• courses,  graduation,  prereqs,  ROSI

    je suis confus

    September 20, 2012

    Hey Aska,

    Two years ago I took FSL121Y1 and then last year I continued with french and took FSL221Y1. Now When I look at degree navigator, it for some reason does not count FSL221Y1 as part of my 20 courses because it says that it is an exclusion to FSL121. If the course does not count I won’t be able to graduate this year since I will be short one course. It however, makes no sense because you need to take FSL121 in order to be able to enrol in FSL221.

    Thanks for your help,

    Sooo confused.

    ———————————————

    Hey confused!

    That’s super wack! And rightfully unnerving. But don’t worry, it ain’t you, it ain’t me, it’s the degree navigator. FSL121Y1 is only an exclusion if you’ve taken FSL221Y1 first, but not the other way around (logically). Unfortunately, one of the degree navigator’s most prominent glitches is that it can’t always recognize chronology, and so it’s giving you a false alarm because it doesn’t know the order in which you took those courses.

    When time comes to request graduation, you should be fine. But if you’re worried, shoot an email to the French Department just to confirm.

    Bonne chance!

    aska

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  • courses,  first year,  humanities

    wtf is dts? omg!!

    September 19, 2012

    While flipping through the course calendar, freaking out as I choose my first year courses, I stumbled across Diaspora and Transnational Studies. It looks PERFECT for a very undecided social science student who wants to take a bunch of everything (anthro, his, geo, etc) and the into class fits perfectly in my schedule (something thats been plaguing me lately). However upon asking around to friends who are second/third years, no one can tell me anything about it….SO ASKA, school me! 🙂 have you heard good things? do you think taking DTS200 would be too much for a measly first year? oh and….is there any possible chance I’d get in through a wait list?

    many thanks
    ps. DTS sounds like a syndrome. Is it strange this makes me like it more?

     

    ———————————————

    Heyo!

     

    I’m a bit late with this answer, but I hope you did sign up for DTS200, and that you got in, waitlist or no! I always encourage first years to take a few second year courses for kicks.

    Although I initially assumed DTS stood for ‘Down to Salsa ,’ Diaspora and Transnational Studies is indeed one freakin’ cool program, and everyone I know who has taken it really digs it. It?s relevant, it?s political, and it?s challenging!

    It’s also important that students like you show sustained interest in interdisciplinary humanities/social science programs like this, which are constantly under threat by a university administration that prefers moneymaking departments like Commerce and Biotech. Recently, DTS was one of a few programs which faced radical amalgamation and downsizing , and only sustained student activism and the resulting public outcry stopped that from going down. Just so you knows!

    Let me know if you went for it!

    Huggles,

    aska

    p.s?the prereqs for some of the courses can be a little biotch when the courses are 200 and 300 series

    p.p.s DTS 200 and one of the 4th year Advanced Topics is taught by Prof Kevin O’Neill … who is super chill and not too shabby on the eyes (just sayin)

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  • courses,  enrollment,  important dates,  wait list

    honey, won’t you let me in?

    September 19, 2012

    Hi, I am a first year student at UofT and have been trying to enroll in a class that has been full for some time. I was on a wait-list for 2 weeks but now I know that wait-lists have been removed. Is there any last ditch efforts I can make before Sunday to try to get in? I already emailed the professor and he told me he does not have the authority to enroll me even if I am eager and that I will have to try to enroll all week if someone should drop out. Well I already knew this. Can I go to the department and ask them to enroll me in person? What other steps can I take to try to get in?
    Thanks for any help!

    ———————————-

    Hi there,

    I?m in the same boat as you for the fourth year in a row- perched over ROSI at all times like a hawk, hoping to edge out the competition for a seat that might not ever present itself. If you can find someone in the class who is planning to drop, sit with them when they do it on ROSI so that you can jump in and take the spot right as it appears.??Yup, my friend, that?s about as much as you can do after waitlists drop.

    Your prof is correct that neither he/she nor the department have the ability to enrol you, nor does your registrar. Those larger Faculties who do have that power are notorious for holding firm to their commitment to ROSI, no matter how much of a storm you kick up. And to be honest, first years are seen to have all of the time in the world to figure out their degree, so you won’t get much sympathy.

    But take heart! Next year you’ll get to sign up earlier and you’ll have a better shot of getting into classes. It’s easy to panic about not having the courses you feel like you need, but program and degree requirements at U of T leave enough room to make up for it when things like this happen. In the meantime, take something fun, fill a breadth requirement, explore the city a bit if you’re from out of town, and relax!

    Good luck and don’t sweat it!

    aska

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  • courses,  enrollment,  ROSI

    rosi round the clock

    September 13, 2012

    WHY WOULD ROSI NEED HOURS?? For god sakes.? If it’s available on the Internet why can you only access SWS during their “hours of operation” like it’s a brick and mortar business.? This information would be available anytime in any other university with a website similiar to this.? ?Argghh.

    I just need to find out if I got my first choice elective or if they went with my second/third/fourth choice.? Need to decide if I can register for this other course? that’s taking place at another school in their continuing education department.? ?It’s scheduled the same time/day as this first choice elective that I don’t even know I’m taking because ROSI is down.

    ?——————————-

    Hey!

    First off, deep breaths, you?ll work it out, I promise. Probably have by now, actually, since ROSI is open for students as we speak 🙂

    In answer to your question: Despite seeming like a magical, mysterious energy network which floats through the air, internet technologies do depend on real hardware to function. And while it might not actually be a ?series of tubes?, that hardware does have a limit to its capacity. ROSI doesn?t just go home to her family and kids between hours of operation. Rather, she spends all night slaving away to process the stuff that she had to take on during the day, as well as add new data and undergo maintenance. If the software were to attempt to simultaneously let students register and process all her data, she would glitch up and shut down way more often, and you?d probably be even more frustrated!

    And even if she weren?t at work 24/7, can?t a girl take a night off once in a while to kick back with some Golden Girls and Ben & Jerry?s? Sheesh!

    Good luck!

    aska

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  • arts & sciences,  courses,  international exchange,  study abroad

    aussies love aska, aska loves aussies

    September 13, 2012

    Hey,
    I am currently in my first year at the University of Melbourne in Australia, and I am looking at going on exchange at the University of Toronto next year (second semester here – first semester over there), and I am looking for what individual subjects that I can do. Is there a list somewhere? Also, where is the best place to stay? On campus in a dorm, or off campus?

    Thanks,

    Chris

    ————————————————

    Hi Chris, or should I say, G’day! (I know, that?s terrible, but you’re gonna get it a lot)

    Toronto is an awesome place to do an exchange and we have a good relationship with your Uni and many others. So welcome! You may have already found it, but there’s lots of information for potential exchange students available from the Centre for International Experience.

    U of T has literally hundreds of programs, so it can be a bit intimidating glance at a list of subjects. It?d be easier to point you to information relevant to you if I had a better idea of what you’re studying, but information about each program is buried deep under hyperlinks on the Programs of Study page. Most of that information is more germane to students looking to do their whole degree here.

    For an exchange student looking to pick courses for one semester, you’re probably better off taking a glance at this year’s Calendar? from the Faculty of Arts and Science. Unless you’re in a professional faculty like Engineering or Music, this is the pool from which you’ll pick your courses. It has descriptions of every course offered? by the Faculty of Arts and Science, though not all of the courses in the calendar run every year. It can be a fun read if you?re a nerd like me, so have at it!

    Hope that helps and hope to see you on this side of the Commonwealth!

    aska

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  • bored,  courses,  friends

    beer, nachos and boring profs

    September 5, 2012

    Hey Aska,

    My program requires I take certain classes, however the class I want to take isn’t even offered. It’s listed on the programs website and listed as a requirement, but not available for selection. Apparently it was available in summer school this year, but I opted out of that. I would have really loved taking this course, and the strange thing is this course is (more or less) continued in a 4th year course which is available. There are alternatives, but I really want to avoid those alternatives at all costs. Why would the university do this? Meaning, why would they list a course as a requirement and give it to us as an alternative to the other courses, but not have it available to select? Does this mean the course will no longer be taught?

    Secondly, how do you deal with a course you know you’re going to dread? Course selection is coming up very soon and it looks like the course I want isn’t going to be available. So I’ll be stuck in a class with course content I have no interest in. Not just that, the professor as well is suppose to be bad. I know you can’t judge a professor/course before you take it, but when sites like ratemyprofessor have over 50 reviews all claiming it to be the absolute worst, you get worried.

    ———————————————

    Heyo,

    U of T has courses that are offered every other year. My minor, for example, had first year requirements that weren’t offered in my first year but were in my second. In my situation not having this course didn’t stop me from taking the other courses so I just ended up taking it when I could. The real problem is if you decide to drop it or you fail it and you have to wait a year to take it again. There are some classes that are even offered on a rarer basis and those you just have to hope the course selection god will offer it in a year that you have a good start time for.

    While there was a course or two that I dreaded and ended up liking, most dreaded courses are rough to get through. In my experience you can dread one part of the course and still survive; so you can either dread the time of the class, the prof or the course material, but not more than one. Professors are key. In my last two years I started picking courses solely on professors that were either highly rated (ratemyprofessor, or the Anti-Calendar), ones that I had taken before and loved, or ones fellow students recommended (Prof. Danesi is always recommended as an elective).

    Life is too short, don’t waste it in classes with boring material, professors that you can’t understand and generally being somewhere you don’t want to be.

    Saying all this hubbub though, there are some courses that you will just have to man up and take.

    Side Bar Ted: 5 Ways to Get Through Dreaded Courses

    1) Coffee

    2) Snacks (lots of snacks)

    3) Force a friend to take the course with you

    4) Re-direct your essays into something you are interested in

    5) Reward yourself with beer and nachos after each class

    I combined all of the above to get through any dreaded courses of mine. You might have to change it up to suit your needs, but I have faith you can make it through.

    coffee and cupcakes,

    aska

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  • courses

    shortest post/class

    August 13, 2012

    Hello,

    I was wondering why some classes show a start time but no end time?? For example VIC112Y M-W 9

    Does this mean the class is Mondays and Wednesdays from 9-10? Or do the classes go longer?

    Please advise, thanks!

    Marisa

    ———————————————

    Hey Marisa,

    You’re correct!

    Cheers,
    aska

    p.s That was my attempt to not ramble for once … it worked (because a post script doesn’t count as part of the post). No end time = 1 hour lecture

     

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  • anti-calendar,  courses

    Easy Peasy, Lemon Squeezy

    October 4, 2011

    Wassap Aska?

    I’m going to UTSG next year and I dunno if you get asked this a lot but what are the “bird courses”? I’m going for some kind of an arts major (history maybe?) but for first year I just want the easiest possible courses at the university because I’m scared shitless.

    Thanks!

    ———————————————

    The best kept, big little secret at UT St. George is ASSU’s Anti-Calendar?(AC). It’s your academic neon bible. Read it. Worship it. Just because I love you (yes, you!), here’s a handy guide to reading it:

    The AC is a Grammy Award-winning band from Montreal… oh wait, the AC is an annual course evaluation conducted by the Arts & Science Student Union. It’s also the most-used tool for students when selecting their courses. Generally, students look at the retake rate: the percentage of enrolled respondents who “would still have taken this course, disregarding their need to meet program or degree requirements.”

    While this sounds like a logical way to choo- choo- choose your courses, it totally ain’t that straightforward. These train tracks are bendy, baby.

    You say: “But whyz?? I is confused.”
    I say: The survey is voluntary. It’s in-class. And it’s at the end-of-year. Students who are doing badly tend to (1) drop out and (2) stop attending. Students who are doing well tend to (1) stay in and (2) attend. This is especially true for elective courses. And those are the only ones you get to choo- choo- choose.

    This creates selection bias in the AC methodology that favours respondents who perform above average. Basically, the retake rate is a big little half-truth. It’s useful only in broad strokes; so, I follow the rule of thumb to avoid electives with lower than an 80% retake rate.

    Now, about these bird courses: one student’s GPA-saving phoenix is another student’s albatross. Like, I have this one friend who I met in band camp, Winnie, the British Bulldog. He studies peace & conflict studies. Mostly the peace part. I also have this other friend, Sterna, the Arctic Tern, who studies geography.

    Both of these friends study the Arts. Both think that each other’s field is a total borefest. When choosing a course, bird or not-bird, think about whether the course material seems interesting to you. If the class is too boring, you may lose your motivation and that albatross will fall right out of the sky.

    You should also cross-reference the Anti-Calendar with the helpful Rate My Professor website. And if you still want me to suggest a course: take DTS201.

    You say: “Aska – you are wise and warm. Like alphabet soup.”

    I say: “Thanks for noticing,”

    Aska

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  • courses

    The Chemistry Between Rosi and I Just Isn’t Right

    September 30, 2011
    Hi there,
    I’m a second year student. I’ve recently made up my mind that I would like to proceed with a biology major. The prerequisites at my campus (UTM) ask that I have a first year Chemistry and Calculus in order to be subject to qualification in the program. I added the chemistry course to my ROSI, but was later prompted with an e-mail from the department saying that I did not have the requirement (i.e. Grade 12 Chemistry) and that this could not be wavered. Is there anything I can do in order to continue what I want to do? I don’t want a single course to impeded what I want to do.
    What can I do?
    -Thank you.

    ???????????????

    You might want to sit down for this one. I’m going to try to band-aid approach for. Quick and painful. You have to go back to highschool.

    I would make a pit stop with an Academic Adivisor. They will be able to tell you your options. This is not uncommon to change your mind about your major and need to get a prerequsite. So they will be able to tell you your options, whiiich I’m sure?will not ?include you having to drop out of university and going back to highschool.

    may the force be with you,
    aska

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  • courses,  first year

    first year twice

    May 24, 2011

    Hey!

    I only have 3 credits after my first year in History. Do I have to take
    summer school and get 4 credits before I can enrol for second year?

    Chris

    ???????????????

    Hey Chris,

    Year of study is determined by number of credits obtained, not how many years you’ve been in school. You will be considered a “second year” student after you’ve obtained five full year credits. That means that you will be able to view yourstart time on ROSI starting JULY 5 and register on JULY 25th, which is the same time as all the other first years.

    You dig?

    xoxo, Askastudent

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  • colleges,  courses,  transfer credits

    a proactive fan wants out early

    May 24, 2011

    Hey Aska,

    I stumbled upon your website while I was googling for information about U of T and may I just say that this website reeks of awesomeness? It has really helped me a lot in gaining a better insight to life at U of T. I have two questions that I hope you would be able to answer. I’ve tried searching this website for the information I need, but I can’t seem to find them – so forgive me if you’ve answered similar questions before!

    I was looking through the courses offered by U of T and realised that there are some courses that I am interested in that are offered by specific colleges, such as Woodsworth, Trinity or Victoria. Is it possible for me to take up a course that is not offered by my college?

    I understand that 20 credits will lead up to a degree. I am allowed to
    transfer 2.5 credits from high school. Does that mean that I only need totake up 17.5 credits? I have a friend who’s studying at U of T and she’s
    graduating next summer. She’s been studying at U of T for less than 4 yearsthough. How does that work? Is it possible to take up maximum credits for each academic year and then probably stay on for one summer to take up theextra 2 credits? Would that save me one academic year?

    Thanks a lot!!

    Xin

    ———————————————

    Hey man, thanks for the kudos. It’s nice to be appreciated.

    I’m gonna break down your question into three parts.

    a) As long as you fulfill the pre-requisites, any student can take any of the “College”-sponsored courses. That means that you don’t have to be an Innis student to take a UC class, and you don’t have to be wearing a Trinity robe to register in a New College class. Colleges sponsor and promote certain programs of study, but what college you are enrolled in does not affect any class you can take. So go forth!

    b) If you have 2.5 accepted transfer credits from high school (through IB or CEGEP or however you managed to swing that), then yes, you will only need to take 17.5 credits to graduate from U of T PROVIDED THAT the Transfer Credit office (who are notoriously stingy with transfer credits) approves your classes.

    c) Your friend must’ve drank a whole lot of Rockstar Energy Drinks to get through that fast through U of T. You can take a maximum of 2.5 credits during summer school, and a maximum of six full year credits during the school year – which at a rate of 8.5 credits per year would allow you to graduate at a clip of just under three years. However, you would go NUTS! Insane! And trust me, delaying your university experience a little longer is much more preferable than going insane and graduating early. So think about that!

    xoxo, Askastudent

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  • courses,  first year

    it’s a shame about ray

    May 19, 2011

    Hey aska,
    I was just wondering as a first year student coming in to u of t, when do we start selecting our courses? I haven’t chosen which campus I’m going to attend but since the deadline is until June 2, I assume that it will be after that date that we will be able to pick our courses. Am I right?
    Thanks a lot,Ray

    ???????????????

    RE: title. Don’t worry, it’s just a Lemonheads reference. I couldn’t resist!

    Onto your question. It’s probably already time for you to become BFFs with the Arts& Science calendar (which you can pick up at your registrar, or access here). All the important dates for choosing your classes can be found in the timetable, but I’ll roll it out here in advance.

    Before you select your classes, you will need a start time. Start times are staggered by year of study and program. You will be able to view your start time on ROSI starting JULY 5. The first date to choose your classes is JULY 25. This site explains it all in full if you think I’m speaking gibberish.

    After you select your classes, just pay the minimum amount to register by AUGUST 24 and you”ll be good to go! Talk to your college registrar about booking an appointment about course selection.

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  • courses,  failing,  GPA

    a second-year first year

    April 29, 2011

    Hi,

    I am currently a University of Toronto Mississauga first year students, I am a full time students.

    Right now I finished all the exams, but I failed 2 courses and now I only have 1.5 credits.

    Will I get into second years? what is the minum credit requirment ?

    I will be very appriciated if you can solve my problem.

    Thank you very much

    ———————————————

    Hi there. Sorry to hear that you had a rough year. Year of study is determined by the number of courses you have taken. Because you have only passed 1.5 credits this year, you will still be considered a “first year student.” You will be considered a first year until you have passed five full year credits. The only thing this affects is your start time for course enrollment and when you can apply for a subject PoST. It might also affect some classes that you can register for next term.

    I’d recommend booking an appointment with your UTM registrar to figure out what classes you would like to register in for your second year of school. Are you also on Academic Probation? That will affect the minimum GPA you’ll need to continue to enroll in classes at UTM.

    Book that appointment.

    xoxo, Askastudent

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