• admissions,  computer science,  international students,  masters

    weaselling past GPA requirements – yeah good luck with that

    September 30, 2013

    hi, I am currently doing Bs(Computer Sciences) in Pakistan – 5th semester (start of 3rd year). I would really like to get admission in Masters Degree program offered in uoft. Although i am quite good at what my field focuses at, yet my GPA does not express that at all. I have a current CGPA of 2.30. uoft site says that the minimum gpa required even for applying is 3.00 (B). I am so much paranoid that i cannot express. The thing is that, surprisingly, the university i am doing my BSCS from is ranked #1 for CS in Pakistan and is actually really good. But at same time, their grading is very very very strict. what i mean to say is that with the amount of effort it took me to maintain gpa of 2.30 at FAST-NU (my university name), i could easily maintain way above 3.00 in any other university from Pakistan (just that they don’t teach as thoroughly as FAST). So this makes me think that if i was in a less competent university, it would have been easier for me to get to uoft. is it not a bit unfair? why is the teaching level of institutions not also considered.

    And, please please please help me, i really want to make it to uoft. Can’there be any other way? If with gpa like this, i apply to uoft anyway, are there chances that i can get selected? what if i score really good at GRE test (or international students)? will the University of Toronto consider
    me on the basis of anything other than my gpa? 🙁

    Will really appreciate helpful suggestions.
    Thank You

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    I appreciate how much you want to get into uoft. Seriously, it’s a pretty rad place. I’d love to help you as much as possible; you’ve come to aska for help, and if there’s anything more rad than uoft, it’s aska.

    Unfortunately, I am just a lowly messenger, and I don’t have the power to bend uoft’s admission requirements. They do say explicitly on their website that they require at least a 77%-79% GPA in the final two years of your undergraduate course. Lucky for you, you’re just starting on your third year, meaning you’ve got almost two years to get your GPA up. I get that your university is crazy hard, but if you really want to get into uoft, you’ve got to find a way to boost it.

    If there really is nothing you can do to bring up your marks but you feel like a master’s in CS here would be a breeze, the School of Graduate Studies does make exceptions in special cases. Do you feel like your case is special? Hint: it’s probably not unless you have some kind of industry experience to back up your knowledge, but I don’t know man, give it a shot, why not.

    As for other parts of your application, a good GRE result will strengthen your application, but it’s not everything. At the end of the day, fair or not, the requirements are the same for all students, and you’ll probably just have to work within uoft’s GPA cut-off.

    Bottom line, just do whatever you can to get your marks up in the next two years, and maybe consider applying to other universities – they’re alright too. I mean, they’re not us. But they’re alright.

    aska

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  • frosh,  math,  stress

    Pythagoras wouldn’t have panicked. He was kinda scary though.

    September 27, 2013

    Hello,

    I am a first year-student in Life Sciences about to embark on the journeys of MAT135 in the Fall and MAT136 in the Winter, and I feel very insecure about it. I got a 75 in grade 12 calculus, and the teacher was being generous. I feel like I don’t remember anything from last year? Should I review my notes? If I do, wouldn’t that hold me back? Does MAT135 touch upon some concepts from grade 12?

    How much should I be worried about university math – on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being ‘really worried’? I know there are math aid centres – can I just drop into those? Should I also allow myself to be consumed with stress if I get a low mark? And if I do get a low mark (and I’m praying I’m not) will that affect my application to the program I want to get into (Human Biology)?

    Thanks for your time.

    ———————————————

    You’re stressing a lot. Let me tell you something: there is no call for the kind of panicking you’re doing right now. Life is too short for that kind of silliness. Here’s something that you probably don’t realize: you’re not the only one who knows you’re a frosh. It’s not some kind of big secret. Everyone else can tell. I can tell, your peers can tell, and more importantly, your profs can tell.

    This means that the professor knows your background, and he or she is going to structure the lecture appropriately towards it. The course starts off with a quick review of trigonometry, which, if you went to school in Ontario, is something that you started learning about in Grade 11 Math (if you went to school outside Ontario, you’re also more than likely to have learned this before).

    Now, I’m not saying the course is going to be a piece of cake, but it won’t be impossible, either, regardless of what your marks were like in high school. If you consistently do the weekly problems and go to lecture, you’ll do well. If you do find yourself needing help, however, it is always available to you – absolutely feel free to drop in on it!

    As for Human Biology, as long as you complete 4.0 credits, you’re eligible to enrol – so don’t panic.

    Good luck, little soldier, and try to chin up!

    aska

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  • exclusions,  polisci

    poli sci? more like poli SIGH.

    September 23, 2013

    Hello aska,

    I am a second year student who has recently considered applying for the public policy major. However, a grave dilemma has occurred, in that one of the courses required for completion of the major (POL214Y1) is an exclusion to a course in which I am currently enrolled in (POL224Y1). Does this exclusion thus prohibit me from taking POL214 later on, and thereby prevent me from successfully completing the Public policy major? And if not, is there some mystic manipulation that the university can do that will allow me to take POL214, while having already completed its exclusion?? Thank you greatly for your guidance, oh wise aska senpai.

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    Don’t worry your little face, wee one. Aska is here for you, mystical and omnipotent as ever.

    By which I mean I have done some snooping around on the Internet, and it looks like the Public Policy Major’s requirements do specify POL214, which makes me think that they’ve got their hearts set on that one.

    Still, it doesn’t hurt to go and talk to them in person. Maybe the sight of your worried wee face (tear-streaked, maybe?) will move them to make an exception for you.

    However, they might say no, in which case you’ll unfortunately have to take POL214 as well as POL224, even though there seems to be a lot of overlap between the two courses. I know, it sucks. Life is hard. I’m sorry. You know Spot? Yeah, he’s not on a farm, either.

    It is possible to take a course that is excluded by another course – you’ll just have to take it as an “extra.” This means that it doesn’t count for degree credit, or get factored into your cumulative GPA. The course and final mark do appear on your transcript though, and then you can be on your merry way.

    Good luck, junior. Hope it all works out.

    aska

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  • CR/NCR,  rotman,  writing

    cr for effort!

    September 19, 2013

    Hi,

    I took RLG204 last year and applied for Credit/No Credit. I ended up passing the course and receiving a ‘CR.’ I was wondering if this counted towards the 2.0 writing credit that commerce students need to fulfill graduation requirements, or if it just counted as a humanities credit?

    Much thanks!

    [SARAH]

    ———————————————

    Hey Sarah,

    For the life of me, I could NOT find anything online about a Rotman writing requirement, so I delved into the long forgotten calendars of yesteryears and found something about a writing requirement from back in 2006-07! I wonder if that was the last year of it…

    If you enrolled in the program back then, it DOES say that RLG courses count sooo I guess RLG204 suffices.

    BUT from my understanding, the writing requirement is a program requirement…

    Which is where things get tricky because as much as I’d hate to be the bearer of bad news, I’ve got to tell you that the golden rule for CR/NCR is that whatever course you make CR/NCR cannot be a program requirement.

    Now since this is a weird situation where Rotman just wants to give you an A for effort as opposed to look for a 99 from you, I recommend talking to whoever it is that’ll eventually be assessing your program requirements and asking if they’d be willing to take the CR/NCR course.

    Cheers!

    aska

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  • courses

    how to successfully ignore seating issues

    September 18, 2013

    Hi, there;

    There is a course I would really, really like to get into but I was number 2 and then 1?on the waiting list for over a month, and have now been removed. I’ve spoken to the?instructor, who says that she wouldn’t mind if I joined the course at all. Is there some?way to enrol, now that I have the instructor’s permission? Is there something for her to?sign, or something like that?

    ?????????

    Hey there!

    Your choices:

    So at this point in time, you have to basically go on ROSI every five minutes and check out the registration for the class.

    If there’s a spot, snatch it.

    Aside from that… well, the registrar’s office can only put you on a waitlist (which is now irrelevant), so the next stop would be the department where maaaaybe they’ll help you get into the class somehow. As for as I know, there’s not quite a form so much as there’s a lot of sighing and grunting and eventual relenting.

    But for the most part, the only thing that would really be barring you from the course is, well, fire hazards! Or space issues. Whatever.

    Like there LITERALLY isn’t room in the class for you. As in if your class is in one of those unfortunate classrooms with x number of individualized desks and the department kindly made you number 41 out of 40, there might not be a spot for you.

    And then if that doesn’t work, there’s always petitioning, but if this course is just something that you would “really, really like” as opposed to something you need because you’re graduating, I don’t think that’ll help.

    out of other options,
    aska

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  • suspension,  UTSC

    how to cope with septembers without school

    September 13, 2013

    Hello,

    I’ve just been recently suspended for a period of 12 months from UTSC. There are obviously many reasons that led to this and I have documented health issues to prove that. I am not going to make excuses, not everything can be blamed on my health issues, I did have a lot of my own issues and although I made a of changes, I realize that it was not enough, seeing as I am once again suspended. This is my second suspension. I am planning to leave UofT completely. I wanted to do so earlier but I was told that I cannot transfer because I have a very low GPA. I was wondering if you knew if its possible to start anew, with a clean slate at a college? or will my transcript follow me there too? is there any way to start with a clean slate?

    The thing is, I want to go to grad school and at this rate, with the suspension, its like being hold hostage. I just want to move on with my life.

    Do you know whether there any colleges with Bachelor programs that will accept me at this point, even with my transcript following me?

    Also, is it possible to petition this suspension?

    Thank You in Advance

    ———————————————

    Hey hey

    Unfortunately, your academic record is something that will always follow you into other academic institutions.

    Whenever you apply, they WILL ask you if you’ve ever attended another post-secondary institution and you will technically be obligated to tell the truth. I’m not sure what happens when you lie… but there’s something about mixing “lying” and “starting with a clean slate” that seems contradictory in my head.

    So what now.

    Well, I guess apply to other schools. I know nothing about other schools but I’m sure there’s a university somewhere that will take you. Just apply. And if possible, somehow include a letter or something explaining why the grades you got before are they grades that you got.

    As for the suspension… yes it is possible to appeal it.

    I suppose you have good grounds if you have some form of medical documentation, but don’t get your hopes up too high. Appealing a suspension rarely happens. But to be blunt… well, are you sure you even want to bother? You’ll just end up in the same school with its same grading system that didn’t work well for you the first time around. It’s certainly possible that UTSC just isn’t meant for you.

    Soooo yeah.

    Look at other schools. Look at what they ask of you and then go forth and do something.

    Cheers!

    aska

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  • course overload,  UTM

    overcoming an overload

    September 12, 2013

    Hi, I am going into second year at UTM. I have selected 10 courses in total. But due to most of them being offered only in second semester, I am left with 3 courses in first semester and 7 courses in second semester. Is this too unbalanced? Will second semester be too heavy for me to handle? (However I am on the wait list for a course that is being offered in both semesters, If I make it into the course, I’ll have 4 courses in first semester and 6 in second semester) What should I do?

    Your advice is much appreciated, thanks a lot.

    ———————————————

    Hey hey

    Not only is that plan unbalanced, but it’s also not exactly allowed!

    The maximum number of courses you can be in during a semester is six. Taking any more than that will require approval from the registrar’s office in the form of a course overload.

    But disregard the idea “balance” since in the end, everything is up to your abilities. CAN you handle seven courses in one term (assuming your overload is granted)? If the answer is yes, then proceed.

    However, if you can somehow manage to go with 4:6 instead of the 3:7… I totally recommend that. Or if anything, a 3:6. There’s no need to cram everything into one term! Especially if you still have some coming years.

    Cheers!

    aska

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  • exclusions

    one of these courses is not like the other ones — wait, it is!

    September 12, 2013

    Hi, I’m a science student, and I was wondering if it was a bad idea to take a stats course that’s designed for a sociology student? Most of the other stats classes are full anyways, but I wanted to know if it would affect my prerequisite and my requirements to graduate? Thanks.

    ———————————————

    Hey hey

    I assume there’s a particular sciencey version of stats that you’re told to take but for the most part, there are like five different stats courses offered by so many different departments that are all exclusions of each other so bleh.

    Is it a bad idea to take the soc stats? Not at all!

    All of these stats courses are exclusions of each other because their curriculums are all ridiculously similar to one another.

    Now I can’t tell you anything about your prereqs or grad requirements cuz well… I know nothing about you and your programs, but do the proactive thing and take a look at said requirements and see for yourself if the soc stats is useable — or, at least, an exclusion to what you’re SUPPOSED to take. If that’s the case, you can talk to whoever manages the undergrads in your program and make sure the soc stats is allowed.

    Cheers!

    aska

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  • course overload

    school would be easier if we all had… time-turners!

    September 11, 2013

    I was granted a course overload, and now I’m switching some courses around for timing reasons. Is this allowed or do I have to stick to the courses that were listed on the overload request sheet?? Also, I dropped the seventh course thinking that I could just re-add again (since I was granted an overload) but ROSI said I exceeded my limit (even though I had seven previously). What should I do?!

    Thank you,
    anonymous

    ———————————————

    Anonymous,

    Nay, deviating from your proposed plan is not allowed.

    Basically the overload you were approved for was for a particular set of seven courses. If you want to change things around within that batch of seven, you’ll need to get the new proposal approved once again. So the fastest thing to do would be to contact whoever gave you the overload and ask them if a new set of seven will be okay as well.

    As for adding a seventh, again, contact your magical advisor.

    Only they have the power (read: ROSI ability) to exceed the course limit.

    Cheers!

    aska

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  • Transferring

    aska’s guide on leaving your current university for the bamf that is uoft

    September 11, 2013

    Aloha~

    So it’s that time of a the year again.

    That lovely time when people settle for the school they got into and pine for something better. Something bigger. More congested. More expensive. More difficult to get into classes and get to classes. Something harder or more likely to raise their stress levels.

    They pine for U of T.

    That said, considering the weirdly huge number of questions ?I have sitting in my inbox on how to transfer from x university, I’m just going to make a very general sort of guide on how to make it to the promised land!

    HOW TO TRANSFER TO UOFT:

    Step 1: Decide your current school is lame.

    Step 2: Realize that if you have any hope of making it through one of the greatest research institutes in the country, you should be damn well capable of doing your own research.

    But doing your own research should take you to the lovely Admissions quiz thingie!

    Step 3: Naturally, you apply.

    I guess you do that through OUAC… This will probably require some transcripts and stuff, so make sure you get those.

    Step 4: Sit tight and wait.

    Step 5: When you get admitted, FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS ON YOUR LETTER.

    FOLLOW THEM.

    FOLLOW THEM.

    You’ll be given a spiel about what to do receive transfer credits and get into programs that you don’t technically have the prerequisites to. You’ll have to show the transfer credit office outlines for the courses you want credit for and indicate to them which Subject POSts you’re interested in.

    Step 6: Wait for confirmation about your transfer credits. That’ll happen around… June? July? It’s really a case-by-case basis sort of thing.

    A great thing for some of the typical first-year courses students indulge in (e.g. chem, bio, etc.) is that there’s this agreement of sorts between seven universities in which they all basically agree to accept each other’s version of x course.

    Step 7: I think that’s it.

    Yeah. Yeah that’s pretty much it.

    So there ya go!

    happy transferring,
    aska

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  • textbooks

    here’s the $200 textbook you need along with your $7500 tuition

    September 11, 2013

    Hey

    I’m starting U of T for the first time, in Life Sciences.And well… I’m wondering is there any other place to gettextbooks from other than the U of T bookstore?

    I mean to say, are there any previous U of T studentsselling their used books to students?

    And if there are, where can I find them?

    Thanks

    ———————————————

    Hey hey!

    Lucky for you, yes, there are certainly other places to get textbooks aside from the UofT Bookstore and its lovely prices and laaaaaame return policies.

    A few options to consider:

    1. tusbe.com <3
    2. This University of Toronto Textbook Marketplace thing.
    3. What this is (no longer available).
    4. People that talk on the UofT reddit page.
    5. UTSU Book Exchange.

    all results brought to you by your resident let-google-that-for-you-er,
    askastudent. 😉

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  • wait list

    i have never yelled at a student like this in my life

    September 9, 2013

    hi,

    i’m on the waitlist for a couple courses right now but rosi won’t let me see my rank, is there like a maintenance week scheduled right before school starts, is it because i’m going into first year, is uoft just trying to mentally destroy me in an attempt to weed me out? before, i could click on manage course and be able i was 6 on a waitlist of 89 but now it just says?! 6709 : you may not make any changes to this course at the current time.

    i’m not trying to make changes i just want to see my bloody rank and the box that used to tell me has disappeared.

    thanks.

    ———————————————

    Whooooa.

    Okay.

    You need to relax.

    So breathe.

    Breathe again.

    Now unfortunately, this is what happened, according to my super secret source: ROSI was supposed to be unavailable for September 6 because… I dunno. ROSI needs sleep too. But whatever silly goose puts ROSI to sleep totally forgot to wake ROSI the frack up on Saturday! That being said, ROSI was essentially dead all weekend. There ya go.

    But managing your courses is managing your courses so whether or not you want to see your rank or drop a course, it wasn’t going to happen.

    Congratulations though — you just survived your first of many situations in which UofT tries to see how quickly it can make you have an anxiety attack.

    Cheers!

    aska

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  • UTSC,  wait list

    but why must we waitlist

    September 9, 2013

    Hey aska!

    I’m currently a freshman at UTSC and wanted to ask if there was a due date to get into courses that you’re waitlisted in. If I happen to get in to my course over the next few weeks (Intro to Linguistics), how exactly do you drop other courses? Will I have to pay the fee for both? Thanks for taking the time to read these really freshie questions! 🙂

    Sincerely,
    Confuzzled

    ———————————————

    Confuzzled,

    Basically the last day to add any F or Y courses is September 16, which I suppose makes it the “due date” for getting in. However, all the waitlists for F and Y courses seem to end on September 9.

    What this means is that you get a week-long melee in which you get to repeatedly check ROSI for anyone who might have dropped the course. But a lot of people are going to be doing this too so this means you’ll have to check a lot.

    Like a lot a lot.

    Now dropping courses is totally simple. You little go to your courses on ROSI and just… well, drop them. 😉

    But since UTSC charges you per course, you’ll notice a rise in your balance when you get off the waitlist for Intro to Linguistics, which, naturally, you’ll be expected to pay.

    However, since you plan on dropping another course in favour of that one, it sounds reasonable that the money for the course you’re dropping will simply count towards linguistics instead. Get it?

    Cheers!

    aska

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