St. George - askastudent

breadth requirements, St. George

if the multiverse exists, so does a sixth breadth requirement

July 6, 2023
I need some options ( very very easy level) for breadth 6/quantitative reasoning. It will be my last missing credit to graduate this fall. Im in dt toronto. I am taking ast101 now for my breadth 5 requirement. I still have to take 0.50 credit in quantitative reasoning… but i need very easy level one because: 1- i am 52 and forgot all high school material ( science/math etc) and 2- i completed a french specialist program ( meaning i am into litterature etc..) Hope. Can help me out. I am willing to finally graduate in fall.

hey there,

man, you’ve got me over here quadruple checking my information. but i can tell you that a sixth breadth requirement doesn’t exist, at least not in this universe.

anyways, the quantitative reasoning breadth requirement is only required at UTSC, the scarborough campus.

since you’re at st. george, there are just 5 breadth requirements to complete. you need either 1.0 credits in four of the categories, OR 1.0 credits in three of the categories and 0.5 credits in the two remaining categories.
1. Creative and Cultural Representations
2. Thought, Belief, and Behaviour
3. Society and its Institutions
4. Living Things and Their Environment
5. The Physical and Mathematical Universe
you can use degree explorer to check your status on this, as well as the rest of the degree completion requirements.

i hope it all goes well for you and that this is helpful! if not, feel free to shoot me another question.

over and out,

aska
Read More

aska 2 Comments
CR/NCR, current student, psychology, St. George

those pesky program requirements

April 15, 2023

Hi! Hope you’re doing well. For my psy major one requirement is 1.0 credits in cluster A and 1.0 credits from cluster B in 200 level classes. I did really bad in one of my cluster B credits (think 50-60s range). I was thinking of using cr/ncr since it would be bad for my gpa which is already pretty mid. Since it’s technically a program requirement I know it’s not allowed but couldn’t I just remedy that by taking a different cluster B class in a different semester? Thanks in advance

hey there,

so sorry for the late reply, i don’t think you can do cr/ncr anymore but hopefully this is still somewhat helpful. i think you’ve got it right, it should be fine to cr/ncr that course as long as you can take a different one for your program requirements (which seems to be the case for the psy major). the cr/ncr course just won’t count towards your major/program, obviously.

Superstore Amy Sosa GIFfrom Superstore GIFs

best of luck!

aska

Read More

aska No Comments
prospective student, rotman, St. George

chill out rotman you’re scaring the first years

April 5, 2023

likely will be starting at rotman commerce in the fall. my question is, could I transfer from rotman to programs like utm commerce or utsc management? it’s been my dream program for a long time, but it wasn’t until the moment I got accepted that I started panicking about actually surviving rotman. realllllyyy want to make sure there’s a way out if I end up getting mauled in my first year lol

hey hey hey,

congrats on getting in! i don’t know what rotman horror stories they’re telling to make you all so anxious before uni even starts, but i guess it doesn’t hurt to have a backup plan…

Ready Perfectly Overly Cautious GIFfrom Ready Perfectly GIFs

anyway, in case you get mauled and rotman doesn’t work out for whatever reason, there are definitely decent ways to get out. utm commerce and utsc management both accept “internal transfers”, which are just transfers from other uoft campuses. i don’t know how difficult it is to actually get in, but at least the rotman math, commerce, and econ courses set you up pretty well for the prereqs to transfer.

there might be a few restrictions, for example, the utsc management programs with co-op (oooo fancy) only accept transfers straight out of first year, so if that’s something you’re interested in, you’d have to start planning early on. i don’t see any requirement of that sort for utm management/commerce but you could contact the program advisor directly to make sure, because i know some other competitive programs also only accept students straight out of high school or first year.

another backup could be transferring into other utsg arts and sciences programs, like economics, which is usually a bit easier/more straightforward than trasferring campuses.

hope that helps!

aska

Read More

aska No Comments
daniels, prospective student, St. George

architecture and more

April 1, 2023

Hi. Variations of these questions have been asked and answered, but I guess I’m looking for the mechanics of the whole thing: first, have been admitted to Daniels in Architectural Studies and hope to pick up Art History as a second major. How easy is this to accomplish? What steps are involved? Second, how do non-Daniels electives work? Say I’m interested in an elective in English Lit or Archaeology or photography. Would I be able to tack these on and when? Third, any way as a Daniels student to do a business certificate? Thank you so much! You’re an amazing resource.

hi there and congrats!

although i can’t speak from personal experience (i took a nap in the daniels building once, does that count?), as a daniels student you are definitely allowed to enroll in other arts and science programs or electives and there are certain pathways that allow more flexibility to do this within your degree requirements. computer science and rotman commerce are the two main exceptions though – they have higher “deregulated” program fees and are basically gatekept from daniels students and also all the other artsci students, so you’re really not missing out on anything overall. all the typical artsy (and science-y) courses will be available to you.

in terms of scheduling different courses and programs, as you may know, you need 20 FCEs (“full course equivalents”, which are essentially full-year courses or credits) to graduate. architecture studies students have to do a specialist in architecture studies, which is like a major but more intensive, with more courses. the comprehensive stream of the architecture studies specialist (a mouthful, i know) is a good option to complement a second major because it only has 10 required FCEs, essentially taking up half of your degree courses. the other streams are more specialized, but would require 13 FCEs. for example, the art history major requires 6 FCEs, and you also have breadth requirement courses which are required for graduation and can include up to 4 FCEs of courses from different subjects, which all starts to add up.

depending on the number of required courses you end up with, you might have space left over for other electives too. as far as i know, you can add any electives you’re interested in during course selections as early as your first year. the only potential limitation is that some courses may have priority enrolment for students in a specific program or stream, so it might be harder to get into really popular ones, but most of the more intro-level courses that people usually take for electives are pretty open.

as for your last question, rotman does offer a “certificate in business fundamentals” for all artsci students (including daniels i assume) which requires 2 FCEs, so you can totally tack that on. like, when uoft said you can build your own degree, they meant it.

Possibilities GIFfrom Possibilities GIFs

it gets pretty hectic trying to keep track of all the different programs and courses you want, so i’d recommend keeping everything organized on degree explorer. also i will say, while it might be tempting to do ~all the majors~ it’s definitely not required and depending on what you find interesting/useful, it might not even be the best way to go about it. electives can also give you a way to dive into different fields with more flexibility. although having a fancy title on your transcript also is kinda cool, too, so there are advantages either way i suppose.

good luck!

aska

Read More

aska No Comments
admissions, prospective student, science, St. George

hope in the face of gr 12 calculus

March 19, 2023

Hi! So, my top 6 average before I took calculus was a 91, then I got a 60 on my midterm and now my average is an 86. Overall, I took 8 courses this year and most were low 90s with the exception of an 85 and an 88. I’ve completely given up on being accepted into material sci because I doubt they’ll accept me because of my calculus mark, but do I still have a chance for LifeSci? This is about stg campus btw. Please help!!

hello there!

a stem kiddo — we love to see it. i gather that your top six average is 86 now including calculus, which was a 60. it’s a tricky situation because your average is technically still in the running for both programs, but they both require calculus.

just so you know, you won’t actually be admitted for specific programs like material sci in first year, btw. you would have to enter the physical and mathematical sciences stream in the first year, and then apply for the material sciences POSt (specific majors, minors, stuff like that) afterwards. complicated, i know.

physical and mathematical sciences requires a top 6 average of mid to high 80s, including grade 12 english and calculus, and so does lifesci. they do both recommend mid to high 80s in english and calc though, and it’s kind of hard to say how strict the admissions office is with that requirement.

i know a few friends who’ve gotten into lifesci with a few marks in the 70s, so i’d say you’ve still have a shot, especially since you did well overall and in your other courses. lifesci is also known to be a huge first year stream, which does improve your chances.

Doctor Who Dw GIFfrom Doctor Who GIFs

if you do end up getting into lifesci, a cool thing about utsg arts and sciences is that you can apply to pretty much any program in the faculty for second year. there are some exceptions that are much more competitive, like computer science or rotman commerce, but as long as you take the high school prereqs and do well in the required first year courses, you can still get into materials science or any other program that you might find interesting!

good luck! hope that helps!

aska

Read More

aska No Comments
current student, psychology, St. George, subject POST

utsg psych major: the saga continues

June 17, 2022

i didn’t make the psych major at uoft sg and that was my main goal. i don’t know what to do now. i have to retry but not sure how that process works. and i don’t have financial means to take an extra year so i’m worried i’m off track. what are my next steps…

hi there,

ok hooold up. i gotta say this sounds… awfully familiar.

Corrado Guzzanti Reiducational Deja Vu Vulvia GIFfrom Corrado Guzzanti GIFs

since it looks like everybody and their mother is applying to the utsg psych major, let me just rehash some of the important stuff from that previous post which might help.

1. you didn’t get in. sucks, but it’s not the end of the world. from my experience, there are lots of chances to apply later on — as long as you makes some real solid changes to your studying and academics going forward.

Howimetyourmother Intervention GIFfrom Howimetyourmother GIFs

2. to reapply in second year and above (9.0 FCEs or more completed), you’ll need marks from psy100, grade 12 calc and bio, as well as psy201 and 1.0 FCEs of the 200-level psy courses listed. retaking psy100 could certainly help your grades for POSt, but it’s up to you to decide if/when/how to do it. lucky you, i happen to be a bit of a degree explorer aficionado, so let’s just walk through how you could plan this stuff out.

since the grade cutoff is listed at around 77-79%, if your current psy100 and grade 12 calc/bio marks are lower than that then it might be safer to retake psy100 next year. if you need to graduate in four years, the most straightforward ways to do that would be to either take psy100 in the summer (still $$, but at least it’s not $$$$…) or take more than 5.0 FCEs in one academic year (likely 2nd year, if you want to have the best chances of getting into the psych major right after). you can take 4.0 – 6.0 FCEs in the fall/winter semesters for the same program fee, so there won’t be any extra costs (finanically, at least) but it could be more difficult to balance things and get the marks you need. taking a summer course isn’t a walk in the park either, since things are going at 2x speed, but (hopefully) you won’t be taking other courses at the same time too.

3. if you do end up taking psy100 next year, i’d suggest first prioritizing your 200-level psy courses and courses needed for other majors/minors you want to complete (unless you’re ready to risk it all for the utsg psych major, it’s probably best to still keep up on your other programs). try to pick courses that you’re really interested in, where you can likely do well. the utsg artsci course evals are a handy way to ~~stalk~~ check out potential courses, including ratings by instuctor and year/session. remember to prepare backups too — course enrolment is already finnicky, and if you’re not a psych student it might be hard to get your first choice psy courses since you won’t have priority.

once you’ve got your required courses down, i’d recommend adding psy100 in your lighter semester so that even if you’re taking 6 courses, it’ll still be manageable. another tip is to enroll in multiple courses if you’re not sure which ones would be a good fit, and just make sure to drop the extra ones by the deadline.

4. i’d also recommend speaking with your college registrar to get support with planning, academics, or anything else you might need help with. they’ll be able to help with your study strategies, provide resources, and a whole lot of other things to get you on track.

5. if you haven’t already, try applying to the psych minor next year too as a backup. it’ll allow you to enroll in courses as a psych student and could be a good alternative if getting into the major is still a challenge.

now, follow these trusty steps and i guarantee you’ll… wait, what’s that? no guarantees? oh. okay. well unfortunately, i can’t say for sure that you will get into the utsg psych major even if you follow all these handy tips, but hopefully this gives you a better idea of what your next steps might look like.

Good Luck GIFfrom Good GIFs

best of luck,

aska

Read More

aska No Comments
campus, clubs, extracurricular, international relations, polisci, residence, St. George, student groups, Toronto, UTSU

long time reader, first time asker

May 23, 2017
Hello Aska!

First – You are utterly brilliant!
I will be applying to UofT this fall, and scrolling through your blog has
saved me many a panic attack! Within this wall of flesh, there is a soul
that counts thee its creditor.

P.S. I went through the tags before writing this (true fan here) so don’t
worry – this doesn’t have ‘another college question’…..(or does it…..?).

1. Oh all seeing eye, how do you know everything that’s happening at UofT’s
massive campus? What are some of the best ways to keep on top of student
events, displays, Disney serenades, aska fan-fests, food trucks etc? (Most
importantly – food trucks!).

2. Slightly beyond UofT – which are the best natural sites to explore in
and around Toronto – hikes, trails, hidden Narnias perhaps?

3. Innis is one of the only apartment style residences on campus, and as
far as I can see this style of residence (and Innis in general) seems
perfect. But, as an Innis insider, what are some of the disadvantages of
apartment style living?

4. I have been looking through the PolSci and International Relations
department pages, and although I found a massive list of internships
offered to PolSci students, I could not find a similar list for
International Relations. Does PolSci generally have more available
internship and exchange opportunities in general?

Finally, I feel like I am compelled by tradition to put this question here,
if only as a symbol:
‘Innis or UC?”

May the odds and even be ever in your favor.
Thanks!

———————————————

hello!

thank you so much! i am always humbled and delighted to meet a fan like yourself.

since you’ve asked me a five-part question, here’s a five-part answer:
1. first, you could check out the student life website. they have a lot of stuff on events, displays, clubs, anything you may desire! if that isn’t enough, you can also check on facebook- lots of clubs and societies post when they’re hosting events (and whether or not there’ll be free food). you could also check out hart house (they always have a bunch of stuff going on), the utsu (university of toronto student’s union), your college’s student society, and the clubs fair during orientation week.
2. there’s lots of nature-y stuff to do in and around toronto. so much so, that i’ll just redirect you to this. in all seriousness though, there are a lot of places to go hiking in toronto, check out this article.
3. it all has to do with your personal preferences. however, you’ll have to think a lot about things like food (innis doesn’t have a dining hall, but you could still get a meal plan) and cleaning (you’ll have to look after a kitchen and a bathroom and a common area AS WELL AS your own room).
4. i don’t know if there are MORE internships for polisci students as opposed to international relations students… it just looks like the IR department’s student experience page hasn’t been updated as recently as the polisci department’s. you could get in contact with the IR department and they’d probably have way more information than me, a humble not-IR student.
5. innis or uc?
xoxo,

aska
Read More

aska No Comments
athletics, St. George, UTM, weirdness

fear not, for the showers are hot

May 17, 2017

This is probably one of the most facepalm questions you receive in 2017:D Do pools at utsg and utm have hot showers? LOL I’m serious!

———————————————

hi,

this is definitely not one of the most facepalm questions i’ve received in 2017.

yes they do.

good luck with that.

peace and love,

aska

Read More

aska No Comments
St. George, summer

what time is it? summer (school) time

May 15, 2017

Hi I’m a first year student at UTSG and I’m thinking of going to summer school next year cuz I only have 4 credits now. I would do a credit this summer but I desperately need to relax 😛 . I’m thinking of taking 1.0 full course credit and I was wondering how long is it? I know it’s 4 months but is class everyday? How many hours? Would I still have a summer to enjoy?

———————————————

hey!

*apologies for the lame high school musical reference in the title*

summer school is a great option! i personally like taking courses in the summer more than during the year because i feel that i have more energy and motivation.

if you are wanting to make up 1.0 FCE’s during summer 2018, you have four options since there are two summer semesters.

1) take a Y course (1.0 FCE’s) which will last from may to august

2) take two F courses (0.5 FCE’s each) from may to june

3) take two S courses (0.5 FCE’s each) from july to august

4) take one F course (0.5 FCE) from may to june and then take one S course (0.5 FCE) from july to august

obviously if you want to get your classes over with earlier and enjoy the rest of your summer, option 2 would be ideal (which is what i happen to be doing right now), but be prepared to work hard and manage your time wisely.

summer school is accelerated, so for an For S course, you’ll have 6 weeks of class as opposed your typical 12 weeks. let me tell you right now, summer school is not easy. you’ll feel like you just started getting into the material and then BAM! you’ll be writing your final. you’ll also have twice the amount of lectures per week which means twice the amount of readings.

it’s tough, man.

i actually just answered a question recently about summer school that might answer some of your questions regarding class times, which you can check out here! in terms of F and S courses, for one class, you can expect an average of about 4 hours of class per week, split between two days. (e.g. tuesdays and thursdays 12-2pm) i feel as though this is a pretty standard representation of what summer courses are like, but don’t quote me on that. you can take a look for yourself this summer’s timetable to get an idea of what class hours are like.

you would only have class everyday if you decide to take classes that fill up your whole week!

you can definitely still enjoy your summer- you’d only be in class for a couple of hours a day! you can go out and have fun for the rest of the day! (don’t forget to study, of course) relax yo. it’s gon’ be chill.

peace and love,

aska

Read More

aska No Comments
arts & sciences, programs, St. George, subject POST

not so easy as 1- 2- 2L- 3

May 15, 2017

When is it time to choose programs? And what are the different types of programs (Type 1,2,3)? Thank you!

———————————————

hey,

ah yes, it’s that time of year again. i really hope that in the time it has taken me to respond to your inquiry, you’ve tried googling this yourself…

…but if you haven’t, that’s fine, i’ll answer your question anyways! all of the below information applies to the faculty of arts and science at UTSG.

this information is illustrated really nicely in this link right here but i’ll reiterate it for you and all my wonderful readers because that is what i do.

behold.

when is the subject POSt enrolment period? depends on your program type. (fyi: i am using program and POSt interchangeably.)

how do you check what type of program you want? you use this handy little (or not so little) list.

type 1 programs: the period to enrol for type 1 programs is april 1st to september 20th (a.k.a. now) there are no enrolment restrictions on type 1 programs. if you have completed 4.0 FCE’s you will be able to enrol into any type 1 program. all you have to do is go to ROSI or ACORN and enrol yourself. (just plunk the code on the left side of the column into the subject POSt module, et voila!)

type 1S programs: these are basically the same as type 1 programs except the enrolment period is different and students in these programs pay higher fees. there are no restrictions or applications for 1S programs and the enrolment period of july 3rd to september 20th (a.k.a. later).

type 2, 2L (the L just means limited), 3 programs**: this is where things get a little funky. read carefully.

there are two request periods for these types of programs because the first period is if you completed the program requirements by the end of the 2016-2017 fall winter session, while the second period is if you are hoping to have completed the program requirements by the end of the 2017 summer session.

the first period to apply is april 1st to may 17th. you will need to apply during this period, check your result on june 30th, and then if you have been invited to enrol, enrol by august 2nd.

the second period to apply is july 3rd to august 27th. you will need to apply during this period, check your result on september 15th, and if you have been invited to enrol, you’ll need to enrol by september 20th. be sure to check your ROSI during this period (put it in your calendar!) because you don’t have much time to enrol!

**type 3 programs: these differ slightly from type 2 programs because program enrolment is limited and you will require an application. some applications do not accept applications from the second request period. if that is the case, it will say 3-no.

again, the steps to applying and enrolling are all outlined nicely in the link i attached above!

***something important to keep in mind is that if you’ve completed 4.0 FCE’s, you won’t be able to add any courses until you apply to a program. if you are applying to a type 2 or 3 program where it is possible that you may not be accepted, it is very important to secure a backup POSt so you can continue to enrol in courses. my advice to you would be to enrol in a random type 1 specialist program simultaneously along with your type 2/2L/3 program applications just in case you don’t get into to the type 2/2L/3 programs. don’t worry, you won’t need to have taken any courses in that department, pretty much any type 1 POST will do. that being said, you could also enrol yourself in 2 type 1 majors/ one type 1 major and two type 1 minors as place holders, but that just overcomplicates everything once you need to drop them. it’s better to just use a type 1 specialist as your placeholder because if you do end up getting into a type 2/2L/3 program, you’ll only need to drop one POSt (your random type 1 specialist) as opposed to two type 1 majors/a type 1 major and 2 type 1 minors.***

does that make sense? are you one of these flamingoes?

that’s okay! i realize this post may be a little convoluted and wordy but if you need more clarification, please comment below!

good luck and i hope you get into all your desired programs!

peace and love,

aska

Read More

aska No Comments
applying for U of T, hard, St. George, UTM

(another) battle of the campuses

May 12, 2017

Hi, is it true that University of Toronto – St. George is a more academically difficult university than University of Toronto – Mississauga? Thanks!

———————————————

hey,

this is a question we get a lot and it stumps me every time. i’m really not allowed to say one campus is easier than the other because i’d get some angry emails from admin, but i also genuinely do not know the answer. it’s also not fair to the people at UTM who work their butts off if i say: “lol yeah they have it easier.” all i can say is, having been at UTSG for four years, UTSG is indeed difficult.

to the people who say that UTM is easier than UTSG: is it fair to say that one campus is easier than the other if you haven’t conducted an in-depth study in which a selected group of students take the same courses at both campuses? this question has left me scratching my head a little because there are so many factors that can contribute to the difficulty of a course. am i overthinking this question like i overthink everything in my life???? probably, but U of T taught me how to think critically, so i blame them.

the only logical reason why people would say that UTM is more difficult than UTSG is because our admission standards are a tad higher than UTM, but from what i’ve heard, students from both campuses struggle with school. there really isn’t one campus that’s “so much easier” than the other. even if someone told you that they failed a course at UTSG and then got an A at UTM, can you really conclude that UTM is easier, or did they just need a change of environment?

so, what i’m trying to say is that there really isn’t a bonafide way of measuring “academic difficulty” between the campuses other than by word of mouth. you can choose to listen to the people who tell you one is easier than the other but i encourage you to investigate further and consider what they are basing their argument off of. i mean, once you’re there, you kind of have to roll with the punches on whatever campus you’re at, right?

i hope that my ever-so-graceful dance around this question accompanied by a number of gifs has been satisfactory for your needs.

peace and love,

aska

Read More

aska No Comments
applying for U of T, colleges, engineering, friends, getting involved, hard, partying, residence, scholarships/bursaries, St. George, studying

6 responses + a rant

January 18, 2017

Hey Aska! I’m a Turkish student and I’m in grade 11. I’m filled with
so many questions because I whole-heartedly want to study at UofT. I
researched a lot of things and still have tons of questions. So yeah,
let me begin 😀

My first question is about admissions. With %86-87 average in grade 11
and %93-94 in grade 12, would I be able to get into mechanical
engineering? (Also consider that I have decent SAT scores ad medium-
to-decent extracurriculars.) I really want to know if I even have a
chance.

+What about scholarships?

+Does Innis collage and UC require anything when applying? (I know
that Innis should be ranked 1st if you wanna be accepted there.) Which
has a better community in your opinion? And which should I choose as a
newcomer?

+Is it that hard to get good grades at UofT? I personally love
studying but I don’t know if I’ll be overwhelmed.

+Are international students treated differently really?

+What are the parties like?

+It is a very big school, will I be able to form close relationships?
If so, how?

Thank you soooo much in advance, and sorry for mixed questions. I
sincerely hope that I can be a part of the community. Take care!

———————————————

hello!

first of all, you’re adorable and i love your enthusiasm. you’ve asked a lot of good questions and i commend you for taking the initiative to reach out so early! this is probably the longest post i’ve ever written so bear with me.

on getting accepted into mechanical engineering

at this point in time, the website says that you need a mid 80’s average to get into the mechanical engineering program, but it would be best to check the updated average when you actually apply in 2 years. engineering programs are competitive and it is very likely that these averages will change by the time you apply, since they tend to fluctuate from year to year.

with your awesome grades, you definitely have a chance of getting into the mechanical engineering program, but keep in mind that this is just a general cut-off guideline for this year’s applicants. by saying you have a chance of getting in, i’m not saying you will get in.

on scholarships

scholarships are described at length in this link where you will also see a complete listing of all the scholarships available at u of t. keep in mind, since you will be an international student, you will only be eligible for a small number of scholarships. if you scroll to the listings at the bottom of the page, under availability, if there is a blank in the column instead of the words “domestic students”, that means international students are eligible. there are also admission scholarships (which you are eligible for, yay!) which you will automatically be considered for when you are admitted to the school.

on UC and innis

university college is large and old whereas innis is small and new. to get into innis, you are absolutely right, you do need to rank it first (good job!) but UC does not require you to rank them first. innis requires you to rank them first mostly because they are so small in size and very popular.

which one to pick? that’s the ultimate question. there are many factors that you should consider, for example: are you going to be living in residence? what kind of residence style are you looking for? do you want to be part of a big college or a small college?

i’m not exactly allowed to tell you which one i like more (and believe me, there is one) because i’d probably get destroyed, and it’s really up to you to do your own research and decide which one is better for you. i can provide you with the resources, but the rest is entirely up to you.

on getting good marks

is it hard to get good marks at U of T? yes. very hard. i have yet to get good grades at U of T. don’t slack off, study hard, and go to class. i made the mistake of not doing any of those three things in my first three and a half years and have paid dearly (emotionally and monetarily). we have a scary reputation for a reason. if you’re thinking of coming here, be ready to work your ass off.

on the treatment of international students

*disclaimer* aska rant on international student culture and discrimination

i thought a lot about how to answer your question about the treatment of international students. on one hand, i wanted to answer: international students aren’t treated differently! it’s love love love all around! but i would be lying. the aska motto is to deliver the cold, hard truth, so here goes: (it might seem a little controversial and blunt, but that’s askastudent for ya!)

international students are treated in the same way they treat other people. as i’m sure is common at every university, there are groups that i will refer to as ‘cultural cliques’. cultural cliques are groups of students who stick together because they come from the same culture, usually when english is not their first language. i’m not saying this is a bad thing. it’s actually great that these students can find friends who speak a common tongue! how awesome! however, sometimes, students will ignore everyone else outside their clique and as as a result, they get ignored back. this is perfectly fine if neither groups want to mix and mingle, but it does sometimes result in some differential treatment. the most common thing i see is people getting mad about international students speaking their native tongue instead of english.

as someone who was not born in canada and can speak a second language, i can sympathize with both sides of the story. an international student might have a difficult time with english and find it easier to communicate in another language, yet a domestic student, might find it rude that other students are speaking in foreign language. often, this stems from the domestic student’s insecurity that the international student might be crap-talking them in a different language. of course, this isn’t always the case, but it does happen! heck, it’s happened to me before! someone tried bad-mouthing me when they thought i didn’t understand the language. well, joke was on them!

many will also argue: “you’re in canada! speak english!” but this argument isn’t exactly valid. i’m sure lots of people who go to countries like japan don’t spend years learning japanese before they decide to go. canada is known as one of the most multicultural countries in the world, and it’s truly unfortunate that not all cultures are as widely accepted as canadian culture.

bottom line, discrimination can happen, but i guarantee that it won’t happen if you treat people like you want to be treated. my advice to you is to keep an open-mind. be friendly and warm to people if you want them to be friendly and warm to you. if you find people from turkey at U of T that you want to be friends with, that’s awesome. if you want to form a turkish clique, even better! make the most of your university life and spend it with people you care about.

*aska rant over*

on partying

i’m not much of a partier, so i can’t reveal too many juicy details about that. just based on the parties i’ve been to, they can definitely get pretty rowdy at times, but also be super lame. a gathering of people involving beverages and loud music usually constitutes a party at U of T, and i imagine, everywhere else! sometimes there’s dancing and sometimes there are games. sometimes ambulances are called, and sometimes the paramedics get a night off. sometimes people fall asleep and sometimes people stay up all night. hope that answers your question!

on forming close relationships

i have hit the 1300 word count so i think it’s safe to say that we, in some way, shape or form, have formed somewhat of a close relationship. U of T is ginormous. you are again, absolutely right.

you can definitely form close relationships at U of T. in addition to studying your ass off, you should be making time for late night mcdonald’s runs, jam sessions and spontaneous city explorations along with friends. again, treating people like you want to be treated applies here. treat someone like a friend and chance are, they’ll treat you like a friend and then BOOM! you’ll have a friend. that’s how you make friends. how nice. you’ll meet people in your classes, in residences, and at various events on/ off campus! everyone else will be looking to make friends as well, so don’t sweat it. some of my closest friends have been people i met at school, so you’ll be fine. trust me.

did i answer all your questions? if not, comment below and i’ll do my best to get back to you.

good luck, chill out, and may the odds be ever in your favour.

peace and love,

aska

Read More

aska No Comments
admissions, arts & sciences, St. George, stats, UTM, UTSC

i will find you

January 18, 2017
Hello! I can’t seem to find the statistics on those that were accepted into the faculty of arts and science. Help would be appreciated!

———————————————

yo,

stats are hard to find. don’t feel bad. you have come to the right person.

in addition to being ridiculously charming and hot (like my homeboy liam neeson), i also possess a very particular set of super ninja detective samurai skills. fear not, for i have found what you are looking for.

there’s this super cool thing called Common University Data Ontario (CUDO) which can give you stats on:
- Number of degrees awarded, student enrolment and entering averages – all by program;
- Number of students living on campus and activities offered;
- Student satisfaction;
- First-year tuition and ancillary fees by program;
- Number of teaching faculty;
- Undergraduate class size, by year level;
- Research awards granted; and
- Graduation rates and employment rates by program.
click on the year that you want to see and voila! you can even look at stats on UTM and UTSG.

go crazy!

peace and love,

aska
Read More

aska No Comments