• breadth requirements,  courses

    askastudent is the breadth requirement champion

    August 6, 2010

    Hi there: The breadth requirement is really confusing. I’m an upcoming commerce student, and in a e-mail, Rotman Commerce says:”…STUDENTS MUST COMPLETE at least 1.0 FCE from Category 1 (Creative and Cultural Representations)…Category 1 (Creative and Cultural Representations) must be satisfied through one’s electives… Because of the number of program-required courses, students are therefore well-advised to complete the requirements for Category 1 in first year in order to fit all the requirements into the 20 courses for the degree.”.
    Now it seems that I can’t find any available space in any Category 1 courses of first year seminars. Does it mean I probably won’t have any chances to satisfy that part? Is there any other courses that would fill breadth requirements(there seems no sign to indicate which course will satisfy which Category on the course list)?
    Many thanks

    ———————————————

    Hello there. Those darn breadth requirements sure are tricky, aren’t they? But here’s a few things to keep in mind.

    1. You don’t have to complete the requirement in your first year and the elective doesn’t have to be at the 100 level. You have multiple years to obtain all your breadth requirements, even if the Commerce program suggests filling them in your first year.

    2. There are many other courses other than the allotted first year seminars that could fill the Category 1-type courses. U of T is sort of lazy, but examining your calendar you will find designations at the end of some course listings that let you know what category they pertain to. Look for “HUM” next to the course listing in the calendar and the “BR +1.” Courses in literature, language, history and the arts should all work. Why not take for instance, “FCS 195H1 – French Culture From Napeoleon to Asterix”? There are 17 spaces available! See what piques your interest in the Calendar and remember to look out for “BR +1.”

    Tell me your interests and I will find you the greatest breadth requirement imaginable. That’s a promise.

    xoxo, Askastudent

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  • failing,  suspension,  switching

    i’m suspended, can i go somewhere else?

    August 4, 2010

    Hi,I was wondering if i can apply for college, if im on suspension? Im on suspension now for 1 year and im thinking of switching out of UofT any ways,but im not sure if i can since i am on suspension
    thanks

    ———————————————

    Hello there! I have asked a registrar at Innis College about your situation and here’s what they told me…um, here it is.

    Basically you can feel free to approach other schools about letting you take courses there, but none of those credits that you’ve taken, while you are suspended, will count towards your degree. If you are interested in one day returning to U of T after your year long suspension, maybe it doesn’t make sense to take classes that will not go towards your degree? I don’t know, I am just a gender-ambiguous expert in academic course registration. But if you love learning and don’t care about time or money being (in some people’s minds, not mine) “wasted”, then by all means go forth. After your year of being on suspension, you will be able to either register in classes at U of T again, or transfer to another school (though please talk to your registrar about transfer credits). Hopefully this helps! In the meantime, spend your time partying and working on your tan.

    xoxo, Askastudent

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  • international students,  residence,  scholarships/bursaries

    questions from a boy and his chinese mother!

    August 4, 2010

    Hi Aska: I’m an upcoming student, currently live in China, and about to head to U of T in several weeks. I found your website really helping. As I trace back to earlier questions, I discovered many important details that I missed for a first year student. And I still have some questions about academic life and… something embarrassing (LOL)
    First question is about the POSTs. The handbook said that to satisfy the BA/BSc degree, I have to enroll in at least 2 major or 1 specialist programs. What I wanted to know is, can I enroll in 3 majors or 1 specialist and 1major program? Is that possible to be completed in four years? Should I pay additional tuition fee for that?
    I know there is some scholarships available for international student. Can I apply for more than one scholarships at a same time? Is there any limitations about the number of scholarships I applied for? I’m not greedy, but the tuition fee is really expensive (Honestly, more than $20,000), I wish to know if there’s some way to make the situation a little better.
    And the final, blockbuster question is from my mum. I bet this is the first time in aska history, that somebody want to know if the Innis Residence offer bedclothes, and should her son carry his bedding set for several thousand miles all the way from Beijing to Toronto (Oh, mom!).
    That’s all, many thanks, and, looking forward for your answer.

    ———————————————

    Hello there all the way from Toronto! (But on the internet, we’re the same.) Don’t feel embarrassed by your inquisitive nature or your darling mum. And congratulations on making Aska history!!!

    First things first. While it is possible to complete a specialist and major, or three majors, you have to consider your time and course registration. Many students end up with these combinations because they take courses that overlap, or have interdisciplinary seminars. No one is stopping you from taking as many courses as you need and want to, in order to complete your program, but it is good to keep in mind that a Specialist is 10 courses, and a major is seven. If you have to fill to fill five breadth requirements, plus 10 courses as is…maybe you won’t be able to give yourself the wiggle room needed. Talk to your registrar about your ambitious plans and they will help you (I promise!)

    You might finish your program in four years, or more, depending on how many courses you take (many students find themselves taking 3-5 courses a year, which designates you as a “full time student.”) There is no additional fees, depending on whether you complete a specialist or a major, just the fees towards courses and other compulsory fees for student societies. Keep that in mind.

    In terms of scholarships, by all means, apply for as many as you humanly can apply for! No one is going to be aware of how many scholarships you are applying for, and if you are eligible for more than one scholarship (and you receive more than one scholarship) – that is totally sweet-ass-sweet. Admissions and awards lists some scholarships on their website that you might be eligible for, though it gets a little trickier for international students. Your registrar should have some advice about good places to hit up, and while you may not be eligible for OSAP, there are some bank loans with low interest.

    In response to your mom, all beds come from the Innis Residence stripped bare. (Which is actually a good thing, considering.) Bring your own bed clothes or buy some new sheets at a local department store. I recommend The Bay, for that touch of classic Canadiana.

    Best of luck with your upcoming move!

    xoxo, Askastudent

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  • courses,  keeners,  psychology

    more advice for amanda the keener!

    August 4, 2010

    hey guys! remember amanda the keener? well the psychology students association got back to me with advice for the courses she is selecting next year. exciting, right? here is their tips:

    Hi,

    We don’t have the syllabi for these classes, but personal opinions on the
    workload of those courses will be:

    High – PSY240H1: Abnormal Psychology
    Low – PSY220H1: Intro to Social Psychology
    Medium – PSY260H1: Learning and Plasticity
    Medium – PSY270H1: Intro to Cognitive Psychology
    Medium – PSY201H1: Statistics I
    Medium – PSY202H1: Statistics II

    amanda, show us some love.

    xoxo, askastudent

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  • choosing,  courses,  timetable

    course conflicts are the worst conflicts

    August 4, 2010

    Hey,

    Just wondering, if I happen to enroll in two courses which conflict with one another, will anything happen (for example, will I have to officially drop one of the two classes)?

    As of right now, my understanding is that the only “consequence” of having conflicting classes is that I will have to miss one lecture in order to attend the other however, because I always have the option of going to another lecture section for the same course, I’m not worried about my marks suffering or anything like that. Also, I know that attending lectures for some classes is mandatory and that in some courses you’re graded
    on attendance, but I’m pretty sure that’s not the case in my situation. Obviously, this type of thing is probably not advised, but it works out for me.

    So, is there any official penalty for having conflicting classes or is it just “not advised?”

    Thanks.

    ———————————————

    Hello my ambitious friend. You can totally register in two classes that conflict – the worst thing that will happen is that when you view your timetable on ROSI – a little glaring red “these courses conflict” colour will pop on your schedule to remind you that technically, you shouldn’t schedule two classes at the same time.

    If you can however swing registering in two classes at the same damn time and attend all the mandatory lectures, tutorials, practicals, Robarts cram sessions (are you sure you can do all this?), by all means don’t let an anonymous blogger stop you. The world is your oyster! Just clear it with your TA and prof first in case of spontaneous tests, class info and registration issues.

    xoxo, Askastudent

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