• engineering,  keeners

    i want to be a classy engineer!

    August 19, 2010

    Dear Whomever This May Concern,
    I am a Grade 12 student in British Columbia.
    I have a couple of questions about Double Specialist Degrees and Dual Degrees. I am a person with multiple interests, so it’s really difficult for me to actually choose what I would like to specialize in for university. I would like to to pursue Engineering and Classics at university. I checked out a couple of other universities and a few of them allow Dual Degrees between Engineering and Classical studies, which I was very excited to hear about! Would this be possible at University of Toronto as well? In other words, would I be able to pursue Dual Degrees for Engineering and Classics at University of Toronto (St. George Campus)?
    I was also wondering about Double Specialist Degrees. What subjects are approved for Double Specialist Degrees at University of Toronto (St. George Campus)? Where can I find this information?
    Please help me! I’ve been trying forever to find answers to my questions, but so far there’s been no luck. Hopefully, you can change that!
    Thank you very much! I look forward to hearing from you!
    Sincerely,A High School Student

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

    Hi there, l’il high schooler. I am psyched that you are psyched about your dual-degree future. U of T is a little bit more complicated than other schools though, when it comes to attempting double specialist degrees. While in extra special cases they are allowed, the Faculty of Engineering and the Faculty of Arts and Science (classics) are two different schools, with two different laws.

    First off, you will have to be accepted into the Faculty of Engineering, which is a mega intense program as such. (Most students doing one degree there are swamped like crazy as it is.) Then between your engineering classes (and if you are wanting to do a Specialist, that’s a whole lot of courses), you will have to find time to register for a second degree in the classics program. Specialists at U of T Arts and Science can be anywhere between 10-plus credits, but I imagine the Engineering courses are a lot more intense. Even to do a undergrad classics degree, you will need to take your 10 classics credits, plus 5 breadth requirements. That only leaves you five optional classes – which is no second specialist dude!

    I’d recommend contacting the Faculty of Engineering at U of T to talk more about your options. You could always do a second degree in the later future? Or take a classics course or two to peak your interest? Otherwise, you might have to attend of those other schools who will allow your nerdy dreams to prosper, just like Poseidon’s empire, or whatever.

    xoxo, Askastudent

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  • engineering,  first year,  switching

    waiting on the world to change

    April 23, 2010

    Currently I’m finishing up first year in computer engineering. All throughout high school I pretty much wasted my time due to a lack of inspiration. The first day of class in second semester grade 11, me and my computer engineering teacher had a long conversation about where my life was going. Although a quite inspirational moment, I didn’t realize how much he was stressing the fact that I need to find a passion. So I passed grade 11 with an average somewhere under 60. After that my parents bought a new place, so I switched schools. Due to the lack of friends, in the beginning, I started studying. After a long and tiring while of catching up, I started getting A’s and at the same time make a lot more friends. So the second half of grade 12 I managed to balance partying and studying quite well. Got in U of t for engineering. Got my own place. School starts. I knew that first semester was going to be pretty bad. As anticipated, it was. I kinda moved along like everyone else and finished with a not so nice GPA. Second semester comes around and every day I went to school, I hated it even more. I’ve seen some pretty depressing places, but Engineering Library is by far the saddest place I’ve ever seen. Everyone’s veins are popping out. The fact that I can’t balance my social life and my academic life has put me in the position to reconsider majors. I have no idea what I’d switch into. In a sense I really don’t want to, but I just don’t think I can put up with the workload. I guess I’m waiting on some inspirational story or some good advice, but how do I get motivated to move forward?

    ———————————————

    I can relate to you, because I’ve also had personal experience in the Faculty of Engineering (I switched out after first year). The ‘Should I transfer? Should I stay?’ question can and will drive you crazy. I’m glad you sent me an email, and I am sorry I took so long to reply. Unfortunately, I don’t work fast enough because I only have 8 hands and 14 brains.

    Guess what my advice is going to be? Bingo. Go talk to your registrar or your departmental counselor and tell them about your situation ASAP. It’s possible that they won’t be as kind or sympathetic as you’d like, but at this point I really think you just need someone to bounce ideas off of. They may ask you the standard questions (‘what courses did you like in high school?’ or ‘where do you see yourself in the future?’), and these might seem silly to you, but perhaps thought-provoking questions such as these ones are EXACTLY what you need to get yourself back onto the path for self-discovery.

    Also, ask them what your options are. It is too late to transfer to the Faculty of Arts and Science, but it may still be possible to apply for transfer to the Scarborough campus or the Missisauga campus (the deadline is April 30th). Or maybe it’s not ONLY engineering that’s draining your energy – maybe it’s UofT. Would transferring to a different school help?

    What about taking a year off from school and just working or volunteering? I’ve met some people who’ve taken a year off, and they’ve all told me that they’re really glad they made that decision. Sometimes, when you’re unsure of what the future holds, it really helps to throw yourself into the working world to get a taste of what’s out there and the role that your education will play in your life; that way, when you come back to school, you’ll appreciate your education more.

    I’m just firing off ideas, but how do these sound? I understand that they may not appeal to you though (or maybe your parents wouldn’t agree with me). Either way, I just think you should really talk to your registrar, if you haven’t already. I’ve been to the engineering registrar a few times and they’re nice people; don’t worry, they want to help students achieve their best too, so I’m sure they won’t ‘try to keep you in engineering’ just so they won’t lose a student.

    Let me just say that it is possible that transferring from engineering will not end your academic worries (though depending on how you work, you might find Arts and Science a little easier). No matter what program you’re in, sometimes at University, you’ll have to compromise your social life, at others, you may have to compromise your academic life. The way I see it, the ones who achieve good grades at University usually have a lot of self-discipline and know when to work and when to play. I think this is true whether you’re in engineering or in another program. However, I don’t think you should be too harsh on yourself yet: you’ve only been through one year, and you probably had a hard time adjusting to University because it’s just so different from high school. But eventually, you will have to find a way to reconcile your academic and social needs.

    Yet, sometimes, all you need to move forward is a leap of faith. In my opinion, you do sound pretty unhappy in engineering, and I’m saying this because I think I felt the same way that you did. I transferred, and it worked out for me; it might work out for you too. If you find that you’re constantly drained and depressed in engineering, and find yourself struggling to get through each hour-long lecture, there’s no reason to continue. It’s not worth it to sit through 4 years of lectures that you will not enjoy only to get a degree that you do not want. Life is too short, and time too valuable.

    I know this is probably overwhelming, and that you probably feel very confused about your career path. If all this is getting to your head, you may want to have a talk with the people from CAPS. It’s free (well, you’ve paid for it in your tuition). I’ve been there, and they’re quite attentive to student needs. If you just need someone to talk to, the counselors at CAPS may be a good choice.

    Motivation and passion may arrive spontaneously. There are times during your University career when your motivation will be rock bottom. I felt that way when I transferred here initially, because I was more confused about my career path than ever. During those times, you’ll have to stick it through and hope for the best. It’s great that you realized your need to be passionate about what you study, but you might have to wait a year or three to hear that inspirational story. In the meantime, dare to make changes, stay positive, don’t be afraid to accept help, and take courses that interest you and that you’ll find enjoyable. Let me know how things are going, because I worry about my dear readers.

    Just in case you didn’t get the message: talk to your registrar!

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  • engineering,  physics

    those brave artscis at skule

    April 16, 2010

    Hi aska,

    I have a few questions that I hope you can answer. I’m starting at U of T next year and an aspiring physics student, so you may be the perfect one to answer my questions.

    First: I’d really like to take a practical electronics class but there seems to be nothing like that offered by the physics faculty and, as I understand it, engineering classes are off-limits to everyone else. Is there any way around this or any chance to take that kind of class? Electricity is so much a part of physics that it surprises me there are no practical classes in it.

    Second: I’d like your general advice on balancing the courseload. As I understand it, to get into the physics major program you need Foundations of Physics I and II as well as a calculus class, leaving 2 spaces open for other things. I’d like to take Mandarin, for example, but am finding it difficult to decide what classes would make my workload too high.

    I’m sure I had more questions but, lucky for you, I’ve forgotten them. Thanks in advance!

    ————————————————————————-

    And lucky for you, I haven?t forgotten to reply your email. But first of all, let me just say a quick ?WELCOME TO UofT!? It?s always nice to see new prospective physics students. By the way, have I told you lately that I love you?! *aska unabashedly expresses his blatant favoritism*

    You?re right ? there aren?t many practical electronics classes in the physics department. I?m looking at the list of existing physics courses right now, and the only one I see is:

    PHY405H1
    Electronics Lab (formerly PHY305H1) [24L, 36P]

    The laboratory functions as an integrated lecture course/laboratory program. Passive linear circuits: theorems, networks, and equivalents; meters, transient and steady responses, power, transformers, transmission lines. Digital devices: gates logic, Boolean algebra, minimization, flip-flops, counters, delays. Op-amps: dependent sources, amplifiers, integrators, feedback, slew rate, filters. Diodes: peak detector, rectification, regulators. Noise: sources, grounding, shielding, ground loops. Transistors: characteristics, analysis, amplifier design.

    That sounds like the kind of thing you?re looking for. However, if you are really really interested in electronics, you may want to take some courses from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (which is part of the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering), such as?”Introductory Electronics” or “Digital Systems”. Engineers are generally exclusive jerks ? they take our courses all the time, yet us Arts and Science students rarely get to take their courses. Still, if you take a look at your calendar, you?ll see that it?s actually possible to take courses outside the Arts&Sci:

    If, however, they identify a course(s) offered in another division, faculty or school of the University that may be appropriate for inclusion in their degree program, they may petition for permission to register in the course for degree credit. In the petition, students must establish that the content and aims of the course(s) are valid for a specific Arts & Science program and cannot not be met by courses offered within the Faculty of Arts & Science. The students should initiate the procedure well in advance of the beginning of classes, so that they may choose alternate courses should the request is denied.

    So you could potentially take some electronics courses from the Faculty of Engineering. But I have to warn you. You?ll have to do a lot of extra work. You?ll have to research the specific courses you want to take from engineering (a copy of the engineering course list might help here; you can find it online), and there will be a LOT of paperwork involved. But it?s been done before, so there is no reason to let an opportunity like this go. Your college registrar may be able to assist you with the petitioning process when the time comes, so you should definitely get in touch with them. The registrar at engineering might also be able to direct you towards courses that you may be interested in.

    Also, the engineers hate on us a lot. They like to think that because they have more hours of class than us and they have to build robots that don’t work, their lives are harder. *rolls eyes* You may want to prepare for a lot of unjustified bashing of ArtSci. Just a heads up ;).

    Foundations of Physics I and II actually constitute only one credit together. Calculus is a full-year course, so it also constitutes one credit. So you actually have 3 credits remaining for other subjects (generally, students take 5 credits per year). I think taking Mandarin is a great idea! It?ll be a nice change from the science and math courses you?re taking.

    I think how to balance your course load is something that you will figure out as you continue on in University. One thing I?ve learned is that everyone has different limits, and part of University is about discovering those limits. Some people can take 6 courses and feel unfazed ? some prefer to stick to 4 courses a semester. My advice to you would just be to enroll in 5 classes for your first year. Choose courses ? like Mandarin ? that excite you and interest you now, because you might not have as much flexibility in your courses in upper years! Also, keep in mind that if you’re doing the physics major program (as opposed to the specialist), you’ll need another major or two minors, so plan your courses accordingly. You can always drop a course if you feel that you need more time to devote to your physics courses. Finally, taking Mandarin would count towards your breadth requirements, so it?s a win-win situation!

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  • engineering,  IB

    should’ve stayed out of IB then

    February 25, 2010

    Hey,

    I’m hoping you can clarify a query I have. Having been in the IB program has restricted my choices in science to just Biology and Chemistry (both at the Higher Level) however, the more I read about the chemical engineering program at UofT, the more interested I get. As you can deduce, I don’t have a physics course that is the pre-requisite for engineering. Would I still be able to apply for the engineering program and be considered at a level equal to those who have taken physics? Also, if I’m doing chemical engineering, will it be possible for me to take electives from social sciences (Anthropology, Psychology etc)?

    Looking forward to your reply. Thank you.

    ———————————————

    Uh… what kind of school do you go to? Last time I checked, the IB program had physics courses, and I have no idea why a school would offer only two out of the three standard science courses (does your school not offer English or Math too?). Not liking physics isn’t an excuse for not taking it, you know. Anyway, here are the Engineering Faculty’s admission requirements for students in the IB program. They require physics, so no, you would not be even considered for admission if you don’t have that course.

    Being in IB is no excuse for not having a physics course. Can’t you summer school it or something? You really should’ve researched their admissions requirements more carefully.

    Engineers have a set program that they move through (whereas Arts and Science students can design their own program), and one of the main differences between Engineers and the ArtScis are that Engineers have an extremely strict and inflexible program. This is because the engineering degree that you graduate with is a professional degree, which means it has to be approved by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board. In engineering, you’ll have like, 2 full credits of electives at most (possibly less). If you are have broad interests and wish to study social science at an in-depth level, ArtSci is a much better fit and you can still take enroll in science-y courses such as chemistry or geology. On the other hand, if getting a professional degree is more important to you, then you might feel that ArtSci degree would be aimless and prefer a degree that is more structured.

    If you really want to do chem eng., then try talking and working it out with the undergraduate admissions office at the Faculty of Applied Sciences. They might give you some advice as to what you can do to make up for the physics course – maybe they’ll make you summer school it. You poor thing.

    If you don’t end up getting in, it might be a blessing in disguise. Trying engineering without physics will probably kill you.

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  • admissions,  engineering,  transfer credits

    did you read the sign over there that says “artscis only”

    January 22, 2010

    Hello,
    I came upon your site while googling “transfers to UofT”. My question is am i able to transfer to UofT’s faculty of applied science and engineering? I am currently in my 1B (second) term at the University of Waterloo, and I am enrolled in the honors civil engineering co-op program. I applied and was accepted to UofT’s track one and civil engineering programs last year when i was still in highschool, and i feel that i should of accepted UofT’s offer instead. My 1A term average is 64%, and I am wondering if I will be able to transfer to an engineering program (electrical engineering) at UofT, and if any transfer credits will be accepted, and if i will have to repeat first year at UofT?

    Thank you for answering my numerous questions

    ————————————

    You know that aska is part of the Faculty of Arts and Science and so is not affiliated with engineering in any way, right? Okay, just wanted to make that clear. It’s too bad engineers don’t have their own askastudent – I guess it’s because they’re “so smart” that they’ve forgotten how to write properly.

    Just a heads up: there is no guarantee that, just because you were accepted into a UofT program last year, you?ll be accepted again this year. Spaces for transfer students are a lot more competitive than spaces for incoming high school students, especially in engineering. With a 64% average, that might be even harder. The bottom line is, UofT is interested in how its prospective transfer students are doing at the University level. If you had any extenuating circumstances, then perhaps you could write a letter to UofT explaining how your high school marks are more indicative of your performance, but it still feels like a long shot to me. The admissions office at the Faculty of Applied Science might be able to give you more information on your chances of getting into their faculty.

    The best you can do is 1) try to achieve higher marks for second semester, and 2) apply for transfer before the deadline. Note that the deadline to apply on OUAC is February 1st for transfer students, so you better apply right away.

    As for transfer credits, you can worry about that after you apply. If you apply and get in, the Faculty of Engineering will then follow-up with you on the issue of transfer credits. You?ll probably receive some transfer credits, but you also might have to make up some credits. They?ll also let you know, after they?ve accessed you transfer credits, if you?d have to take an extra semester or extra year. Again, though, you won?t find out whether you?d have to do an extra year or not until after you apply, so if you really want to come to UofT, just apply now.

    If you don?t end up getting in, unfortunately you?d have to either stay at Waterloo or go somewhere else. In that case, you might try transferring to electrical engineering at Waterloo. It?d be a lot less paperwork, and UofT might not be what you?re imagining it to be, anyway. On the other hand, if the learning environment at Waterloo is seriously putting you off, maybe you could apply to some other schools in addition to UofT. A lot of people change programs or schools after first year (aska did), so do yourself a favour and figure out where you really want to be.

    By the way, to any prospective engineers reading this post, the title’s just a joke. Send in your questions. I’m happy to answer them… I mean, I get paid to do it.

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  • engineering,  grad school

    Who are we? ARTSIES!! What do we drink?

    November 9, 2009

    Hi Aska,
    After being an engineering student for 3 years, I finally discovered my true passion for history and philosophy of science. I would really like to get into the MA program there. How selective are they? I screwed up my first two years (somewhat) but my third and so far fourth year has been amazing. Do you have any direct or indirect understanding of the admission procedure and whether or not an engineering student who has been through Inferno can live to see her days at the lovely institute? Thank you 🙂

    ?????????-

    Well, would you look what the wind blew in. An engineering student coming to aska for help? Do you know how much time aska has spent crying in the corner of his/her room after being viciously hurt by the engineers who insist on yelling “who do we hate? ARTSIES!” at him/her during Frosh week?! Do you know how many engineers have offended aska by telling him/her, “You’re in artsci, you have it easy”?

    What’s that? You apologize? Aw, well, um, that’s okay, I guess. *blush*. That’s very sweet of you 🙂 *giggle*.

    Well, um, you should know that aska is affiliated with Innis College, which doesn?t have any connection whatsoever to grad school. So I can?t provide you any specific information on how selective the program is. Looking at the admission process though, it certainly seems quite competitive: ?Admission to the MA program requires a four-year University of Toronto bachelor’s degree, or its equivalent from a recognized university with an average grade of at least a B+ in the final two years of undergraduate work. While the majority of accepted students exceed this standard, the very broad scope of the field and the variety of fruitful approaches to it also imply that many different backgrounds are appropriate. Accordingly, grades are only one criterion by which applicants are judged. These are minimum criteria and do not, in themselves, guarantee admission.?

    Looks like you have your work cut out for you, honey. At least they don’t seem to care much about the marks you got during your first two years. In fact, they don?t seem to emphasize grades that much, so try to broaden your horizons a bit (I know engineering programs can be quite rigid), both in the courses you?re taking and in your extracurricular pursuits. Is there anything that you think will set you apart from the other applicants? ? an engineering project? A month spent volunteering abroad? Job experience that could be applied to research in history and philosophy of science?

    To become a full-fledged artsie, you have to scrape the purple dye off your toenails first (eww!). And don?t forget to pick up The Dummy’s Guide to Spelling from your local bookstore. You’re welcome :). *blows a kiss*

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  • admissions,  arts & sciences,  engineering,  math,  switching,  transfer credits

    doozer blues

    April 3, 2009

    Hi, I’ve been browsing through this site and it looks great.
    But there’s a question that I haven’t seen.
    I’m in second year engineering (computer). But as I have found out, I’m not cut out for the engineering life. Which is why i want to transfer to Arts and Science for a Math Major.
    I was wondering, will I get the transfer credits required, and is engineering math on the same difficulty as a math major program? I took MAT196/MAT 197 and looked at the math course website, and there are equivalent for some first year courses.
    Sorry, One more question, I have a CGPA of 2.52, what are my chances of getting in?
    Thanks

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  • engineering,  probation

    woooah man, that’s deep! pass the nachos…

    August 20, 2008

    Hi and Please help me out to get some clarification. I have just finished first year in Enginering in UOFT and I have failed and they have put probation on me for one semester which means that I cannot join until Jan 2009. My cumalative GPA was 1.26 and I understand that I need to obtain 1.60 … My Problem is dont know what to do until jan 2009 . I have been told by some friends that I can attend lectures from Sep however they dont consider me for exams.. is that possible ? Can i just simply go and sit in class and take second year courses so I am ready in jan 2009 ? please help me to get some clarification. Thanks

    ?

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  • choosing,  engineering,  hard,  life science,  med school

    You better lose yourself to the music, the moment you want it, you better never let it go…

    August 1, 2008

    Hey askastudent,I am in a bad situation right now…

    I am a first year student and I am gonna start life science from September. I have heard a lot about life science that it is very hard to survive. I was aiming for MD but I have realized how hard it is to get there and if i am not able to get into MD after 4 years of life science(which is gonna kill me), there isn’t many options other than going into research or becoming a teacher/professor. The thing that came to my mind was that, I would rather spend 4 years in engineering and get a bright future (high earnings), then do 4 years in BSc and still be v.low compared to engineering. I have even realized that doctor might not be the profession i want. After having thought a lot, I considered going
    for Engineering(TrackOne), but the main problem that i am having is that i don’t have Gr12 Physics and I can’t even take it in summer school bcuz its too late.

    I have 2 options that I have to decide from now –

    1 – Go back to high school and take Gr12 Physics(SPH4U) in night school i suppose till january and then wait for september. It is gonna be free, VERY easy, will start from next year engineering anyhow, I can work and earn some money etc.

    2. Continue with Life Science for this year and take BIO150Y1 (necassary), CHM138H,139H (necassary) and PHY131H,132H (to get admission in engineering next year i would have to take this physics course), and 1 more course that would be the easiest of all science courses. This option is v.costly compared to the 1st one, v.difficult as well, but I would have gone through all the difficulty faced in first year when i start engineering next year, so it would give me a head start in engineering next year and hopefully I wont be one of the many people who drop out of engineering. I would have gained experience on how to survive in university. I would even have 1 year of life science attached to my record which could be useful i guess. I would have explored all the career options that I could possibly get into. I would even know if MD is the correct options for me or not.

    What would u suggest – Spend 4 years in Engineering or in Life Science?

    I know I put more emphasis on the 2nd option but i’m considering both options equally (which is why im terribly confused). So, which option would be better and logical – going back to high school and do engineering next year or start life science and switch to engineering next year?

    If I choose my second option, which courses would you suggest that i should take?

    Awaiting you reply.

    Regards,
    Ali

    ?

    ?

    ?

    ?

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  • engineering,  grades,  med school

    for the engineers suffering with depression

    January 30, 2008

    uh so I just completed my first term in chemical engineering. I generally like
    to work my ass off in my calm, mellow, concentrated way till I get high off of
    whatever it is I am studying but despite this I was unable to achieve Dean’s
    honour list. I am so fucking depressed. Also I really really really want to go
    to grad school. Are they gonna care if I didn’t achieve my full potential in my
    very first term in university? Sometimes I just feel like dropping out to
    chemistry or philosophy or something.

    spill whatever you know that may be useful in this situation.

    much thanks and love.

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