• courses,  languages

    ennui, ennui

    August 30, 2010

    Helloo,
    I’m just wondering, is it a common practice at the UofT to not let students take courses that they despirately need to continue with their programs due to “limited space”? And also, how much should I be outraged about not being able to take “the structure of modern French”, which is a core course in my program, despite getting an 83% in French during my first year, becoming successfully enrolled in the French linguistics program and paying the $6000 or so to register for this year?
    Do you think It would make sense to go and beg the French department to let me take that course (i’m 5th on the waitlist for a total of 100 spaces, but I don’t think anyone will be dropping out of such an important course). Or am i just going to make an idiot of myself? Also, do you know if they will make me pay yet more money to take this course in the summer eventhough I was already screwed over because they couldn’t accommodate me this year? Thanks for reading, i’m just a little freaked out that I will have to do an extra year because UofT says so.
    Thanks.

    ———————————————

    Don’t you mean, “bonjour”?

    I’m sorry that being on the waitlist has screwed your plan up. If you are in your final year of graduating, you can use U of T’s guarantee clause that you need the course to graduate. But if you are in an earlier year, you will have to stick out the waitlist and wait to see what happens. After the first week of classes, the waitlists will dissolve and it may be easier to get into the course if someone drops it. You could totally try and contact the program, but I doubt it will make a difference unless you are in your graduating year.

    Sorry about everything. It’s just like a Godard movie!

    xoxo, Askastudent

    Read More
  • commerce,  courses,  first year

    graduating like a flash

    August 30, 2010

    Hi yo, I will be becoming a U of T frosh 3 weeks later and studying at Rotman Commerce, and I got couple questions want to ask @@
    I know that during the summer term we can maximumly to take 2 credits, so I am curious about can I take 5.5 credits in my first and second year and then take all 4 credits in 2 summer terms,
    eventually if everything is fine I can graduate within 3 years instead of original 4 years……Is it Possible?
    I know it is pretty hard but I want to try try =]

    ———————————————

    Hey there. Your ambitious plan can totally work, but it doesn’t really sound like fun, does it? You can totally take up to six credits a year and up to two in your summer session, which would keep you at a steady clip of eight credits a year, fulfilling your 20 credit degree in two and half a years if you really wanted to…but you would cry forever trying to maintain that pace, especially with the intense Commerce course load.

    Obviously it’s up to you to decide how to pursue your degree and at what rate. Many students end up taking a maximum of five full year credits a year because it’s enough to handle, especially if they also have to work to support themselves. Basically feel free to do what you want – but consider what classes are available, the workload involved and how to plan your degree accordingly so you can also pursue experiences that are worthwhile (such as internships, after school activities and fruitful relationships). Talk to your college registrar to plan a course schedule that works with what you want to pursue. Rotman also offers very valuable resources like peer tutors and study groups that are fun and social.

    And have fun! Don’t spend your entire life in Robarts. Think of your skin!

    xoxo, Askastudent

    Read More
  • fees,  ROSI

    wait ’till i get ma money right

    August 30, 2010

    Hi !

    This website was a genius idea !? I have dropped two courses all by July 13 2010 for summer session. However they are charging me $437 . 00 Bucks for full Incidental Fees! This is way too much money because I am a part-time student and not a full-time student for summer session. My incidental fees should be refunded 50% since the fee schedule states that July – Aug. from
    july 12- aug 2 its Incidental fees 50 % refund. its really not fair.? I only have one 0.5 credit course right now. How am I suppose to pay for this when it is so wrong…my total balance is around $800.00 because I have to pay $437.00 incidental fees. Does anyone know someone who can solve this problem with me. How should I solve this problem… Please help me. Thank you in advance.

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

    Hey there. Sorry to hear about your financial issue. U of T’s ROSI system is notoriously late with showing payments and tracking changes, so this may be an issue you will have to take up with your college registrar and Financial Accounts.

    Your observations are correct. According to the financial schedule of Innis College (where we might have to pretend you are going, for example’s sake), 50 percent of incidental fees were refunded between July 12th and August 2nd for all “S” code courses. I guess your dropped courses didn’t go through, or there was a ROSI screw up. These things happen.

    I’d recommend talking to your college registrar about it, who will then tell you to go to Student Accounts. Eventually this will get sorted out but you might have to eat the balance for now. ROSI is an evil she devil who can destroy lives. She is not meant to be loved, but feared.

    xoxo, Askastudent

    Read More
  • breadth requirements,  easy,  first year,  math

    not good with numbers…

    August 30, 2010

    Hello –

    I’m coming to U of T this autumn & I was wondering if you knew if the first year seminar *PMU199H1 F *”mathematical explorations” is difficult? Or anything about the course? The “not for calculus students” could be deceptive, and I’m really, really bad at math. I’m taking it to fulfill my BR=5 requirement but I’m a little apprehensive.

    Help is much appreciated!

    ———————————————

    Hi there and welcome to the amazing and fantastic University of Toronto! While your class doesn’t seem like it was offered last year (and therefore wasn’t reviewed in the anti-calendar), many classes that seem similar to it were reviewed favourably. Essentially by taking a first year seminar to fulfill your BR=5 requirement, you are going for the easiest and best way possible to obtain that credit. First year seminars are notoriously easier, with more attention paid to students. The course description definitely makes it sound like it will be easy for you, and the small class size will make it easier to ask questions. If you take a look at the anti calendar, you’ll find favourable descriptions for all the 199y classes in terms of easiness and engagement with the subject matter. Math is super boring and hard to do (FYI: I am an arts student), but if you’ve gotta do it, a first year seminar is the best way to go.

    Best of luck!

    xoxo, Askastudent

    Read More
  • maps,  timetable

    ou est mon tutorial? (that’s french, right?)

    August 26, 2010

    Dear Ask,

    I am a new graduate student at UofT and I am wondering if there is anyway to find out classroom locations for Ger100Y1 L0701 and FSL221Y1 L0401 without being actually registered in the course?

    Best,
    Elizabeth

    ———————————————

    Hi Elizabeth!

    The codes for all your classes should be on ROSI. If you click on “view personal Timetable”, a map will show up via Google with the exact address.

    Addresses used to be printed in the timetable but maybe they stopped doing that to detract auditors. I’m kind of stuck. The best bet is to contact the German Department and French Department to find out where the classes are.
    Sorry I can’t be of help!

    xoxo, Askastudent

    Read More
  • philosophy,  subject POST

    what’s my major again?

    August 26, 2010

    Hey aska,
    Am I missing something?? If I’m majoring in criminology and philosophy (second year), and then become a specialist in criminology (which apparently can only happen in third year?), what happens to my philosophy major? Am I wasting my time taking all these philosophy courses this year? Please let me know if theres some huge obvious solution that I’m totally missing. Thanks!

    ———————————————

    Hi there!

    Basically what happens in a nutshell is that your specialist will cancel your other degrees out. To graduate you need a specialist, two majors, or a major and two minors. So if you apply for (and complete) your specialist in Criminology, your philosophy major, even if completed won’t count as the degree you finish with. By all means, complete your major (that’s seven full courses in philosophy), but you will graduate with a criminology specialist.

    You dig?

    xoxo, Askastudent

    Read More
  • courses,  university-college,  weirdness

    the saga that is cognitive science

    August 24, 2010

    Hi Askastudent,

    Do you know what’s going on with the Cognitive Science program? Their webpage hasn’t been updated since January 2008 and when I look up their courses at University College, it seems they’re not University College any more… or something? “The Cognitive Science program formerly administered by the University College has been redesigned under the auspices of the Faculty of Arts & Science. Please refer to the Cognitive Science program: see Cognitive Science.” See Cognitive Science…. where? In the Arts & Science calendar there is no Cognitive Science category that I could find.

    I’m sooooo confused! I managed to find one course on the timetable (under University College, not Cognitive Science), and the course code has changed from UNI to COG. One course does not a program make, so I’m not sure what’s happened. Is the program no longer offered? If it is, where have the third and fourth year courses gone? How does a program go from having TWO specialist degrees and one major to not existing so quickly?

    Thanks for your help. I’m totally baffled.

    ———————————————

    Hello there. I’ve talked to a couple of peeps at University College and the short answer (after long explanations) is that no one exactly knows what is going on with the Cognitive Science program. It’s no longer under University College’s jurisdiction, and the only Cognitive Science course in the entire program is not being offered this year in the timetable (COG 250Y1). This year it seems that they are “taking a break” from Cognitive Science before determining where it is going. Which is totally weird, right?

    If you look at page 134 of the calendar, you’ll see listings of what classes are offered to make up the major pogram of Cognitive Science – all courses in computer science, linguistics and psychology. For now, all COG courses no longer exist, and it’s dammed difficult to find who exactly is representing the program. (Someone at the UC programs office actually laughed when I said that the website hadn’t been updated since January 2008!)

    If you are interested in the program, you will have to follow the course listings outlined on page 134, and wait until next year (perhaps?) where COG courses will be offered again. There isn’t even a faculty listing in the calendar, so there is no one you can even scream at for their negligence!

    Your best bets (for screaming) are the Faculty of Arts and Science registrar, or Hilary Browning at University College.

    Good luck to you! Let me know what happens.

    xoxo, Askastudent

    Read More
  • computers

    plug it in

    August 24, 2010

    Hey there, Askastudent,

    I’m wondering if there are any power outlets available for laptop users during a lecture. Unfortunately, my laptop is incapable of enduring more than an hour without being plugged in.

    Thanks a bunch!
    Demi

    ———————————————

    Hi Demi (Moore?)

    In answer to your pressing technological question, I’m afraid I can only speak in vague terms. Depending on the lecture hall, you may be plug-less. Some courses might be held in large rooms where it’s possible to be hooked up to a plug, but depending where you sit, you might be screwed. I would recommend charging your laptop as much as possible, and bringing a notebook to take notes, just in case. Many people find a tape recorder handy to record important lectures for exam prep.

    Try and sit off to the side during the first day of class, before people get particular about where they sit. Best of luck and stop Twittering during lecture!

    xoxo, Askastudent

    Read More
  • math

    aska exclusive: two classes that are exactly the same!

    August 24, 2010

    Hi

    I was just curious about HPS390 and MAT390.

    One has 100 available spots, the other has 50.? Both are exclusions to one another, but are offered by the same teacher and exactly the same time in the winter.? This implies to me that they are exactly the same course.

    I am from the distant school of Scarborough Campus and can’t see which one is full, but if they are exactly the same and lets say MAT390 was full (the one with only 50 spots)…could I not just take HPS390 if it has open space and have it count as MAT390?? How many spots are left for MAT390 anyways?

    Course selection is always the most stressful thing for me haha… I really appreciate any help you can provide.
    Thanks,
    Franklin

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

    Hi Franklin!

    This question took me a long time to answer, thanks to fighting through the interminable U of T bureaucracy. Here is an example of what happens when you call the Math department:

    Aska: “Hey I’m calling from the Innis College registrar about HPS 390 and MAT 390…according to their course descriptions and the timetable, these classes sound exactly the same and are offered at the same time. Could this be true?”

    Math lady: “I dunno, you will probably have to call (this person who will never return your phone call) and (wait forever and ever).”

    Anyways, finally someone did call me back from the Math department, a representative in charge in fact, and it’s true – these courses are exactly the same! They are offered by the same prof, at the same time, in the same place and for some unknown reason are labeled under two separate course titles in two different departments. U of T is so crazy!

    So if you register for HPS 390, you will be taking MAT 390 and it should be good for the same. Currently HPS 390 has 16 spots available, while MAT 390 has 7 spaces available.

    Another mystery solved. Aska is like Agatha Christie, no?

    xoxo, Askastduent

    Read More
  • courses

    graduating with one, specializing in another

    August 19, 2010

    i’m in 3rd year and i am specializing in vcc and minoring in psych. i’ve changed my mind on wanting to now major in psych. What i wanted to know is if i graduate with a HBA from vcc, can i come back the following year and just upgrade my minor in psych to a major so i can also get a HBSc ? or would i have to then do a double major/1 major, 2 minors & do another 4 years again to get the HBSc ?

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

    I’m sorry to ask this, but what exactly is VCC? Could you spell it out for me?

    I can only guess that technically your question is if whether you graduate with one degree, can you return and upgrade your prior minor to a major? I asked the registrar and yes, you can. Lots of people come back to upgrade their transcript and bump up their programs of study (sometimes getting an extra major or minor out of the way). You should contact your registrar after you eventually graduate from your mystery program to return as “non degree student”, making sure that you fit the new requirements of the updated subject PoST you will have to enroll in. You can take classes the year after you graduate then.

    Askastudent

    Read More
  • breadth requirements,  commerce,  courses

    critical commerce calculations

    August 19, 2010

    Hi,

    I am a newly admitted Commerce Year 1 student and have a question about CR/NCR. I chose a seminar in BR=1 and wanted to take it on CR/NCR basis. However, I am not sure that if I choose this model of assessment, will the seminar I chose count as Breadth Requirements and satisfy the Program Requirements that “STUDENTS MUST COMPLETE at least 1.0 FCE from Category 1 in order to satisfy Breadth Requirements” and “Students Must Complete 10 RSM courses and 10 Non-RSM courses in order to graduate ?” Thank you!

    ———————————————

    Hi there! I believe it does. But what do I know, let’s consult the Calendar, shall we?

    Faculty Breadth Requirement for B.Com. Students

    Students beginning degree studies in September 2010 or after are required to complete the following Breadth Requirement as part of their Degree Requirements. (The Distribution Requirement described following this section does not apply to such students.)

    Courses in the Faculty of Arts and Science are classified into five Breadth categories by subject content. (Note that some courses are not designated and do not count toward this requirement.). The purpose of the Breadth Requirement is to ensure all students graduating with an Honours degree from the Faculty of Arts & Science have chosen courses across a broad range of subject areas in the Faculty as part of their undergraduate education.

    1. Creative and Cultural Representations
    2. Thought, Belief, and Behaviour
    3. Society and Its Institutions
    4. Living Things and Their Environment
    5. The Physical and Mathematical Universes

    Students must take at least 4 full-course equivalents (FCEs) that have been designated as satisfying the Breadth Requirement. These 4 credits must be either (a) at least 1 FCE in each of any 4 of the 5 categories above, or (b) at least 1 FCE in each of any 3 of the 5 categories, and at least 0.5 FCE in each of the other 2 categories. As part of the degree requirements for the B.Com., STUDENTS MUST COMPLETE at least 1.0 FCE from Category 1 (Creative and Cultural Representations).
    Note that there is no Breadth Requirement status for MGT120H1/MGT201H1, COM110H1, RSM100Y1, and tHAT 100-series courses in CSC, MAT, STA; STA250H1, STA255H1, STA257H1, STA352Y1 cannot be used to satisfy the Breadth Requirement.

    A course’s Breadth designation can be found following the course description in the Calendar for the year in which the course is taken. (Note: the 2010-2011 printed Calendar contains designations FOR 100-series and 200-series courses only. Designations FOR 300- and 400-series courses FOR 2010-2011 will be available in the Faculty’s web site in Summer 2010.)

    Courses count toward the Breadth Requirement as they have been classified in the Calendar of the year in which they were taken.

    Students may count towards the Breadth Requirement any course which has a Breadth designation, and in which they have achieved standing, whether or not the course is used to satisfy a Subject POSt requirement, and whether or not the course was taken as CR/NCR.

    As for your second question, I am a little bit confused. I see that the calendar has written this: Note: Students must take a minimum of 10.0 RSM and 10.0 non-RSM courses (See B. Com. degree requirements above).
    ECO374H1 is strongly recommended.

    But I think that’s in tandem with fulfilling the course requirements of your degree, laid out in full in the calendar. Essentially if you are following the requirements for your degree, and taking the five breadth requirements, you will more than fulfill the 10 RSM/10 non-RSM degree requirements since most of those classes have to be in other disciplines like MAT, ECO, STA, etc. Double check with the calendar and your registrar, always and keep your calculator handy!

    xoxo, Askastudent

    Read More
  • 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

    Read More
  • frosh,  fun & places

    OMG frosh week!

    August 16, 2010

    Hi there,
    I am a Chinese first year student and I am very interested in the Frosh Week. I will arrive at Toronto at Sep. 5th and I wonder whether the Frosh Week is a very energy-consuming activity? Do I have chances to take my textbooks, Tcard and maybe sometimes go for a shopping? Can you please tell me how many students will join the Frosh Week?

    Thank you very much!

    Chuqing Yang

    ———————————————

    I am including this question today because it is soooooooo cute and after hours of answering anonymous emails (but not posting them on the site because I am a ninja), it is JUST. THE. CUTEST.

    Dear Chuqing,

    You will definitely have time for shopping, grabbing your TCard and general hang-times in between the crazed frosh week melee. When you move into residence, the Frosh Week organizers will instantly pummel you into submission and give you a schedule. Usually events happen during the afternoon and evening, giving you a bit of a breather in between.

    Here is the info to apply for all the Innis Frosh Week craziness if you haven’t already done so. (Note: this only applies if you are an Innis student.) It takes place between September 6th and 10th, and while I can’t say just how many students take part, IT WILL BE THE BEST TIME OF YOUR LIFE!!! Or you know, survivable.

    xoxo, Askastudent

    Read More