• switching

    the ol’ switcheroo

    August 18, 2017
    the instructor(s) of some of my psy courses are yet TBA. im not saying i dont want ______ as my instructor but…. i dont want ______ as my instructor. if i cant change my schedule what do i do if hes the instructor of one of my lectures?
    ——————————————
    hi!
    you have until september 20th to add an F/Y course. by then, you will know who the instructor is of that course and you can try to switch into a different lecture. other than that, there’s not much you can do, unfortunately.
    i hope it all works out! good luck!
    reaction happy fun celebration parks and recreation GIF
    xoxo,
    aska
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  • economics,  housing,  sociology,  switching

    options, stacks on stacks of options

    July 10, 2017

    Hey aska!
    I’m doing a sociology specialist at the moment and entering my third year,
    but I want to look out for other majors. I’m kind of interested in economics
    at the moment, and want to take the two full year courses for the major
    prerequisites. However, I don’t know how smart that is (taking 2 full year
    courses just for the sliver of the chance of getting in) considering I’m
    not very good at math or time organization – I had to climb up from a 0.8
    GPA in first year because of a rough transition, and now my GPA and mental
    health are more secure I want to try branching out. I also want to ask if
    me being in third year affects my chances of applying to the program, since
    so many incoming first years have probably gotten a head start.Thanks for
    your reply:0

    ——————————————

    hi!

    being in third year does not affect your chances of getting into the program at all, you can apply for a subject POSt up until you want to graduate.

    as for whether or not it’s “smart” to take 2 full year courses in order to get into the major, i would definitely suggest at least trying. according to the department of economics’ website, you need both an ECO and MAT requirement and certain marks achieved in those courses. if you’re worried that it’s not “smart” because you’re bad at math and time management (which is extremely relatable to me), you could at least try enrolling in those courses, see how you do, and then drop before the deadline (this year, it’s november 6th for F courses and february 20th for Y courses). no harm, no foul.

    twin peaks okay smiling thumbs up dale cooper GIF

    if you’re really serious about enrolling in the econ major, you could also try taking just one of the courses this year or starting with both and dropping one if you need to. then, you could take them as summer courses later on or the year after. the only issue with that option is that it might further extend the time spent on your undergrad degree, but if that isn’t a big deal for you, then this is a good option in my (non-professional) opinion.

    i really believe that you can achieve whatever you put your mind to, but also know that there are other options that you can explore if the initial plan doesn’t work out. i would also suggest making an academic advising session with your college registrar’s office. i’m sure they’d be able to help!

    i hope this helps! good luck!

    xoxo,

    aska

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  • environment,  ethics,  subject POST,  switching

    the amount of garbage i produce is probably not good for the environment

    March 2, 2017

    Hi there
    I am in third year currently, and one of my two maajors  is environmental studies major (ASMAJ1254) I am attempting to plan out my academic future as practically as I can. I have been looking at the environmental ethics major (ASMAJ1107). I am more academically pulled towards the humanities and the philosophy courses offered with the env. ethics major. However, I want only to switch posts if this is a ‘smart move’ – which would mean the courses I have allocated thus far for my environmental studies major to transfer easily to a environmental ethics major.
    Being in third year, I am fine with staying put in my env. studies major. However, seeing the requirements, for both, I wanted to know, if I can apply for a type 1subject  post at any time. Is there any way I can (myself and not my registrar) map out, if I were to switch majors that are so similar,  if Id be further along to my degree (meaning my env major courses thus far would have transferred) or if this would this set me back, with me needing to take extra courses, and thus be behind in post requirements?
    Ive already written my registrar first for academic advice regarding subject posts, but until I go in to see them I thought Id ask here.
    Thank you for your time!

    ———————————————

    hey,

    thanks for writing in!

    switch if you are more interested in environmental ethics! do it! if you’ve figured out what you like, just go with it.

    whether or not it’s a smart move really depends on the courses you’ve already taken. you can definitely map out whether or not it’s logical with the picture below:

    while i’m sure you’ve looked at the calendar already, having visuals is nice so i compared the requirements of the two majors for you. the highlighted courses are courses that are overlapped in both programs. as you can see, there is quite a bit of overlap, but again, you would have had to have taken only highlighted courses for there not to be any setbacks.

    as for when you can switch: you can do this without the help of your registrar, however, i highly recommend that you schedule a meeting anyways, just in case you’ve missed something. it would suck majorly if you switched to a new major (lol) only to realize that you missed a requirement and need to take some extra classes. if that is the case, sometimes departments can make exceptions for you.

    the subject post change period for a type 1 subject POst (environmental ethics major) will be between april 1st and september 30th, which means you can log onto rosi or acorn, drop your environmental studies major and then type in the appropriate code: ASMAJ1107 to apply.

    since i don’t know what courses you’ve taken, i can’t map everything out for you, but i hope i’ve provided you with enough information as a stepping stone to figuring it all out.

    if you have any further questions, do contact your registrar’s office for support!

    peace and love,

    aska

     

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  • switching

    sneaky sneaky lecture switching

    October 11, 2013

    Say, for example, I’m taking a Mathematical Proofs course (MAT102) but due to personal learning ability I wish to switch to a different lecture (i.e. LEC0102 to LEC0103). The time schedule and the material is the exact same in both lectures, the only difference is the room. Even though it is now too late to transfer to a different lecture, what would be the repercussions of me skipping my scheduled lecture and attending the other one instead?

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    If by repercussions you mean scary official university people who are going to track you down and punish you for your HEINOUS LECTURE SKIPPING, you’re probably not going to encounter that. Let’s be real, in big lectures, it’s fairly easy to slip out of one and into another. But is it a good idea?

    At the end of the day, there are always going to be little differences between one prof and another, and your prof is the one who administers your tests/quizzes, so it might be a good idea to stick around in their lecture. They might emphasize different things from another professor, and when it comes to writing the tests, those things will come less easily to you than to your classmates. Also, you could miss out on important administrative information if you go to a different lecture.

    If you’re really bent on going to this other lecture though, why not talk to that other prof and/or the registrar’s office about possibly switching into it? Your case is pretty specific and they might be able to accommodate you. Who knows? I’d say it’s worth giving a shot.

    If you’re concerned about your personal learning ability, just talk to the prof about it. You can also try Accessibility Services, or the academic skills centre. They are super helpful and awesome.

    Hope you enjoy your class, compadre, whatever you decide.

    aska

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  • switching

    a predicament of programs

    October 24, 2012

    Hi there,

    I’m in my third year at uoft and had a double major in sociology and religion. I’ve decided that I don’t want to pursue religion anymore and instead want to take employment relations. The problem is that you need first year economics for it which I don’t have. The wait list for both Eco courses was in the couple hundreds. I have all the requirements of employment relations except for eco100 and the five other program requirements which I thought I could take next year. So my question is, do you think I should just go back to my original plan and take religion and complete my degree?? Or if I take eco100 in the summer do you think I would still be eligible to get into the subject post?? (Type two subject post are from mid may to end of my).

    Thanks very much hope you can offer some sound advice.

    ———————————————

    Hey there,

    According to the program requirements, Employment Relations only takes new students during the first subject POSt request period. That means you won’t be able to take ECO100Y in the summer and get in during the second period which normally is an option. And I take it that you didn’t get in to either of the first year ECO courses for 2012-2013, right?

    Basically, you’ll either have to wait until you complete the ECO credit and request the POSt after that, or you can try very hard appealing to the program director. But Employment Relations is a Type 3 POSt, meaning it’s super competitive, so to be completely honest, I don’t think the latter option will do very much?

    So your question: what do I think of this situation? Well, how strongly do feel about Employment Relations? If you want to be part of this program as badly as I want to go to Hogwarts and have the money and time, then take the extra year or two necessary! But, if you’re basically done with your Religion requirements, it might be more practical to just stick with what you have.

    It’s entirely up to you though! Think about what you want and the practicality of it.

    Cheers!

    aska

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  • arts & sciences,  jobs,  switching

    Switch-a-Roo

    September 27, 2011

    Hi askastudent!
    My name is Jack and I’m currently enrolled in BBA program in utsc but i’m not really happy in the program. i’m in 2nd year atm and i’m thinking about switching my major to political science but i heard alot of ppl saying if i do liberal arts degree i will never find a good job! is this true? should i just stick through it and do bba? please give me some advice and i have ask the academical advisor but all they do is tell me to take test! THEY ARE USELESS!!!! i just want your take on it and your knowledge of ppl in liberal arts and if they have found good jobs or not!
    Thank you!!!!

    ———————————————

    Hi Jack,

    What kind of a test is this, exactly? Is it an IQ test?? Because I’m pretty sure you just made up the word “academical.” That’s kind of cool, though, because it means that you’re creative and out-of-the-box of real words. I’m getting a soft, marshmallowy liberal arts degree, so I’ve often wondered which of Toronto’s fine bridges I will one day be living under. The Prince Edward Viaduct is a clear front-runner. Let’s consult a list of famous liberal arts graduates, shall we?

    Prince Charles of England has an anthropology degree; Martha Stewart has a history degree; and Hugh Hefner has apsychology degree.

    As you can see, Jack, graduates in the liberal arts grow up to lead successful lives in royalty, celebrity crime, and the adult entertainment industry. If any of these fields interest you, I would advise immediately switching into the arts.

    This list also tells us that, in the liberal arts, your degree isn’t tied to any one specific job. Instead, employers focus on what skills you have and on how well they fit into their job description. According to the Career Centre’s helpfully misleading?list of “careers by degree”, a political science degree can lead to work as a lawyer, police officer, or member of the clergy! You should totally drop out of business school and adorn the devout and divine robes of righteousness.

    Or, you can make this decision rationally. First of all, what is it that you dislike about your Bachelor of Business Administration? Is it the heavy workload or is it the course material itself? If the former, you might be clonked over the head with hard classes in other degree programs. Second, why is your alternative political science? Why not international development studies, french, or even the celestial studies of astronomy??

    You seem to care most about getting a job. If that’s the case, having a BBA degree will be a direct route into the business world. While a liberal arts degree certainly won’t get in your way of growing up to be the next Mick Jagger (anthropology), your path to career rockstardom will be less straightforward and more windy. Like the yellow brick road.

    Either way, you’ll always be a rocktar to me.

    Aska

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  • switching

    fancy man wants to switch schools

    May 19, 2011

    Respected Sir/Madam:

    I am an offer holder at University of Toronto Mississauga for Bcomm and I
    want a major in Accounting.I wish to pursue a CA degree in the future. I
    wanted to know whether I can transfer from Mississauga to St.Geroge in my
    second year.

    Your prompt reply will be highly appreciated.

    Thank you,
    Saqueeb Mirza

    ———————————————

    Whoa, thanks! Your greeting has gone a long way in making me feel much less like the extreme dirtbag I know myself to be.

    It’s possible to transfer to UTSG for Commerce in your second year, and it’s definitely too late to “backtrack” on your offer and apply there now. Keep in mind that internal transfers between schools are often a major headache and aren’t 100 percent easy to do. (It’s one of those things where you think it would be a lot less complicated than it is.) If you thinking about switching, talk to Admissions and Awards at the end of your first year, and study up on the requirements to meet the Commerce subject PoSt online. Some of your credits may not transfer through, so be wary. But for enjoy your first year at UTM and my respect of YOU, sir.

    xoxo, Askastudent

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  • international students,  switching,  UTM

    don’t knock UTM ’till you try UTM

    April 14, 2011

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

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

    Sincerely,
    Confused prospective.

    ———————————————

    Dear Confused,

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

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

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

    Let me know what happens.

    xoxo, Askastudent

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  • colleges,  switching

    more info on transferring colleges (late life edition)

    April 14, 2011

    Hi Aska,

    I have a friend who has asked me if it is possible to transfer between colleges in second year. I don’t want to sound stupid and say I don’t know so please help me! Is it possible to transfer between colleges in second year?

    Sincerely,
    A Good Friend

    ———————————————

    You are a good friend! Askastudent however is a lousy friend because I am sorry for the delay with this question.

    The short of it is that you can of course, apply to transfer colleges in second year but there are no guarantees. If you want to transfer colleges, you will have to write to the registrar of the College Of Your Choice, a commanding, eloquent letter that states your case of why you have to be at New College or you will simply die! Make it dramatic! Talk about how inspiring the Spring Rolls kiosk is in the Sid Smith cafeteria and why you love their unflattering lighting!

    Basically make it sound like you would contribute to their college life and make a convincing argument as to why you need to transfer colleges now. There are no guarantees, but your friend might as well try it, right? Registrar contact info can be found on each of the colleges websites. If you want Aska to write the letter, I charge a fee. (Or you can pay me in almond croissants from Harbord Bakery.)

    xoxo, Askastudent

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  • switching,  transfer credits

    my french credit is merde

    April 14, 2011

    Hi, my name is Grecia. I was on your site but I couldn’t find a way to ask you a question. I am currently a first year at UTM and I am switching my study field into Psychology but at the University of? Guelph Humber. I already talked to the office of the registrar at? Guelph Humber and had several meetings with her just to know all the? information. I was just wondering that if I don’t do very well on a? class that I am taking right now can I choose not to transfer it so it? doesnt affect my GPA in Guelph Humber Psychology? I was originally? going to be taking languages cause I wanted to go into translation and? interpretation so I am taking French, Latin and German right now. I? know that I have to have about a 70% average in all to be accepted in? Guelph Humber and I know that my marks in highschool will be looked? over as well and I have really good marks in highschool. But there is? a course here in UTM (French) that I am not doing so well in, and I? was wondering if maybe I can just transfer my two credits (German and Latin) so that my GPA in Guelph Humber won’t go down as much and affect my studies and GPA record. These credits that I will be transferring will count only as electives. They arent prerequisites because its a totally different study field, Humanities and Psychology. So my question is, would I be able to just transfer 2 credits that I have been doing really good in so that the one credit that isn’t so good won’t affect my GPA in Guelph Humber?

    I hope this email is still valid, because I’d really want an answer from you, as from what you were telling the other people on your site you? seem to really know your stuff. Thank you so much!

    ———————————————

    Dear Grecia,

    This is a very long and convoluted email. You want to know if you don’t have to transfer over your French credit, so that it won’t affect your new GPA at Guelph Humber. If you are already accepted at Guelph Humber, your UTM credits will transfer over, but they won’t be added to your Guelph Humber GPA.? They will just be accepted as credits you have already taken. The only thing your poor French mark might affect is the 70 percent average at Guelph Humber. So as long as you maintain a 70 overall average, you should be golden.

    Does this make sense? Feel free to contact Guelph Humber’s registrar and the U of T Transfer Credit office if you have any questions. They can be reached here.

    Transfer-ly yours (?),

    xoxo, Askastudent

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  • colleges,  st. mike's,  switching

    i want to be the guy!

    April 14, 2011

    Hi Aska,

    I recently got my acceptance to U of T Life Sciences at the Saint George Campus! WOHOOO!

    One problem. I applied to Trinity College and they put me in St. Michael’s College.

    So, I understand that I was denied admission to Trinity, but I want to know, can I still go there for first year? Can I change my college after being admitted for first year?

    I called them and they told me that you can’t change to Trinity after being admitted, but where there’s a will there’s a way right?

    Or not.

    If that’s the case (say it ain’t so!), what other colleges do you recommend that have a similar “jist” at UofT. What do you think of University College and Victoria College? Or, tell me what’s nice about St. Mike’s (the one I’m admitted to)?

    Thanks!

    Peter

    ———————————————

    Hey Peter! Congrats on putting the “saint” in St. George. I liked your subject heading so much that I stole it for my own. Don’t we all wanna be “the guy?”

    Which is why I’ve got some bad news for you. It’s pretty hard to switch colleges after you’ve been selected (esp. as an incoming freshman) because a lot of it has to do with how many spots are in residence. The only way to try and switch colleges is to make a personal case for yourself at one of the colleges at your choice. In your email to the college’s registrar, you have to specifically plead why your personality and charming good looks will make you the big man of campus at UC or Victoria. Though at this late point in the game, you might be out of luck. I do have friends who’ve had luck applying to other colleges in later years, so you can try again at a later date.

    Trinity is notoriously small and snobby, so you might actually have more fun at St. Mikes than you think. Though it is vaguely Catholic here are some good things about St. Mikes:

    *The Kelly Library – which has dope DVDs available for renting and a Starbucks that’s open late

    *Real pretty buildings that house underrated programs like the Italian Studies and Book and Media Studies programs

    *A close promixity to Hero Burger

    *Catholic Schoolgirls and/or Catholic Schoolboys

    *The Mike – their student newspaper

    *An active student council

    *”Classic student residences”

    All I’m saying is don’t rule out St. Mikes before you try it. And keep in mind that your college DOES NOT restrict what classes you can take, or who you hang out with or where you go on campus. Mostly your college will affect your first year in residence (if you are living in residence), administrative/registrarial stuff and how much $$$ you donate to their alumni fund.

    Let me know if you have any other questions.

    Godspeed Saint Peter.

    xoxo, Askastudent

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  • residence,  switching,  trinity college

    aska does field research

    August 11, 2010

    Hi. I have currently been assigned to a double room at Trinity College’s residence. Would there be any way that I could still switch into a single room from now?

    ———————————————

    I actually did field research for this question, by walking into the office of the St. Hilda’s Dean Of Students to ask her this very same question. She told me that many students request single rooms, more than they have available. While it is usually not possible to switch after the residence has assigned you a room, you are welcome to contact the residence here.

    Best of luck to you. I hope your new roommate doesn’t snore.

    xoxo, Askastudent

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  • failing,  suspension,  switching

    i’m suspended, can i go somewhere else?

    August 4, 2010

    Hi,I was wondering if i can apply for college, if im on suspension? Im on suspension now for 1 year and im thinking of switching out of UofT any ways,but im not sure if i can since i am on suspension
    thanks

    ———————————————

    Hello there! I have asked a registrar at Innis College about your situation and here’s what they told me…um, here it is.

    Basically you can feel free to approach other schools about letting you take courses there, but none of those credits that you’ve taken, while you are suspended, will count towards your degree. If you are interested in one day returning to U of T after your year long suspension, maybe it doesn’t make sense to take classes that will not go towards your degree? I don’t know, I am just a gender-ambiguous expert in academic course registration. But if you love learning and don’t care about time or money being (in some people’s minds, not mine) “wasted”, then by all means go forth. After your year of being on suspension, you will be able to either register in classes at U of T again, or transfer to another school (though please talk to your registrar about transfer credits). Hopefully this helps! In the meantime, spend your time partying and working on your tan.

    xoxo, Askastudent

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