• arts & sciences,  colleges,  fees,  incidentals

    program fees vs. course fees

    March 15, 2017

    Dear aska,

    I’m a fourth year student and I want to take an extra semester of courses to improve my gpa for Masters applications. I’m an Education and Society minor and I need to finish 0.5 credit internship before I can graduate. I’m planning on doing it in fall 2017, not taking winter courses and graduating in June 2018. You answered a question (entitled: i have LOTS of problems) that basically encapsulates my situation as well. But what I’d like to know is that if I am a full-time student in the fall (probably taking 3-4 courses) and I don’t take any courses in the winter term, would I still be a full-time student. And do I still have to pay full year’s tuition?

    Regards,

    Struggling Student

    ———————————————

    glad to know someone’s reading our wee li’l blog!

    arts and sciences will assess your status by looking at the full session (both fall and winter), meaning that if you are only enrolled in 3-4 courses in one semester, you’re still considered a part time student.

    let’s assume that by taking 3-4 courses, you mean 1.5-2.0 FCE’s. according to the faculty of arts and sciences, you’re still considered part time and you’ll be able to pay per course fees. the link above explains everything in excruciating detail ^

    you will also be paying reduced incidentals, which are specific to your college: <— select which college you are part of and you’ll be able to see what fees you’ll be paying.

    basically, as long as your course load is 3.5 credits or lower, you’ll pay course fees.

    hope this helped!

    peace and love,

    aska

     

     

    Read More
  • applying for U of T,  colleges,  engineering,  friends,  getting involved,  hard,  partying,  residence,  scholarships/bursaries,  St. George,  studying

    6 responses + a rant

    January 18, 2017

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

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

    +What about scholarships?

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

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

    +Are international students treated differently really?

    +What are the parties like?

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

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

    ———————————————

    hello!

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

    on getting accepted into mechanical engineering

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

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

    on scholarships

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

    on UC and innis

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

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

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

    on getting good marks

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

    on the treatment of international students

    *disclaimer* aska rant on international student culture and discrimination

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

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

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

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

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

    *aska rant over*

    on partying

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

    on forming close relationships

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

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

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

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

    peace and love,

    aska

    Read More
  • admissions,  applying for U of T,  arts & sciences,  colleges,  english,  film

    not another college question

    November 20, 2016

    Hi!
    I’m a student who’s applying internationally for the faculty of arts and
    sciences. And I really don’t understand the college system.
    I mean I do, but like, are there subjects that are not available in all
    colleges? Are there any colleges that are  academically lower than others?
    I’m planning to either major in film or english, is that going to matter?
    Also, how do I do my research about the colleges? I’m really lost about
    this whole situation.

    Thank you so much, your blog really helped clear up a lot of thing.

    ———————————————

    hello,

    i was going to preface this post by saying ‘ugh, not another college question’, but you’ve asked some questions that i think are important to address, so i have no sass for you today.

    let me try addressing your questions one by one.

    1. are there any subjects that are not available in all colleges?

    do you mean to ask if there are any subjects that are exclusive to certain colleges? the answer to that is no. you have access to all courses in the faculty of arts and science regardless of your college affiliation.

    2. are there colleges that are academically lower than other colleges?

    no, not that i know of. there are students who perform well and students who perform poorly at every college. even if there were, we most likely would not be able to disclose that information on aska because that would be hella shady.

    3. i’m planning on majoring in film and english, does that matter?

    not really. innis college IS known for their cinema studies program and there isn’t really ONE college affiliated with english. innis also has a writing and rhetoric program, while vic has literature and critical theory. the only thing that might matter is, for example: you might hear more about cinema studies events if you’re an innis college student. regardless, it shouldn’t be too much of a problem as long as you are subscribed to the right listservs (email subscriptrions). to see a list of every college’s specialty, click here!

    4. how do i conduct research on the colleges?

    you can go on this website and find the tag ‘colleges‘. we’ve answered tons of questions similar to yours and you’re bound to find out a lot about each of them. even browsing reddit or college websites can tell you a lot about them. maybe you’ll find that one particular college gives off a good vibe. like i’ve said in the past, what college you’re part of doesn’t REALLY matter unless you’re thinking of living in residence. there’s also college culture to consider, but you’ll have to find out about those yourself by talking to people from the respective colleges.  if you want more info on the residences offered, check out our ‘residence‘ tag!

    keep in mind that when you’re ranking colleges, some colleges (innis, vic, trin) require you to rank them first.

    choose wisely, my friend.

     

    giphy-2

     

    peace and love,

    aska

    Read More
  • colleges

    srsly?

    August 31, 2016

    Hi aska, just wondering about the college thing. like how does it work and could you describe the different colleges and what they’re like (if you know) in your own gr8 words

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    no. why.*

    *but seriously, check out our other posts about this topic. there are only so many ways to say that “every college has it’s own special qualities.” good luck!

    cheers,

    aska

    Read More
  • admissions,  colleges,  extracurricular,  first year,  international relations,  peace and conflict

    Yet Another Anxious High School Kid TM

    July 20, 2016

    Hey Aska,

    Firstly, thank you so much for this site! I’ve been checking it every few days since i found out about it, and thanks to you I’m slightly less likely to have a full on panic attack when i apply to uni.

    I’m starting grade 12 in an Ontario high school in the fall, and i want to apply for social sciences at uoft, probably for either International Relations or Peace, Conflict and Justice. My grades aren’t /amazing/, but I’ll probably have an average in the mid to high eighties when I have to send them in, so…ok?

    I do a lot of extracurricular stuff- I’m the president of a social-justice-y club, the editor of the school newspaper and I will have
    been a “senior mentor” for two years, and I know I can get recommendation letters from each of these. (sorry if this sounds like the pretentious part of a resume, I can’t help it) Even if these positions would be irrelevant with regards to admissions, would they (or recommendation letters) help me with anything else, like getting into the college of my choice, school clubs or scholarships?

    Also, do you think International Relations or Peace, Conflict and Justice would be more relevant to a career in human rights?

    Thank you so much!

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    i’m glad my sass and bad humour calm you down, kid. i mean, it’s kinda weird, but i’ll roll with it. what’s your deal? are you a sucker for pain? if so, uoft will be the perfect choice for you. it’s a match made in a 9am calculus class!

    while i appreciate the vagueness of your question about admissions and the probably unintentional john green reference, i still can’t give you a straight answer. i’m not about to risk going against a decision made by admissions. all i can do is point you to this chart right here; feel free to compare and contrast, and draw your own conclusions.

    as for your extracurricular experience, you’re exactly right. it will all mean diddly-squat in terms of admission to the university, but it will come in handy for scholarship applications, the experience may be valuable when it comes to joining clubs in university, and it can – potentially – be useful for college applications.

    not all colleges in the faculty of arts & science require supplemental applications. in fact, most don’t. the only colleges that actually require an application are victoria college and trinity college, because they’re kooky like that. if you’re interested in either of those colleges however, their student profile application forms will be your chance to shine.

    finally, your program question: IR and PCJ are two peas in a pod. you can’t go wrong with either of them. i wouldn’t worry so much about which one will be more relevant (especially since ‘human rights’ isn’t that specific a goal in itself). a better way to narrow them down is to look at the practical implications of each choice.

    for example, you’ll need to determine is whether you’re after the specialists or majors in IR/PCJ. the difference between a specialist and a major is that a specialist asks that you complete more credits (13.0 for IR and 12.0 for PCJ), and therefore, one specialist is enough for you to obtain your degree. majors require fewer credits (both IR and PCJ require 7.5 FCEs for their majors), and therefore if you’re in an IR or PCJ major, you’ll have to supplement it with either one other major, or two other minors.

    content-wise, all four options (the IR specialist, PCJ specialist, IR major, and PCJ major) are pretty similar, but there are subtle differences in terms of which courses you would need to take for each. study each program on the course calendar to get a feel for which would be the best fit for you.

    if you really can’t decide, consider a double major in PCJ and IR. they complement each other wonderfully.

    my final piece of advice is this: keep your options open. all of these programs are type 3 programs, which means that even if you meet all the prerequisites in first year, you still may not get into the program, since there are limited spots for enrolment. what i’m saying is: backups are non-optional, and be ready for plan B to become plan A.

    but don’t worry about ANY OF THAT right now, because you still have a year left of high school and subject POSt enrolment is at least two years away. a lot can happen in two years, so take it easy. enjoy your summer break. play pokemon go. try to be a kid again.

    you can start by closing this tab and looking at prom outfits in the next one.

    cheers,

    aska

    P.S. thanks for providing the perfect title for this post in your e-mail subject line. i love the self-deprecation. keep it up and you might even be as great as aska, one day.

    Read More
  • colleges,  scholarships/bursaries

    i need scholarships now

    March 18, 2016

    Hi,
    I was wondering if its possible to change colleges (after acceptance from U of T but before accepting their offer) to a college that offers better scholarships. I had a 91% at time of application, and U of T was the only school that did not offer me a scholarship. I don’t mean to sound desperate but I really need any financial assistance I can get. Will I still be eligible for an entrance scholarship from a college if I switch now?
    If you publish this question PLEASE keep all of my personal information private.
    Thank you!

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    where do y’all see me publishing your personal information? when, in 16 years of operation, has aska published so much as a name? ok, maybe we have like, once or twice, but that was back in the stone ages where no one really understood the internet. point is, i will never post your name or any other personal information on this website – other than your deepest darkest stories/questions, of course.

    it will depend on the college, but i have a feeling that if you request a switch at this point, it will not come with a scholarship from that college. the logic will likely be that you received an offer from one college, and now you are transferring to another one – transferring, not entering. ergo, no entrance scholarships. also, there is not a massive difference between the scholarships offered between different colleges.

    as always, there is nothing stopping you from calling the registrar’s office of your preferred college and inquiring, but i would say that receiving another scholarship offer is probably doubtful. still, nothing’s stopping you from calling and asking.

    cheers,

    aska

    Read More
  • colleges

    i hear they stuff frosh kits with rhodes scholarships at trin

    June 17, 2015

    hello! I finished my first year (I’ll be a third year in the fall due to transfer credits, though) as a Woodsworth student but want to switch colleges (ie Trin or Vic). I fared okay academically (3.8 cgpa) and hold some leadership positions in some extracurrics. Is it too late to try to switch colleges? would it just be an unnecessary administrative hassle? do grad schools even care about what college I’m in? I want in on a more academically reputed college now that I know the differences D:

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    i’m a little baffled as to how you made it through a year here and you’re still clinging to this whole college elitism business. surely you know by now that colleges mean diddly squat when it comes to your academics?

    well anyway, it’s never too late to learn.

    graduate schools absolutely DO NOT care what college you’re coming from. most universities in Canada (and the States, for that matter) don’t even have colleges, so whether you’re coming from woodsworth or trin won’t mean anything to them, as long as you’re uoft.

    also, a 3.8 is more than okay, keenerino. sheesh.

    BUUUT if you still want to transfer to another college and you have a valid reason, like: you spend so much time there anyway because of your classes/program/extra-curriculars, you’re interested in their scholarships or residence or some other service they provide, or you just really want to be a part of High Table, then go for it, dude. just e-mail your registrar’s office to get the ball rolling.

    tl;dr: transferring colleges is not that much of an administrative hassle at all, but it’s not worth it if it’s just because of the “prestige” or whatever.

    cheers,

    aska

    Read More
  • colleges,  first year

    5 ways to get involved with ‘small community’ at uoft

    May 25, 2015

    “small community” is a term you hear a lot when talking about uoft. an institution that has hoarded so many resources has a lot to be proud of, but there is one thing it cannot get away from. with all its additions, faculties, departments, and colleges, uoft has gotten big. very big.

    no matter how much uoft trumpets its award-winning programs, brags about alumni, and pumps money into research, there is one thing it can’t get away from, and it’s the one thing prospective students have been asking for years now.

    “how can i be part of a small community on campus? how can i avoid being just a number in this massive institution?”

    fair question. uoft is notorious for lacking community. turnout at varsity games is a frequent target for people who’d like to kick the stuffing out of uoft. the sheer size of campus and the student body is more than enough to discourage folks. and it’s not something that’s escaped uoft’s notice.

    because it might be our biggest weakness, connecting with students has become something of an obsession at uoft, and the constant attention paid to this issue has actually resulted in a lot of small communities. more, paradoxically, than you might find at a lot of smaller universities.

    so here are just five ways to get involved with small community on campus:

    1. First Nations House

    i could spend all day talking about how great First Nations House is. located at 563 Spadina Ave. on the 3rd Floor, FNH provides “a positive environment for all students to engage with UofT’s vibrant and diverse Aboriginal community.”

    FNH connects aboriginal and Metis students with bursaries and scholarships, academic counselling and tutoring, and a fabulous resource centre with printed and audio materials specific to aboriginal culture. Elder in Residence Andrew Wesley and Traditional Teacher in Residence Lee Maracle are also available to provide students with guidance and support.

    in addition, FNH has its own orientation for new students, and there are multiple aboriginal student groups on campus.

    2. Chestnut Residence

    Chestnut Residence is the only UTSG residence not affiliated with any FAS college. if you’re not a part of the faculty of arts & science or you’re not interested in living in a college-specific residence, consider chestnut!

    as a converted hotel with 24 floors and a dining hall that looks like (and probably used to be) a ballroom, it’s a truly unique place to live. with three graduate floors, two single-sex floors and residents in all uoft faculties, it’s a diverse and robust community. check it out here.

    3. Hart House

    i sometimes wish Hart House was a college – except that would be totally unfair, since it has its own pool. however, the community atmosphere around Hart House is a very collegial one. with its own student spaces, creative and fitness classes, and student organizations, it has all the cogs of a collegial clock. and it’s the students who really make Hart House tick.

    Hart House hosts student musical groups, social justice/civic engagement groups and artistic/creative clubs and committees. they also have a gym, creative and fitness classes, and a library. they it’s a really, really cool place to be involved with.

    4. Multifaith Centre

    the multifaith centre is located at 569 spadina ave., and it’s a great resource for people of all faiths (the name kinda gave that away, huh?). the centre’s Campus Chaplains Organization has chaplains from a dizzying number of faiths, all available to help you.

    they also provide student spaces and grief support.

    5. Sexual & Gender Diversity Office

    located in Room 415 of 21 Sussex Ave. – also known as the Clubhouse – is uoft’s Sexual & Gender Diversity Office. i only have one complaint with the SGDO, and that is with the naming. to call it an ‘office’ is to limit it immensely; it’s so much more than that. the SGDO is a community hub, a hangout space, and a network of kind and supportive people.

    the office “work[s] towards equity and challenging discrimination.” they do this by providing a student study space, hosting a film series, and providing lots of opportunities for community-building between LGBTQ students and allies.

    Read More
  • colleges

    “what does it mean to be in a college” “a lot of high school-esque drama”

    April 16, 2015

    Hi! I was filling out the vic residence application and came across as question asking if I was a victoria university student. What does this mean?

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    if you’re a faculty of arts & science student who’s been accepted to the university of toronto, you will also be accepted into one of seven colleges. victoria is one of those colleges – so that’s what the question is referring to. (if you’re still confused – which i would understand – you can read more about the college system here).

    if you’ve been admitted to a faculty OTHER than the faculty of arts & science (kinesiology, music, applied science & engineering), you won’t have been admitted to a college, so your answer would be no, you’re not a victoria student.

    hope you get into vic res! save me a sandwich from upper burwash dining hall.

    all the best,

    aska

    Read More
  • colleges

    college knowledge

    October 23, 2014

    Helloooo so I was just wondering what the differences between all of the colleges are, and if some are easier to get into than others?

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    well, i’m not gonna give you the differences between all of the colleges. see, i totally appreciate that this may be the FIRST TIME EVER you have heard of the college system. however, i have been living and breathing uoft’s colleges for so long that i simply refuse to add one more ‘overview of uoft’s colleges’ to the slew of them that already exist online.

    what slew, you ask? well, here are just a few: bam, bloop, blarp. also, there is aska’s extensive colleges tag, and a tag for every college at uoft (innis, new, st. mike’s, trin, UC, vic and woodsworth).

    also check out aska’s ‘prospective students’ tab, available on aska’s tumblr.

    there are lots more ‘overviews’ out there that are not affiliated with uoft, but i would read those with extreme caution, since some of them have the unfortunate habit of tacking on random words as descriptors for each college?(this is the “asian college,” the “evil college,” the “science college” or the “ugly college” – what’s next? the spaghetti college?? the small potted plants college???). they can also be biased, because they tend to be written by students who are very invested in their own college.

    here at aska, we prefer to be snobby about other things, like our stellar and up-to-date web design, so our stance about the colleges is pretty even.

    i’d say that reading up on practical things related to colleges, like their size, residence types (if you’ll be staying in residence) or proximity to subway stations (if you’ll be commuting), the affiliated extra-curriculars, the scholarships, and any other unique programs that they may offer will help you make the sanest and most informed decision.

    another tip: read your college of interest’s newspaper. every college has one, and that can give you an idea of some of the more nebulous parts of a college, like general political slant, how the community sees/defines itself, etc.

    onto the next part of your question: are some easier to get into than others?

    sort of. some colleges require a supplemental application, and that’s obviously more work. students applying to victoria college must complete a student profile form. trinity college also requires a student admission profile.

    additionally, innis, victoria and trinity college all require that you rank them first on your OUAC application to be considered for admission there, and woodsworth requires you to rank them first to be considered if you’re a rotman commerce student.

    for that reason, it’s probably not a good idea to rank innis, vic and trin as numbers 1, 2 and 3, for example, because if you don’t get into choice #1, you’ll be down to whatever you ranked as #4.

    however, try not to worry about this. you will be placed in SOME COLLEGE. you will not be left a wayward, college-less vagabond.

    may i please have some more

     

    A poor, college-less student begs for free frosh handouts and students newspapers.

    so don’t stress too much about it. just figure out which ones appeal to you most (oh, yes: visiting the colleges is a good idea), and you’ll find your party palace.

    best,

    aska

    Read More
  • admissions,  colleges,  OUAC

    canada is very confusing please help

    October 20, 2014

    So I’m from the us and I’m just kind of confused about the Canadian application system. Do I have to write an essay and if so do you know what the common prompts are? I read something about a “personal statement” and idk if that’s what the essay is or not and I’m just so lost please help haha

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    so, what i’m going to be explaining is not so much the “canadian system” as it is uoft’s very particular, extremely idiosyncratic system that we’re all forced to learn if we want to survive at all here.

    first thing you do when you’re applying to uoft is apply to uoft. “i should think so, aska!” you snort sarcastically. “what else would i be doing when applying to uoft?”

    well, you overly snarky applicant you, after you apply to the university – that is, to the academic faculty where you’ll be doing your studies – you apply to a college.

    some colleges sponsor or host a few academic programs themselves, but you DO NOT have to be a member of the college that hosts your program of interest. there is no ‘science’ college or ‘arts’ college or ‘sentient leftover boxes of noodles’ college.* so get that idea out of your head now.

    colleges are predominantly concerned with student life, residence life, and academic/financial student services, so that’s what you want to research when you’re trying to pick a college. i’d recommend browsing through aska’s ‘colleges’ tag and FAQ, as well as reading some of the literature published by uoft proper, to help make your decision.

    some colleges require a supplemental application for admission to their college. most faculties, however, only require a transcript of your marks from high school (exceptions include the faculty of applied science & engineering, which does require a ‘Student Profile Form,’ and the faculty of music, which requires an audition).

    it’s best to figure out what specific program, and then what college, you’re interested in, and then just follow their instructions, because it can varies from program to program and college to college.

    the one commonality between all academic faculties and programs is OUAC, which provides an online form through which you submit your marks and apply to uoft. if you’re an international student, you’ll fill out the 105F application.

    if your faculty and/or college DOES require any kind of personal statement on top of the 105F, they’ll stipulate exactly what that will be. it can vary from an academic essay about your topic of study to a cover-letter type explanation of your extra-curricular and work experience.

    hope that eased your confusion at least a little bit.

    aska

    * the ‘sentient leftover boxes of noodles’ college is just my apartment. and no, you don’t get to be a member there.

    Read More
  • colleges

    i won’t fear when people like you are here

    June 9, 2014

    Hi, I’m from Singapore and I recently got accepted into UTSG
    I got placed into Woodsworth College, fear not, this message is not about which college is better but rather about what is the point of a college?
    Has I understand it, it doesn’t matter which college you chose because you have access to any courses and you can even live inside the residence of an other college.
    Thank You for your time and answer
    Best Regards

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    congratulations on your acceptance! and welcome to the four-year party that is uoft. by party, of course, i mean constant panicking about what the future holds, arguing with roommates about everything from Rilke to Riemann sums, and eating dinner about five hours later than normal people. it’s awesome.

    your question is a very understandable one. i haven’t met a single person at this university who doesn’t think the college system is confusing – however, it does actually serve a purpose other than just turning first-years against each other.

    since the Faculty of Arts & Science is so big, the job of dealing with students is split between seven colleges. the college you belong to has a file all about you, and acts kind of like the main office in a high school. you’ll go to your college registrar’s office for academic advising, for example. that includes crying about your grades, trying to figure out what the heck you’re gonna do with your life, and all that fun stuff that comes with a wholesome, university experience.

    each college also has its own student committee/council/union type deal. they run your frosh week and college-specific clubs, and make other important decisions about which i only have the vaguest ideas. you can read about a couple of them here.

    importantly, if you’re dirt poor but have something more than “good at blowing bubble-gum bubbles” on your resume like me, colleges have their own unique scholarships that are available only to students of that college.

    your college might offer cool, extracurricular programs that are unique to that college. UC, for example, offers a mentorship program for its students.

    finally, if you’re interested in taking any College One classes, you can only take the classes from one college. that doesn’t necessarily have to be your college, but most people take the College One program at their college – in fact, many people base their college decisions largely on the One program offered by that college.

    and i see you picked up on the taboo question. good on ya. you’ll go far, young grasshopper.

    cheers,

    aska

    Read More
  • colleges

    college-hopping

    June 2, 2014

    what’s a solid reason to switch colleges? if i told them i wanted their scholarships and the exclusive clubs, would that be enough? having a good (3.5+) GPA help?

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    i’m a bit afraid of your tone there, amigo. “would that be enough” kind of implies to me that you’re looking for the perfect words that are gonna unlock the key to your college’s heart. unfortunately, there are no secret phrases that will guarantee you a transfer.

    having a higher GPA definitely does help. i don’t know of any clubs that are specific to one college, but hey, there are lots of weird clubs out there. maybe there’s a whole world of secret, college-exclusive societies that i don’t know about because i failed their secret admissions test. if there is something specific to one college that you desperately want to be a part of, for sure mention it in your communication with the registrar.

    talk about scholarships too, if you’d like – personal finance is important, and if that’s part of your request, the registrar will take it seriously into account. make sure to do your research though; you may not necessarily be eligible for certain college scholarships in the first year you’re a member, particularly in-course scholarships. if you’re entering your final year of school, then changing colleges may not be the best idea.

    again, this isn’t a game. there are no specific reasons that the registrar takes more seriously than others; you just gotta play it straight. just note that certain colleges (innis, for example) aren’t currently accepting applications for transfers, though others (like UC) are, so you may want to double-check with the college you’re trying to woo.

    also, just a note: if you’re going into first year and panicking because you didn’t get into the college you wanted, my standard advice is: give your college a test-run first. you’ve got lots of time to transfer during or after first year if you find it’s not for you, but i wouldn’t bail just yet. if you don’t know what it’s like yet, you shouldn’t knock it, right?

    i hope you find the college of your dreams, my friend.

    cheers,

    aska

    Read More