• grad school

    do you wanna go to grad school? (c’mon, let’s go and play…)

    February 7, 2014

    Hi there,

    I have a 2.99 gpa and I’m in my technically 3rd year (this should be my fourth year, but I took off a semester for medical reasons, thus I’m behind). If I stay behind another year and graduate in 2016 instead of 2015, will my gpa reach at least a 3.3 to get into grad school considering that I take five courses in each semester?? I really want to get into grad school in England. Also, I don’t know of any professors so far. I haven’t actually put in the effort to go their office hours. Do you think another year is enough to get good reference letters?? How would I go about getting good reference letters?

    Thanks!

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    i gotta say i don’t really get the first part of your question (i say that too much, don’t i? whoops). are you asking if it’s possible to bring your CGPA to a 3.3 in one more year? ‘cuz you don’t need me for that, you need a calculator.

    so if your CGPA is 2.99 and you get a 4.0 next year, your CGPA will be a 3.24. however if 2.99 is your just AGPA for this year, then that’s a different story. you’ll have to do those calculations yourself, my friend, ’cause i don’t know enough about your marks to be able to tell. or you can e-mail me if i misunderstood your question, which happens.

    also, i’m just saying, “grad school in england” could mean a lot of stuff. like, there’s a big difference between getting into oxford and getting into bangor U.

    as for reference letters, i’d say one year is TOTALLY enough time. as long as you make a diligent effort right from the outset of the year to make yourself known (by going to office hours, speaking up in class, and making appointments to discuss papers/assignments) i think you can probably find a prof willing to be your reference. when it comes around application time, just go to the prof(s) who you seem to get along with best and ask! i don’t know what else you could possibly do. bring them chocolate maybe? beg? i dunno. if any current grad students have extra tips, please leave them as a comment.

    best of luck! i hope you get to go somewhere rad in england,

    aska

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  • engineering,  grad school

    this person thinks i’m a creep or something gosh

    January 24, 2014
    Hello I am an undergraduate student at University of Waterloo and got some bad marks at Waterloo I am looking to improve all my marks for the last two years (5 year program). I am really hopeful about U of T Graduate Studies in Electrical Engineering as it is a well known university but another reason is that it close to my home.I have read online that U of T looks at the last two years GPA to be above 75% (?). I know this is a minimum requirement but what are my chances if I apply with letters of recommendation and internship experience? Should I also do a GRE? Please let me know.Please also keep my email id confidential.Thanks

    ———————————————

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

    aska

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    firstly, i RESENT the implication that i would do anything irresponsible with your e-mail address! i’m not some kind of CREEP who, like, writes all the e-mail addresses i get on little pieces of paper and then bathes in them at midnight, or something. HMPH. i’ll have you know that askastudent is 100% normal and conforms to social standards, THANKS VERY MUCH.

    as for your question, uoft “strongly discourages” those with a mid-B or lower from applying, which is polite, university-speak for “there is no chance we’ll ever consider you if your mark is under a 75%, ever. EVER. case closed.” such is the way of the world, unfortunately. babies cry, old people trip, and undergrads with B averages don’t get admitted to electrical engineering.

    however, you have 2 more years (hypothetically speaking; this question’s already a coupla years old) to get your marks up to something that’ll give you a bit more of a chance, so make sure to focus on that.

    as for letters of reference and internship experience, both are necessary parts of your application. so yeah, they’ll increase your chances of getting in. i mean, think of it this way: you won’t be considered if you DON’T include those things. snark aside though, if you graduate with like an 80% average or something, especially strong letters of reference and CV will definitely give you more of a fighting chance.

    they don’t require you to do the GRE, but if you want to, you can submit your scores. that seems kinda weird to me, tbh. it doesn’t seem like something that really influences their decision, but they still let you submit it, for some reason. maybe just to make you feel like writing the GRE wasn’t a MASSIVE WASTE OF TIME. anyway, if you haven’t written it yet (hypothetically speaking), i wouldn’t bother. it doesn’t seem super-important.

    sorry about the belated advice, and i hope you got in, man. hope you’re doing some super cool things now, somewhere in the wide world. let me know, eh? cool.

    cheers,

    aska

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  • CR/NCR,  grad school

    the mysterious world of credit no-credit

    January 10, 2014

    Hello,

    This is a question that should be common, but I can’t seem to find any information online. What are the consequences, other than not receiving the credit, of getting the NCR designation? I understand that it will not affect my GPA, but will it show up on my transcript? I am not thinking of applying for grad schools at the moment, but would it lower my chances of being accepted? Finally, would a NCR designation hurt my chances of receiving scholarships or getting other honors?
    Thank you very much.

    Cheers

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    sorry you can’t find any info online – if it makes you feel any better, i think that not being able to find stuff online is one of the thing that most strongly unites uoft students. just know that when you’re swearing and crying at xxxx.utoronto.ca at 1am on a monday, you are part of something GREATER than YOURSELF.

    hopefully though i’ll be able to help you out just a lil’ bit.

    so first: the credit does show up on your transcript, but it just indicates pass or no-pass. so anyone looking at a CR/NCR course designation will KNOW if you’ve gotten the credit.

    numero duo: credit/no-credit is specific to uoft and a fairly new thing anyway, so there’s no like universal OPINION CAPITAL-O that grad schools have about it. if the credit is not a requirement for grad school, it shouldn’t be too much of an issue, especially if it’s just one random credit. of course not passing a class is always an issue, but if all your other classes are great, i think they’d be inclined to put less of a focus on it.

    numero trois le francais holla: scholarships and awards are highly subjective. there are some truly bizarre awards out there with all kinds of criteria, but if you mean a scholarship based on academic merit from uoft, i’d say that it might, but since it doesn’t affect GPA, it’s still worth it to apply.

    hope that helps to clear up your confuzzlement!

    aska

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  • engineering,  grad school,  masters

    beating the system

    November 29, 2013

    I applied to a masters at UofT in Cities Engineering and Management. i then realized they need a one year experience for the program which I do not have. Would I have a chance in getting in if not a lot of people have applied ?

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    if they require 1 year of experience, then you need one year of experience. they wouldn’t put that as a requirement if they were willing to accept people who do not have 1 year of experience. sorry to break it to you. if you really want to enter that program, why not try getting that one year of experience and then applying a year later? that way you’ll have a chance of being admitted and you’ll gain valuable work experience! hope that helps.

    xoxo,

    aska

    P.S. “one year of experience” don’t sound like real words anymore. one year of experience. one year of experience. *shudders*

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  • admissions,  engineering,  grad school

    Engineering admissions woes

    October 28, 2013

    Hi! 🙂

    I am an international student and I really really want to attend Uoft engineering ece grad school. I am currently in my last semester and my cgpa will be 3.5-3.6 ish.

    Its a big dream of mine to get into uoft (follow in my dad’s footsteps) but i hear uoft is very competitive and they won’t even?look at anything less that 3.8. Should I just give up and not apply at all? I mean do I really have a shot at getting in?

    Thanks a lot :))

    -Worried Undergrad

    ———————————————

    Hey there,

    So basically, the cut-off for a master’s in engineering is a mid-B – that works out to a 3.0 in your final year. You’ve decided to go for one of the more competitive engineering streams, meaning you should have as high above that average as possible, but fortunately, I’d say a 3.5-3.6 qualifies as well above the 3.0 minimum, enough to give you a shot.

    Also keep in mind that for ECE, GPA is not the only consideration. They also look at references, so the better your references, the more likely your chances of getting in even if you don’t have a 3.8 GPA or higher.

    If you’re concerned about how your school matches up with uoft’s, or if your degree is an appropriate preparation for uoft’s grad program, you can also take a look here.

    Finally, I’m gonna go ahead and say what I always say: don’t pay attention to what you hear from other people. If you have the time and money, go ahead and apply – it’s always worth a shot if you really want it. Also, I get that you want to come here because your father did and it has sentimental value, but I’d also encourage you to apply to other places as well; uoft’s great, but it’s not the only option!

    Best of luck, and try not to worry TOO much 🙂 I know it’s tough.

    aska

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  • admissions,  grad school,  masters

    living in a material world, and i am a materials (science) girl

    October 18, 2013

    Hey!!

    I am an international student and want to do my masters in material science in univ of Toronto. I have a decent CGPA and I think I would meet the requirements. I however have heard that Toronto is like the MIT of Canada. So it is very difficult to get into a grad programme. What will you suggest me to increase my chances of getting into the grad school.

    Thanks

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    Between you and me, friend, I’ve heard absolutely everything about uoft – depending on who you ask, it’s the Harvard, the MIT or the Brown of Canada. I choose not to listen to any of these people, and I recommend you do the same.

    The only thing you can do is follow the application instructions as closely as possible and hope for the best. With that said, let’s take a look at requirements.

    So, three main points: 1. You’re going to need a mark that’s at least a 78% (B+) in your LAST TWO YEARS of undergrad 2. You don’t need to do the GRE and 3. If your university didn’t teach in English, you’re gonna need a certain score in TOEFL or another English language test. Finally, they recommend that you contact professors who might be suitable supervisors for you before applying.

    It seems like they’re really only considering your GPA and the relevance of your program to the MASc., so just try to get as high an average as possible. Make marks your priority, since it’s basically all they’re looking at. Above that, there’s nothing else you can really do.

    However, if you’re really kinda nervous about where your school’s reputation stands in relation to uoft, Toronto has provided a complete list of minimum admission requirements for every country. Take a browse, but don’t worry that you’ve got no chance because you’re coming from a different school. I’d also encourage you to apply to a couple different places, just in case you don’t get in or even because you might get a better offer somewhere else. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket!

    I hope that’s made you feel a bit better:) Good luck!

    aska

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  • GPA,  grad school

    making your way into a master’s

    September 9, 2013

    Hey aska,

    I’m going into my fourth year and HOPING to apply to masters programs in either Canada or Europe. Anyways, my CGPA is horrific. Messed up first year, GPA never could recover after blah blah blah, you know the drill. I’ve been told, though, by many people that a good strategy for getting into grad school is taking courses as a non degree student and applying after a few good grades.

    It sounds like a good idea to me, but does it really work? And if it does, how exactly would I proceed assuming I will have an Hon. Bsc and want to get an MSc?

    For helping me solve my completely ridiculous issues since first year,

    Thank you (:

    ———————————————

    Hey hey

    To be fair, the whole “taking more courses as a non-degree student to raise your cGPA” is more so something you settle for than a “strategy.” Lezbehonest, calling it a strategy is being kind to the people that slacked off in undergrad.

    Anyhow, this so-called strategy is actually quite simple! It’s basically the same as enrolling for courses at any other point.

    1. Enrol in the classes.

    2. Go to the classes.

    3. Rock the classes.

    Now does it really work?

    Well, I guess it does. I mean, in the long run it DOES raise your cGPA… But personally, if you get yourself to the point that you’re scrambling to take courses as a non-degree students for the sake of a master’s, I don’t think a master’s is for you.

    But for your situation, I suppose the best thing to do would be take some science courses that you know will interest you and thus allow you to excel, which, in turn, will bump up that cGPA.

    Cheers!

    aska

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  • gap year,  grad school,  jobs,  real life

    life after graduation

    July 29, 2013

    Hello,

    Could you tell me some of my options besides grad school after graduating? Currently I do not have a competitive enough Gpa to apply. Are there any other ways to further my education, specifically ones that do not require a high Gpa? If so, what are the requirements? Also, is there anything I can do besides obtaining another undergraduate degree with a higher Gpa that can help with my chances of getting into grad school in the future?

    Thank you, I truly appreciate your help! 🙂

    ———————————————

    Hey hey

    Things you can do other than go to grad school that aren’t entirely educational, may raise your GPA, and will possibly even raise your spirits:

    1. Go back to UofT.

    Requirement(s): a touch of masochism, money, desperation.

    Note(s): You can always come back to raise your CGPA if you’re so set on grad school. Basically, this is the only real way of raising that bad boy sooooooo.

    2. Get a job.

    Requirement(s): resume, positive attitude, knowing people.

    Note(s): It’s quite doable — the whole getting a job with just your bachelor’s degree thing. People actually do it. My friend loves to lament over the fact that her brother dicked around through university and just sent out a whole bunch of resumes/cover letters after graduation. Now he’s been promoted to something that is going to flying him to China multiple times a year on the company’s dime. Mmmmm good food.

    Sticking to the whole school thing isn’t totally necessary. 😉

    3. Go to college. Or anywhere that offers a post graduate certificate > MA/PhD.

    Requirement(s): for the most part, just a degree.

    Note(s): These sorts of programs are cheaper and in the long run, probably much more useful. Realistically, sticking around in university is for the would be scholar or researcher, so if you want something more hands on, go for a program that’ll require you to eventually hit up some sort of internship or co-op. Experience is always key!

    4. Travel.

    Requirement(s): money, sense of adventure, good shoes.

    Note(s): Just drop everything and travel. Have over protective parents? Just book the ticket and tell them you’re leaving when you’re at the door. Got a boyfriend/girlfriend? Ehhh they can wait a little. Have friends you’re going to miss? Whatever invest in social media apps to keep in touch.

    Like seriously just travel, education be damned.

    5. Teach English abroad.

    Requirement(s): TEFL/TESL/TESOL/whatever.

    Note(s): I suppose we can call this little part 4b but seriously… you’ve been at UofT for four years. Spice things up. Flee. Wander. And make some money while you’re at it.

    6. Gather alllllll the knowledge.

    Requirement(s): books, Discovery Channel, access to Wikipedia.

    Note(s): Learn everything. Read a book. Watch a documentary. I literally sat through a half hour of my friend talking to me about platypuses because he listened to a podcast about them. You don’t need school to learn something new.

    7. Start a blog.

    Requirement(s): internet, wit.

    Note(s): Misery loves company and what’s more entertaining than the plight of the graduated millennial who can’t find a job and discusses his/her failures in blog form? Just go for it.

    Now not all of these are going to bump up your CGPA (only one of them will technically) but they’ll certainly raise your spirits.

    Lol #cheesy.

    Cheers!

    aska

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  • GPA,  grad school,  graduation,  jobs

    gotta keep your head up…

    July 16, 2013

    Hi Aska!

    I just discovered your site and I have serious issues. I am currently going into fourth year with a 1.85 cGPA. (I know I’m such a failure at life). Do I have any options for having a stable career at this point? I’ve calculated it and it would take me 4+ years to achieve the B average every educational institution is looking for. What should I do? Should I finish my poorly sought degree in the fourth year because I can? Should I strive to raise my GPA before I graduate? Is it too late to transfer and more importantly will anyone take me with my GPA? Any advice will help.

    Thanks,
    Dazed and confused

    ———————————————

    Dazed and confused,

    For starters, maintain that cGPA. Don’t forget that you need a minimum of 1.85 to be able to graduate. If that doesn’t happen though, if you’re lucky, you’ll be allowed to graduate — but with a regular B.A. or B.Sc., as in without Honours.

    Now do you have options for a stable career?

    Well duh!

    Fine. You spent the past four years partying it up and forgetting that your primary goal was to be a student and now your cGPA is shot to hell. You can still work with that!

    So you can’t get into grad school / law school /teacher’s college / whatever. Even people who DO meet that sought after B average don’t get in to said schools. At least you uh… know where you stand.

    You just need to work with what you have.

    Not ALL potential employers want to take a look at your transcript. I highly doubt a lot of them do. Just get your degree from the best university in the country and then apply for entry-level jobs in whatever places and work up from there. Take a look at the Job Search function the Career Centre offers — there are tons of really amazing opportunities to be found there.

    Right now, personally, I think you should finish your degree because well… you’re RIGHT THERE. You’re at the end. But really, that’s up to you.

    Now you should always try to raise your cGPA (or at least maintain it), but there’s hardly any point in lingering for another four years just to bump it up. Likewise, transferring to another university isn’t likely to get good results.

    Just… finish up.

    Your registration was yesterday if you’re going into fourth year, so I assume you enrolled. If you can afford it, just do it, and then since the concern here seems to be finding a job, keep in mind that not all jobs require you to have done some sort of post-grad degree/certificate/whatever.

    But that’s just MY opinion, okay? Think about your situation and make good choices. 🙂

    Cheers!

    aska

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  • grad school

    gearing up for grad school

    July 15, 2013

    I’m a first-year student, and I’m wondering which programs to take next year.

    I plan to go to graduate school (although I haven’t decided to stay at U of T or not), so I’d like my program choices to look good on papers. For my career, I intend to be a Math or Computer science researcher working with humanities/ssc researchers.

    Q1. which would be the best (i.e. appeals to graduate school) program choice?

    – one Sc Specialist + lots of HUM & Ssc courses
    – one Sc Major + one HUM minor + one Ssc minor
    – one Sc Major + one HUM/Ssc minor
    – self-designed

    Q2. what do graduate schools look at? (eg which programs I took, which courses I took and what my grades)

    Q3. From your personal experience, how many courses would you take at most, if you wanted to enjoy ULife? (be active in groups, have fun with friends)

    and not be crammed in the library all day?

    Q4. What is a self-designed program anyway?

    I asked the Office of Registrar, and they told me it was a combination of courses that are substantially different from preexisting programs. But this was a bit too abstract for me; can you give me an example of a self-designed program?

    Thanks in advance.

    ———————————————

    Hey hey

    Q1. I personally think a specialist would be best for someone trying to get into grad school. Why? Because it shows that you have a lot of experience with your program and an incredibly in depth insight into it.

    (Also, what the heck is “self-designed”?)

    Q2. Grad schools look at EVERYTHING.

    Ahem. Sorta.

    Depends on the schools and programs, but criteria can include things like set CGPAs, transcripts, letters of reference, statements of interests, writing samples, resumes, CVs, portfolios, some kind of essay, yada yada yada.

    Take a look at the specific schools’ requirements.

    Q3. My experience… do a full 5.0 FCE course load. Just do it. Having a full load forces you to prioritize and set time aside for things properly.

    Actually, the term I did the best, made the most money, and still managed to see all my friends is the one where I did six courses!

    But start off with five though and see how it treats you. If you find you can’t handle it, then maybe drop down to four. But do be careful! I’m not too sure what you’re applying to, but there are certain schools that actually want you to have taken 5.0 FCE per year (e.g. law schools).

    Q4. K looked it up!

    According to the calendar, a self-designed program is:

    Students may design their own Programs, which must be substantially different from any Program in this Calendar. Such a Program, if formally adopted by the student’s College on the basis of its academic rigour and coherence, and if approved by the Committee on Academic Standards, will be accepted as fulfilling the degree requirement for certification in a Program (transcripts indicate only Completed Self-designed Programs approved by X College). Since the approval process is necessarily a long one, students following this alternative must discuss this process with their College Registrar immediately after completion of the fourth course in the Faculty.

    So that.

    But according to one of my sources, this “self-designed program” thing isn’t really good for someone trying to get into grad school. I mean programs here are designed to give you a good education in x field, so just… don’t try to stray.

    Cheers!

    aska

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  • grad school,  UTM

    grad school: every student’s safety net

    June 5, 2013

    Hello Aska,

    I will be graduating next week from UTM and have a few questions. I would really love to pursue a Masters in Psychology, preferably in counselling. The problem is my GPA is 2.3, (my average from the last two years is 72%). Basically my first year is bringing my average down.
    I know Master in Psychology programs are crazy competitive and require insane GPAs, research experience and GRE scores, etc. The most important thing for me to do right now is be realistic with myself and with my abilities. I’m contemplating returning to UTM in the fall to do an individual research project (I spoke with the Psych. department and I will most likely be able to do one), and maybe raise my GPA (however I’m not too keen on taking extra courses. It costs too much money, and I can’t even guarantee it will raise my GPA).

    I think Western uni is my best shot at the moment. They have a masters in counselling psychology, that requires a 70% average from the last two years, and an individual research project. That application is in feb. of next year. Should I go back and complete an IRP? I know the admission says 70% minimum, but the reality is that the competitive average is probably a lot higher. They accept 24 people for interviews, and probably only accept a fraction of them. Should I even bother going back? I don’t want to waste my time and my parents money..
    (Also, they don’t require GRE scores, but would this be a good idea to submit anyway?)

    I’ve already had this semester off and am waiting for graduation, but I don’t know what to do next. I’m having difficultly finding a full time job (my major is in Psychology). I am applying to teachers college this december but am not to keen on pursuing that anymore (and even if I do get accepted, its another whole year I’ll have to wait). Please help me! What should I do? Do I even still have time to get in to UTM for the fall (as I realize there’s an online application process?)

    Thanks for your advice, its much appreciated!! 🙂

    ———————————————

    Yo yo

    So as you might know, when it comes to grad school questions and their specific requirements, my answers don’t really stray far from it depends on the specific school.

    Now for this situation and for the sake of your wallet, I’m going to be completely honest with you.

    You’re asking the student and the student is answering that if I was in your shoes, no, I would not go back. Realistically, one year back isn’t going to have a huge effect on your CGPA. Likewise, you’re most likely going to follow the same patterns and just maintain your current CGPA so unless you plan on ignoring the world in favour of studying, nothing’s going to change.

    If I were you, I’d nix the grad school dreams for now out of practicality and get a job.

    Yeah, yeah, I know. It’s easy to say that it’s just sooooo hard to find a job, but I mean lezbehonest — if you were desperate, you’d find one. And if you’re like me and swimming in an ocean of student debt, you’d learn how to settle for working at a children’s shoe store and dealing with loud smelly brats > finding a job that you love. I mean it’s just to pass the time and pay the bills. You don’t have to be there permanently.

    But take a look at what the career centre lists for you. They honestly have some pretty awesome job posts there!

    Now that’s me. For YOU…

    What you do all really depends on just how badly you want to go to grad school.

    Do you REALLY want to go? Because everyone “wants to go to grad school” at some point in university, but for the most part, I’d say that’s just some excuse to avoid entering Real Life. If grad school really is your dream though, then yeah, of course go back to school and do what you must. I don’t think one year of 90s is going to raise your CGPA enough for consideration (a lot of places require at least a 3.0), but at least you’re trying. Just keep in mind that grad schools, for the most part, are competitive for students in the A range sooooooo.

    Yeah.

    I mean there are other options. You can do a post-graduate certificate at a college, you can, again, get a job and think about things, you can do some volunteer work in your field to be suuuuure grad school/that program you like is actually for you, yada yada yada.

    tl;dr = only go back if you’re honestly sure grad school — work-your-ass-off, expensive-as-balls, time-consuming grad school — is actually what you want and you’re not just trying to prolong student living.

    And no, don’t bother with the GRE scores.

    xoxo,

    aska

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  • grad school,  suspension,  UTM

    a series of suspensions – part ii

    May 23, 2013

    Hey there, I’m currently a second year student at utm who just got a notice I was put on academic suspension for a year! Yikes! I got decent grades in first year, however, second year I hit a rough patch and was diagnosed with depression and anxiety 🙁 this literally happened to me in the middle of midterm season. As a result, my marks dropped (obviously) which resulted in my academic suspension. I was wondering if maybe I should appeal the suspension? I always wanted to go to post grad school as well and I don’t want this stopping me, however I’m scared that this will completely hurt my chances. I do plan on returning and working my ass off, as of now I’m doing a lot better however, I’m still on the road to recovery. Advice?

    ———————————————

    Yo.

    Posts to refer to that can be found in the aska archives with similar/exactly the same situations:

    1) Student is suspended — But there’s a twist! She has ~*~extenuating circumstances~*~!!!

    2) But what am I supposed to do on my year off?

    3) Second year UTM student on suspension and wants to go to grad school — what now?

    Now if you’ve read those, you’ll see that my general stance on appealing suspensions is that ~*~extenuating circumstances~*~ you may have, but the university might not really… well, care. If you have medical documentation, fine, that can’t be fought, but people on suspension start off on probation and probation always comes with a lot of talking and counseling and whatnot.

    But my advice:

    If you really do have problems with depression/anxiety though, why bother fighting the suspension? It’s a GOOD thing!

    This is time to take care of yourself and really consider whether or not you actually WANT to go to university. If you’ve been depressed, well take this spare time to figure out what’s depressing you, look at your life choices, and fix them.

    And, to be clear, if you do have anxiety problems that are sparked by school, I don’t think grad school is the best place. I mean that stuff is intense soooo. Sure, you can certainly work your butt off when you come back, but do you really think adding to the typical four years is going to make you feel any better? School just gets harder as it goes by. :/

    Grad school is basically every student’s back up dream.

    Eeeeveeeeryone says they want it at one point, maybe even apply to it, but they’re tough to get into and to see through. The marks that got you on probation and then suspension will, naturally, hurt your GPA which will in turn hurt your application, but just be sure that it’s what you reaaaaally want before working towards it. I mean there are so many other options out there that are a) less expensive, b) more accessible, and c) more likely to contribute to you getting a job. For example, have you ever considered a post-graduate certificate? So much more worth it and probably less anxiety-inducing! 🙂

    Anyhow, enjoy the year off! Pull an Eat, Pray, Love and go eat a crap load of pizza or something. Or maybe some Julie and Julia-ing can be done. Or maybe just get a job! Just focus on yourself for now and getting out of depression.

    Cheers!

    aska

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  • grad school

    general answers for general questions

    May 22, 2013

    Hello,

    I was reading one of the articles on aska and I saw that you replied to one question saying that most graduate schools look at the final two years of study. Does this partially hold true for the schools that look at all 4 years? Meaning that they look at all 4 but focus on the last 2? And in particular, I’m talking about med school.

    Thank you!

    ?????????

    Hey~

    If you’ve checked out the articles on aska, you’ll also notice that when it comes to grad school questions, I tend to add the super important tidbit of “it depends on the grad school.” Or med school. Or law school. Or whatever school.

    I’m not trying to be evasive… just the problem is that what you ask is a super general question that can only end up with a super general answer.

    Basically, I bestow upon you the advice that you must look at the requirements of whatever school you’re interested in. I’d assume that since schools tend to call for transcripts, all your grades are examined, but I know that some focus mostly on the last two. Some don’t. Again, it depends on the school.

    Or med school.

    Whichever.

    I highly doubt there’s any rule that holds true for all graduate programs — aside from the “finish your damn bachelor’s degree” rule, that is. They’re all pretty damn similar, but again, look at the requirements for the one(s) you want.

    Cheers!

    aska

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