if you haven’t already, selecting a random type 1 subject POSt (a specialist, 2 majors, 1 major and 2 minors) will allow you to continue enrolling in courses at UTM.

    if you don’t get into the program after second year, you can try to get in after third year! you just might have some trouble enrolling in specific courses those courses offer priority enrolment to compsci majors. another option may be to switch programs. maybe compsci isn’t for you! again, speaking to your undergraduate counsellor or registrar’s office will be super helpful in terms of exploring other options!

    hope this helped!

    good luck and i hope you get into the program that you want to get into!

     

    peace and love,

    aska

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  • arts & sciences,  choosing,  computer science,  courses,  keeners,  math,  programs

    compsci conundrum

    May 9, 2017

    I am planning on attending UTSC (but I think this question should be
    applicable to the other campuses) this September, and I am looking for
    advice on whether I should aim for a major + 2 minor or (software
    engineering) specialist program in Computer Science.

    I am leaning towards the major + 2 minor option for the following reasons:

    The specialist program requires some additional courses that I think would
    make it more difficult than the major. For example, it requires both Linear
    Algebra II and Intro to Probability, whereas the major program let’s you
    choose one of them. Another math course that is required is Calculus of
    Several Variables I, which just sounds terrifying. And I know that math is
    important in CS, but, I am only okay in math (ended with 83 in functions
    because trig killed me [I probably wouldn’t have done that well on it in
    the first place, but I planned poorly for other subjects, and so did not
    have time to study for the unit test]; calc seems much more interesting,
    though), and so I would like to skip some of these math courses.
    Additionally, I am not sure how useful or hard some of the additional CS
    courses like Intro to Numerical Algorithms for Computational Mathematics or
    Computability and Computational Complexity will be—they all seem very
    abstract and not-practical.

    Another reason I want the major + 2 minor is that I would get two minors. I
    am taking Writer’s Craft this year and have realized that I quite enjoy
    creative writing. It just so happens that UTSC offers a minor program under
    English called Creative Writing. I think taking this minor alongside the CS
    major would be a great way to lessen the workload and pursue something I
    enjoy, while also pursing something else I enjoy that can actually earn me
    money. Having only math and theory-based CS courses besides a small number
    of electives is not too appealing to me. I realize that those courses are
    better than practical programming courses in the long-run, but having them
    make up the vast majority of my degree seems a bit painful. I don’t have a
    solid pick for a second minor yet, but I don’t think it would be hard for
    me to choose one (linguistics and food science are top contenders).

    Here, then, are reasons I might want to go the specialist route:

    I’m special.

    I think some of the courses the specialist has you take would be pretty
    beneficial. For example, since my goal is to get a job as a programmer, the
    courses that seem to teach you how to do stuff in a real-world environment
    like Intro to Software Engineering and Engineering Large Software Systems
    could really be useful, and I might be missing out if I opt for the major.
    There are also a few other courses like Programming on the Web and Intro to
    Databases which could add to my skill set and make me more marketable for
    co-op and post-post-secondary jobs. I am of course just predicting how
    valuable these courses might be form their names and descriptions alone;
    that’s why I’m asking you! The major program only allows you to take 1
    credit of additional C/D-level (300/400-level) CS courses, which means
    missing out on some potentially useful courses. I am guessing that it is
    not possible to take more as electives, but is it?

    My minors will probably also not help at all with my future career; I would
    only be taking them to lessen the amount of math/CS courses and increase
    the amount of enjoyable courses. Is that a bad thing to do?

    So, to conclude, do you think the benefits for taking the specialist
    program (additional useful courses) outweighs the cons (more un-fun
    courses; less fun courses)? Both choices aid the mind, but in different
    ways (i.e. one probably reduces chances of suicide).

    Thank you and sorry for the long message; I wanted to make my points clear
    🙂

    ———————————————

    buddy.

    i began penning a response to this question that went a little something like: “just go with your gut! it seems like you’re leaning towards the major and two minors option! why not pursue that?”, but upon further reflection, i’ve decided that we need to rewind a little, if that’s okay with you.

    (just so you know, i’m not a computer science student, nor have i taken any computer science classes and i’m just as confused as you are about these programs. i’m speaking only as a seasoned upper year student)

    before i start ripping into you, (it’s going to happen, i’m sorry) kudos to you for thinking this hard about what program you want to get into. it’s clear you’ve put a lot of thought into this, which is great. this response isn’t supposed to make you feel bad- i just want to bring you back to earth a little.

    so, first- you’ve made some serious assumptions on what these courses are going to be like. i can tell you from experience that i’ve made assumptions based on course names and have been incredibly wrong. classes also vary pretty dramatically depending on the instructor.

    *askastorytime* i took a class called urban geography, planning, and political processes. i thought was going to be super difficult and intense, but it ended up being super chill. for our final project, we created a zine and performed a rap for the class. for our group presentation, i contributed a sick drum beat and didn’t even utter a single word. moral of the story: do not judge courses by their names. linear algebra is probs super easy. (i’m kidding. math is never easy. math is very hard. we mustn’t joke about math.)

    your assumptions that some classes are “abstract”, “non-practical” or “terrifying” are all based on the course name. the truth is, every program at u of t will require a great deal of hard work. sure, easy courses exist, but transitioning from high school to first year is a huge challenge and you need to take that into account. picking the major and two minors option over a specialist program doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll be choosing the ‘easier route’. like i’ve said in previous posts, it really depends on how deep you want to get into a subject. a major and two minors allows you to explore a larger variety of subjects whereas a specialist will let you dig deep into one subject. which option are you more interested in?

    while the university does have a breadth requirement which encourages us to take courses outside of our faculty, personally, if i were to choose two minors that were completely unrelated to my major, i feel like i would have lots of difficulty focusing on each one and feel like a scatterbrain. for others who are better at multitasking and switching between subjects easily, a major and two minors is perfect! it really depends on what kind of person you are. can you turn your computer science mind off and jump right into phonetics and phonology if you need to? you’ll have to test that out in your first year! p.s. don’t forget to take a moment to check out the requirements for your potential minors and their different application requirements.

    that being said, from what i’ve heard, computer science is extremely math heavy. there is no easy way out. you have been warned.

    for now, i think you should try picking courses that are prerequisites for the general computer science programs (if you are sure about pursuing computer science), and see how you feel about them. fear not, the utsc calendar literally says that it’s not meant to be difficult to switch between different streams within computer science.

    you have plenty of time to discuss your options with an academic advisor as well! you can also talk to the program supervisor for computer science if you have more specific questions about the available compsci programs.

    i’d also encourage you to reach out to current or past computer science alumni to get some different perspectives on how they chose their programs. hearing other people’s thought processes might help you figure out what you’re looking for!

    hey, if doing programming for your whole undergrad sounds terrible for you, maybe computer science isn’t the right program for you. your first year is meant for you to explore and discover what courses you like. you don’t even necessarily need to get into your program by second year if you still don’t know what to do after your first year.

    so in conclusion, specialist courses won’t necessarily be more useful in the long run, and if the idea of specializing in software engineering doesn’t sound colourful enough for you, maybe the major and two minor option will be better for you! again, you really need to take some university level classes to see what it’s really like here. don’t judge a book by its cover, yo.

    good luck with your decision, i hope you choose a program you like!

    peace and love,

    aska

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  • applying for U of T,  computer science,  GPA,  innis,  internal transfer,  Transferring,  urban studies,  UTSC

    top secret internal transfer gpa’s

    February 6, 2017

    Dear ask a student,

    I am in second year at UTSC and I am looking to transfer downtown for urban
    studies. In first year I took computer science and finish the year with a
    low GPA. Now in city studies after the first semester my sessional GPA was
    2.93 but my cumulative GPA is still below 2.5. Will they look over my first
    year since I am now doing better in City Studies and is there a chance I
    can still get in with just my recent GPA improvement?

    Thanks.

    ———————————————

    hello!

    soooooo when UTSG is looking at internal transfer students, (students who are transferring from one U of T campus to another U of T campus) they will consider your CGPA and your most recent annual GPA. however, they will also have access to your whole transcript if they notice some inconsistencies in your GPA.

    in terms of GPA cut-off, i would check with the urban studies department directly to make sure you’re within the range. for some reason admission GPA’s for internal transfers are kind of top secret. they used to post them online, but i haven’t been able to find it ever since they revamped the future.utoronto.ca website. right now, the admission GPA’s are mostly circulated by word of mouth, but for entry into a specific program like urban studies, it would be in your best interest to just ask them!

    hope this helped!

    wishing you all the best in your transfer! hope we’ll be seeing you downtown!

    peace and love,

    aska

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  • computer science,  computers,  courses,  weirdness

    sad face emoticon

    January 30, 2017

    why doesn’t uoft have any tech-y courses 🙁

    ———————————————

    hello,

    you and i are in the same boat because we’re both sad face emoticon people.

    you’re clearly sad face emoticon about U of T not having “tech-y” courses whereas i am sad face emoticon that some people ask me very vague questions that don’t make much sense.

    what do you mean by tech-y? am i missing something here?

    all classes TECHnically involve some sort of technology, right???? is computer science not tech-y enough a course? i can’t really think of anything more tech-y than the science of technology itself!

    in conclusion, please elaborate ’cause i’m pretty stumped here.

    idk man,

    aska

     

     

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  • computer science,  enrollment,  wait list

    how to say waitlist in robot

    July 8, 2016

    Hi, so I thought I wanted to do life sci but now I want to switch to comp sci, and course registration is coming up. Comp sci kids have priority for those courses so i cant register until august 5. What is the likelihood that i wont get those courses by then? Is there anything i can do cause i know that i dont want to do life sci for sure so itd be a complete waste of a year if i cant get those comp sci courses. Should i just register for life sci courses right now and wait until august 5th to try to sign up for comp sci courses or try contacting the comp sci department? I’m so worried cause I dont want to waste an entire year! your insight would be greatly appreciated!

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    assuming you want to do a computer science specialist, there are five (half-year) courses you’re going to need to get into for your first year. lucky for you, TWO of them (MAT135 and 136) include life science students in their priority. that means you’ve only got three courses to worry about: CSC108H1, CSC148H1 and CSC165H1. and yes, ALL of them only prioritize first-year computer science students. and yes, if you don’t take CSC108H1, you can’t take the other two, which have 108 as a prerequisite.

    HOWEVER. the department knows that incoming computer science students are not the only people who will be taking these courses. aside from people who want to get into the program, you have upper-years who need to repeat them, and people taking the courses for general interest. so they make a LOT of lecture sections. and yes, most of them will fill up quickly with first years, but that doesn’t mean you’re entirely out of luck.

    bulldog comforting

    if you feel lost in the days leading up to course enrolment, remember this bulldog

    all the lecture sections of CSC108, combined, make space for 1160 students. that is several times the number of students who are accepted into the 1st Year Computer Science stream every year. it’s a similar case for CSC148 and 165, though obviously there are fewer spots in those because not everyone will take/pass CSC108, and so not everyone will be able to take the follow-up courses.

    so yes, you do have a chance of getting into these courses, even if you have to wait for the priority to lift. you may have to wait list, you may not get into your ideal lecture sections, but it’s not hopeless.

    that being said, i would strongly recommend having backup courses, not just in case you don’t get into the computer science courses (though that is a valid concern), but also in case you take the courses and don’t get into the program, or you decide you don’t like them and want to go in a different direction.

    phoebe pla

    don’t be phoebe on course enrolment day. have a plan A. have a plan B. have a plan everything-is-going-wrong-but-i’m-gonna-save-the-day-at-the-last-minute (also know as plan EIGWBIGSTDATLM)

    even if you do get into all the computer science courses you need, you will have space left over in first year to take courses other than computer science courses, so take advantage of that! explore the calendar, take chances on courses that intrigue you, and remember that no matter what happens, it’s not the end of the world.

    and p.s. you’re never “wasting” years. university is complicated and hard and whether it takes you four years or six or twenty, it’s all good!

    cheers,

    aska

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  • computer science

    how much can you really trust reddit

    February 26, 2016

    I have a couple of things I would like to clarify as I go forward in my Comp Sci education. So according to this
    https://www.reddit.com/r/UofT/comments/40txeo/important_changes_to_cs_post_in_2016/ some things have changed this year for people like myself who look to enroll in the CS POST. So I am in my fourth semester here at UTSG doing whatever I can to get into the CS POST since around last year. Basically first and second semester I took last year I went through csc108, csc148, and csc165. All fine and dandy. However, I didn’t do so hot in csc165 at all (52%) and I went through csc148 very uneasy with this in the back of my mind. So I did all of 148 outright to the end but dropped it because I had the option to from the TA strike that occurred. So I “retook” 148 last semester and did fairly well, falling just shy of an 80. Now I also have 165 enrolled this semester as an EXTRA course (so labeled EXT on my acorn/rosi). Now with this change that has taken place as mentioned in the Reddit post, and knowing that I am still a student in the Faculty of Arts & Science CMP1 according to my rosi, if I just do basically what I did with 148 and get a solid grade in 165 close to around 75-80 range, will I get accepted once I apply as the CS update implies?

    Thanks if you respond and thanks for running such an awesome resource.

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    the important distinction made in the reddit post you cite is between people admitted into the university in the computer science stream, and everyone else.

    if you were admitted out of high school (or wherever you were before uoft) into computer science, then yes. the way that i read the e-mail quoted is like this: if you meet those minimum requirements, you would definitely be admitted into the specialist or major (whichever you applied to).

    if you were admitted into another stream though (life science, physical/mathematical science, social science or humanities), then the POSt would still be competitive. that means that achieving the minimum required marks will not be enough to be admitted. you’ll have to achieve a mark high enough that you earn one of the limited spots in the POSt.

    so far, so good – i do have an important caveat for you, though. since i’m not in comp. sci. and i never received the e-mail that the reddit post quotes, i have no way of verifying whether it is real. i mean, it seems like a remarkably specific thing to make up, but i still can’t confirm it, because i can’t find the same information anywhere in the calendar or on the comp. sci. website.

    what i would recommend is that you verify the information with the computer science undergraduate office. they can also advise you about any nuances that may not be entirely evident (or mentioned at all) in that e-mail. they’re also good just for some general advice about moving forward. all around, it’s probably a good idea to stop in or call for a chat.

    cheers,

    aska

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  • computer science

    plug into the real world, nerd

    October 16, 2015

    Hey aska,

    I hope this is the right place to ask this question. In June 2016 I’ll graduating with my H.BSc here at UTM after 4 years and the problem is, I COULD be happier! I learned in 3rd year that I should’ve switched into Comp. Sci. when I had the chance, the field I dream of working in on a daily basis, but I was a fool and was just too lazy to take another 4 years here since I have no courses from my Majors/Minors that would be usable for any Comp. Sci. programs. I guess my question to you is, are there any co-op programs at UTM (that don’t exist on the site dedicated to co-op programs) that could maybe put me into a Comp. Sci. program (where I could be a bit more specific later) where my current H.BSc. degree would be beneficial? I know this is vague as shizz but any info would be appreciated! And if not, would this be a question best suited for an academic adviser? Thank you again aska!

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    i’m not sure i 100% understand what you’re asking. if you’re already graduating with a bachelor of science from UTM, you would not be able to do another undergraduate program leading to another bachelor of science from UTM. you’re only able to do another bachelor’s degree at UTM if it is leading to a different degree – so either an H.B.A., or B.Comm.

    if you want to delay your graduation and change track a little bit, you could start taking computer science courses now at UTM. however, that would probably require you to stay at UTM for a while longer, and there’s no guarantee you’d get into the subject POSt.

    in addition, co-op doesn’t exist as an undergraduate option at UTM, only at UTSC, and you likely wouldn’t be able to transfer so late in your degree.

    what you may be able to do is take some computer science courses as a non-degree student. you may also be able to enrol in a B.Eng. program on the downtown campus as a second degree student. you could specialize in electrical and computer engineering, as a way of studying computer science, but still graduating with a different degree.

    you may also want to consider a college program. for example, here’s a two-year computer programming certificate offered by Seneca College – and there are lots more.

    these are all just options. i’m sure there are a lot more i can’t think of. i’d highly recommend you check in with your registrar’s office. they’ll know a bit more about your situation and be able to give you more specific advice than i can. plus, they’re just infinitely cool. i’m registrar’s offices’ #1 cheerleader, tbh.

    best of luck!

    aska

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  • computer science,  fees

    fees creepin’ up on us from behind

    August 12, 2015

    Hello again,
    I was just wondering if I could get your input on this. I am 4th year student at UTSC majoring in Mathematics, minoring in Computer Science and Statistics. I am pretty late but I was thinking about changing my minors to a Computer Science major.
    How much do you think it will cost in retroactive fees if I were to switch? And how much do you think OSAP would cover? I talked to several of my peers and they told me this enormous amount that they had to pay (when they switched into the program earlier). I really would like to switch, but I am scared it might be way too costly.

    Thank you!

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    if you’re going into fourth year, you’ll be charged the deregulated computer science fee for your fourth year. you will also be charged retroactively for your second and third year, but it’s not as bad as you think:

    you will only be charged the difference between what you paid in your second and third years and the computer science fee (for each year). for simplicity’s sake, let’s say you paid $7000 in first year, and the computer science fee was $10 000. that means you would retroactively be charged $3000 for second and third year.

    you can take a look at the exact amount it will cost by checking the fee schedule for computer science and then subtracting your previous years’ fees from that amount, two times.

    so, it’s not as bad as it could be, but it’s still a lot of money.

    as for how much OSAP would cover: that all depends, and the answer is a bit complicated, so buckle in.

    OSAP will consider your higher fees when deciding how much funding to give you. however, the amount they give you may not be enough to cover what you need.

    also, OSAP does have a maximum amount that they give, meaning that it’s possible for you to max out. if your need exceeds that maximum amount, then you’ll have to turn to other ways to scrape the bucks together – typically, that’s UTAPS.

    you can use UTAPS’ funding estimator to figure how much you’re likely to get from them. if OSAP and UTAPS together still aren’t enough, you can appeal to OSAP.

    all that being said, we are coming up quite close to the deadline to register (August 17th for UTSC students), so i’d highly recommend you hightail it to your registrar’s office and talk about this with them right away. it’s also probably a good idea to talk with a financial aid advisor, to go over some of the finer points relating to OSAP, UTAPS and OSAP appeals.

    regardless of how much money you get from OSAP/UTAPS, you’re not going to get it right away. that’s a problem because your back balance needs to be paid off before you can defer using OSAP, so you’ll likely need to negotiate some kind of arrangement with your registrar’s office where they waive that requirement and manually register you, if possible.

    good luck with it.

    xoxo,

    aska

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  • computer science,  Transferring

    komp psi

    February 5, 2015

    Hello,

    What do you think the GPA required will be to transfer from UTSC to St. George after first year for computer science. I know they say you usually need a minimum of a 2.5GPA, but computer science is a competitive program. So would it be something like a 3.0 or 3.5 or 4.0GPA?

    Thanks

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    another day, another ‘what GPA do i need for x thing’ question. another chance to disappoint people with vague and unsatisfying answers.

    i don’t know what the GPA will be, because computer science doesn’t know what the GPA will be. it all kinda depends on how other people who applied to transfer did, how the kids currently in the program at utsg are doing, etc.

    to transfer in general, you need a ‘B’ average. however, if you want to get into computer science after first year, you’ll need to meet the downtown campus’ requirements for the program, which you can find here. so make sure you do as well as possible in CSC148H3 and any other comp. sci courses you take.

    if you want more specific information and/or you want to make sure you’re taking all the courses necessary to transfer, feel free to have a chat with the computer science department at utsg, and/or enrolment services (this is also pretty useful).

    best of luck with your transfer journey!

    aska

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  • computer science,  wait list

    if the first four people on the waitlist were to “disappear”…

    November 24, 2014

    aska,
    Sorry to bother you, but I’m currently 5th on the waitlist (out of 240 spaces) for a lecture that I really need to be in (CSC148H1S).
    I understand that being in the top 10% of the people in the course gives me a good chance of getting in, but I can’t be too sure. So I was wondering how fast the waitlists move around the first week of Winter classes (or in the first week of semesters if it’s too specific), based on my current situation.
    Many thanks!

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    i mean, not only are you in the top 10% of the class size, you’re in the top 2%. you’re playing with some nice odds there.

    i know it seems frustrating now since the waitlist is NOT MOVING AT ALL OH GOD, but it will move in the first week. especially considering this is a first year class, and so a lot of people won’t know what to expect from it, a lot of people are gonna drop it after the first class.

    “oh no,” they’ll say indignantly after the first half-hour of lecture. “this is not at ALL what i signed up for.”

    in fact, i’ve heard stories of people up and leaving classes at the break, not even staying for the whole first lecture, going straight home and dropping the course right away. trust me, it happens, and it’ll happen for CSC148.

    so yeah, have a backup because that’s just good sense, but i’d say your chances are pretty good.

    xoxo,

    aska

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  • computer science,  fees

    computing your way to comp. sci.

    October 27, 2014

    aska,
    I might not be able to take the required courses to meet the 1st Criteria for the Computer Science Major, so I’m planning on applying for this subject POST during my second year, when I meet the 2nd Criteria.
    So is it harder to get in the major for the second criteria than for the first? And if I apply during my second or third years, how do retroactive program fees work for Computer Science?

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    before i dive right into it, i just wanna clarify that you can only apply for subject POSts between April and September of any given year. so your next opportunity to apply to the comp. sci. major will be in the summer after second year. jsyk.

    it’s not necessarily harder to get in on the 2nd criteria. if you complete CSC207H1 and CSC236H1 with a combined average of at least 70% (and you’ve completed the required 1st year courses), then you will definitely be accepted into the major.

    that said, most people are accepted after first year, but if you do get that magic number of 70% as an average in those two second-year courses, then you’re in. so don’t let numbers discourage you.

    as for retroactive fees, basically what happens is that the comp. sci fee will be applied to your ROSI account, for every session you weren’t in computer science at uoft AFTER the session in which you accumulate four total credits.

    so if you get into comp. sci after second year, assuming you completed at least 4.0 FCEs in first year, and you didn’t do any summer courses, you would be retroactively charged the difference between the artsci fee and the comp. sci fee for your second year.

    you can take a look at the fee and all the subtle, subtle regulations relating to this on page 3 of this document. note that there’s a mistake in Note 2 on Table 1: you will not be charged Commerce fees, but rather comp. sci fees, which is the ~$11k that’s listed.

    c’mon, fees.utoronto. get it together.

    good luck on getting into comp. sci., my friend,

    aska

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  • computer science,  courses,  summer,  work-study

    mysterious impossible courses

    September 23, 2014

    Hi! I was looking at summer courses, and I came across CSC207H1Y. Would students have gotten a half-credit or a full credit? How would this impact their eligibility for a summer work-study position? Thanks.

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    i think you misread the course code there, chum. i see a CSC207H1 on the 2014 summer timetable, but no CSC207H1Y.

    and it’s a good thing, too, because ‘H1Y’ is not a thing (at least, in the faculty of arts & science – not true for the faculty of engineering, or for certain independent studies courses in artsci).

    you can’t be in a half-year course and a full-year course at the same time. unless you’re cheating.

    anyway, if you’re in a half-year course, you’d need to pick up at least 0.5 more credits over the summer to be eligible for work-study.

    cheers,

    aska

     

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  • admissions,  computer science,  scholarships/bursaries

    give me an extra 5% for being charming

    September 16, 2014

    I’m currently a grade 12 student in Vaughan Ontario. I am taking Grade 12 University Advanced Functions. I’m currently at an 87, and am not pleased with my mark. If I were to retake this course, what would be the consequences?

    I am interested in going into computer sciences.

    Thanks.

    Sorry I to clarify I did the course in grade 11. I fast tracked math. I will be completing my grade 12 year this year.

    I also wanted to know if the additional 5% from extra-curricular activity participation counts toward the overall average when it comes to eligibility for scholarships. Furthermore; what are the automatic scholarship amounts for an average of 90% and 95%?

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    (note: this question is a follow-up to the one i answered here. read that if you’d like a little bit of context).

    i stand by what i said before – an 87% is a good mark. it would do you more harm to retake it now than to just leave it and focus all your energies on doing well in calc.

    as for the additional 5% from extra-curricular participation, i…have no idea what you’re talking about. is that something your high school does? do they add 5% to your average for participating in extra-curriculars? that’s amazing.

    anyway, since i’ve never heard of this being a thing, it’s hard for me to answer the question. i’m inclined to say no, just because the overall average is specifically of your top 6 marks including prereqs, and unless this extra-curricular participation counts as a class, it probably won’t be included. however, since this is the first time i’m encountering this, i could very well be wrong. i would contact enrolment services to make sure.

    the automatic entrance scholarship for someone with over a 92% is $2000, which can buy you a lot of Mr. Noodles in your first year. there are also faculty/college scholarships galore – with one of those, you could even get a bowl and some utensils and use them to eat your Mr. Noodles!

    best of luck with the application process,

    aska

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