• courses,  enrollment,  graduation

    graduating has NEVER BEEN EASIER!

    May 27, 2014

    Hi aska
    Every time I try to sign up for a required course for my majors on ROSI it’s already full. I’m worried that I might not make it into the course. My plan is taking the full fall/winter next year, summer, then fall and graduate November. That means I’m planning for the coming year to be my last full year, so what should I do if the courses i need to graduate are all full again? Is the waiting list the only option? It would really suck to have to take another year just for a half course.

    Thanks

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    the good news is that since you’re in your fourth year, you’ll now have the best possible chance of getting into the courses you want. fourth year students begin enrolling july 3rd this year – that’s a full twenty days ahead of first years! ideally, it should be easier than ever for you to get the courses you need.

    however, if it ends up that you still have issues getting into courses you need in order to graduate, and you don’t get in on a waiting list, then you i’d recommend that you go to your college registrar’s office. they are sometimes able to help graduating students with getting into the courses they need.

    however, that should be a last resort, not the first thing you try. first, make sure that you plan out which courses you want to take, and are ready to start enrolling in courses fifteen minutes before your start time. if you do that, hopefully, there shouldn’t be too many problems with getting into your required courses.

    best of luck,

    aska

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  • anti-calendar,  ASSU

    the course evals are on portal now, people

    May 21, 2014

    Hey Aska,

    I often use the anti-calendar to determine which courses I should take. Now that the university stepped in, ASSU`s most recent feedback is from 2011-2012. How do I access the more recent course evaluations?

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    you can access the course evals from blackboard. it’s a bit of a chore to get to them, but if you log into blackboard, you can view them?on the bottom right-hand side of the page. click on the link there, and then you can search courses there.

    another thing: the latest results are from fall 2012 to fall 2013 as of today. hopefully, the winter 2014 evals will follow shortly.

    so yeah, you can look on blackboard. for now, the information there is pretty minimal. until they spruce up the evals, i’d recommend supplementing your information with other, non-uoft-sanctioned tools, like word of mouth, and praying that the course will be good.

    best of luck!

    cheers,

    aska

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  • admissions,  computer science,  UTM

    MY reputation is that i’m a fabulously wise guru

    May 21, 2014

    Aska, I heard you like questions so I got a few fo’ you:
    1) Alternative offers. If I get an alternative offer, does that mean that my original offer is rejected, or will UofT outright tell me that I’ve been rejected?
    2) Campus differences. Lets say a friend of a friend of a close relative of a friend got an alternative offer to UTM when they applied to UTSG and is feeling kinda bummed out. Would there be a big difference in programs? To be specific, Computer Science??
    3) Not that I really care about this at all, but would your degree specify what campus you got it from?
    Thanks

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    you got that right. i love me some questions. questions for breakfast, lunch and dinner. i’m not a physical being, so i don’t eat real food. i feed off of people’s questions, like that oracle from aladdin 2. so let’s begin the meal, shall we?

    1) if you’ve received an alternate offer, that means that they are not making the original offer, and are instead making another one. so yes, whichever program you originally applied to, you weren’t accepted – instead you’ve been given an offer for an alternate program.

    2) to your “friend of a close relative of a friend,” i would say that the differences are very minute. you can compare the mechanical differences relating to the required courses at each school by comparing the two calendars, but they’re not astronomical. for example, at the end of your first year at UTM, you need to have completed a math (with at least a 60%) and computer science (with at least a 65%) course, and 4 credits total. an equivalent student at UTSG would need to complete two comp. sci courses with at least a 60% in each and an average of 67% in both, and 4 credits total. there are some minor differences, but they’re not huge, right?

    your degree is what you make of it. if you do really well at UTM, and supplement your academic career with relevant extra- and co-curricular activities, you will be successful. there are successful people from every school, and unsuccessful people. the “reputation” of the place can only take you so far. and i hope the people who brag about their school left right and centre feel VERY SILLY about that.

    3) kind of. from the UTM convocation website: “[t]he diploma parchment will say ‘University of Toronto’ and NOT ‘University of Toronto Mississauga.’ The only place on the parchment where ‘University of Toronto Mississauga’ appears is below the Principal’s signature.” so it will say “University of Toronto Mississauga” in small letters under the principal’s signature, but it won’t be very visible on the page.

    but it’s smart of you not to care too much about this. like i said, if you are accomplished in your school career, if you make connections while you’re at school, that’ll help more than a piece of paper from the downtown campus ever could.

    good luck in first year, dude,

    aska

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  • first year,  residence

    concerns about being alone: well, what else is new?

    May 21, 2014

    Hey there!I’m starting to get anxious about something really stupid concerning the residences but I can’t help it. So I’m going to be a first year student this fall and when I had to rank what building I wanted to stay in for residence, I didn’t really do much research and ranked Lower Burwash Hall first. Now that I’m reading more into residences I realize that for a first year student it would’ve been better to rank Margaret Addison Hall first because it is the most social and that where you can expect to make more friends as a first year. And stupid me ranked it 5th!! I’m pretty sure it’s impossible for me to get put there now. Do you have any idea if you can change your ranking after you are assigned to a dorm? Or if not, could I still hang out in the common room of Margaret Addison Hall at least? I’m really scared to be placed in a building where there is no social scene and it’s very quiet and won’t be able to meet anyone.
    Thank you

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

    hey there,

    oh, man. i read this question first thing this morning and i am so glad?i did. i’m not gonna call your question cute because i think that word is really gross and condescending, and i’d like for all of us to be on equal footing here on askastudent. we’re all just chilling together, you know?

    instead, lemme just put it this way: your question is very reflective of your status as an incoming first year. that’s not a bad thing. it just means that your concern is so minor that literally everyone knows it is except you. again, i don’t mean that offensively. what i’m saying is that you’ve got nothing to worry about!

    the nature of residences is that they are social. i spent my first year in a residence (not at uoft) that was considered one of the “quieter” ones. guess what? people still threw parties the weekend their don was away. people still visited their neighbours in their pjs. i remember watching the U.S. elections (back when it was between obama and romney, oh man, remember that?) until 2am with like eight other people, all crowded around one TV in my friend’s room.

    also, it was all very mobile. people still went to visit with friends in other residences. people ate in the cafeterias of other residences.

    just because you live in a certain place, doesn’t mean you’re tied to it. university as a whole (and especially the university of toronto) allows for the kind of mobility that’s pretty hard to conceptualize?when you’re in high school. so if you really don’t like your rez, you don’t have to spend time there.

    but?no matter where you end up, it’s very unlikely that you won’t make any friends in residence.?it looks like it’s too late?to change residence preferences once you’ve been made an offer, and while you could try contacting?housing services if you’re really adamant about?changing places, honestly, i’d recommend against it. i think you’ll find everything you’re looking for in burwash. and if not, hey, you’ve always got a friend in aska.

    also, i hear netflix is really great for a night in alone or whatever.

    best of luck next year!

    aska

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  • courses

    should i take this course: the new “which college should i go to”

    May 20, 2014

    Hi,
    I’m at UTM in the CCIT program, going into 3rd year starting September 2014, and looking at different courses I can take. There is a course that I’m interested in, but it has two 200 level prerequisites, one of which I have already completed, but one remaining. What can I do to take this course? (Like are we expected to plan out our 3rd year while planning out the 2nd year? Had I had the prerequisites in mind last year while picking courses, I would’ve enrolled in it earlier) So what can I do now? Am I supposed to take the 200-level course while in 3rd year? Or should I just Let it Go and pick something else?? Please help, thanks.
    Fyi:The course I want to take is CCT310H Mass Communication and Popular CultureIt’s prerequisites are; CCT204H5, CCT210H5

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    first of all, i just wanna indulge myself for a moment and say that this is a lovely question because it’s so clear. you gave me all the relevant information. go you! i guess that’s what happens when you’re in a communication program*.

    secondly…well, obviously you can’t anticipate everything, but yeah, i’d say it’s generally a good idea to have a running plan of your four years at school, right from the very beginning. i, for example, have a snazzy word document on my laptop full of highlighted and linked information that sketches out what i’m planning to do for the rest of my academic future. but, you know. maybe i just have too much time on my hands.*

    i understand that these things happen. new courses pop up, or you change interests and focuses, and all of a sudden you realize you can’t take this or that class because of prereqs. what do you do now? well, i’d suggest taking the course you’re missing in the summer session, but it’s too late to register now.

    the next option would be taking the prereq in fall and 310 in winter, since they’re both half-courses, but unfortunately, the 310 course is only offered in the fall term. however, i don’t think there’s any great harm in taking the 200-course this year, and 310 in your fourth year. if you really want it, that is.

    otherwise, you can just find another course. it’s really up to you, man. i can’t tell you what courses to take. and that’s probably a good thing. if i could, i’d probably just make everyone take courses in my department so it’d get more funding, or something equally sinister and conniving.

    all the best,

    aska

    *scratch the maybe. i definitely do. it’s a problem.

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  • rotman

    a very big rotman question

    May 20, 2014

    Hi, I recently got accepted into the Rotman program at Utsg and I’ve heard a lot of good and bad things about it. I’m mainly concerned about the dropout rate being incredibly high and I was wondering what the reason behind that it (ie. is it calculus or econ, ect.) and secondly I was wondering what the atmosphere for that program is like (how do the students act around each other). Thanks!

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    one of the things i’ve learned from 1) hearing about a university and then 2) attending that university and comparing my own experience to what people told me, is that people tend to talk more than they tend to know. a lot of the things that you’ve heard about rotman are likely just the natural inflation of fact that happens when rumour passes through a lot of people. opinions can be valuable for comparison purposes, but if someone’s just repeating what they heard from the brother of a friend who went to rotman (or if you’re just reading the opinion of randos online), then what you’re hearing is probably at least a little distorted. for that reason, i wouldn’t worry too much about what people say.

    k, now that all that’s said and done, let’s get down to my opinions.

    rotman is one of the best – if not the best – business schools in the country. that doesn’t happen just because of great cafeteria food. if a program is that good, it is usually also difficult. that may be one reasons you hear bad or off-putting things about it. it’s true, the school may not be right for you – in which case, you can switch into what you think is right for you, and there’ll be no harm done. however, it’s definitely not impossible to do well at rotman, and if the school is right for you, you’ll be able to get through it. and more than that, you’ll enjoy it.

    i think people just have a habit of complaining, and they don’t bother to mention the nice things – but that doesn’t mean that the nice things aren’t there. small classes, state of the art facilities, and convenient access to a world of extra-curricular, co-curricular, and professional opportunities are just a few of the things that makes this school really worth it.

    as well, the university is not just going to throw you into hot water when it comes to your classes. they want to help you as much as possible, because they know the transition can be a little tricky. if you’re worried about econ, there are tutors and a study centre available to help you out. there are also multiple math aid centres (tutors included) on the downtown campus available to you, all for free.

    the dropout rate is something i couldn’t find information on. that means the stuff you’ve heard may or may not be accurate, so don’t put too much stock in it. besides, who’s to say you have to play by the numbers? if this is something you want to do, you do it. let the other people stay or drop out; it’s got nothing to do with you.

    as to the atmosphere, that’s something i don’t know about. i know that rotman has a vibrant student life scene and provides lots of opportunity for students to connect, but the feeling you get from a school is something only you can determine. if you’d like to see for yourself what kind of vibe you get from rotman, i’d suggest you take advantage of the marvellously extensive events and information sessions the school provides. attending a few of these will give you a good feeling for where and if you fit into the rotman environment.

    at the end of the day, you have to put a certain amount of faith in the fact that the admissions committee knew what they were doing when they accepted you, and also in yourself. if something is right for you, you’ll know it.

    best of luck this fall!

    aska

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  • OSAP

    i may be noise-sensitive, but i’m not time-sensitive

    May 16, 2014

    Hi,
    My question is in regards to OSAP. I applied to OSAP got my signing papers in the mail but now no one will cosign for me. Since I am 18 can I sign for myself as an individual and if so would I have to apply again or sign my signature on the paper I got in the mail never mind my parents and send it back to them? Let me know as soon as possible! The application deadline is soon!!!?
    Thanks!

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

    hey there,

    i just wanna remind y’all that there is no guarantee that i can answer your question right away! i’ll always get to your question within two weeks’ time, but i can’t make any further promises than that – and?i want to be honest with you?dudes. so please, if you have a time-sensitive question, call the appropriate uoft number?right away.

    as to your question, the parent signature pages have to be signed by your parent/spouse/guardian (whichever one applies to you), unfortunately.

    good luck to ya,

    aska

    P.S. by the way, if you’re in grade 12 and applying to OSAP for the first time, may i suggest the incredibly helpful (and surprisingly well-produced) fastanswers YouTube channel.?they’ll be releasing an episode about OSAP this coming week!

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  • admissions

    everyone look disapprovingly at this person

    May 16, 2014

    Where can I find information about the conditions on my offer of admission other then the letter they sent? (Which I lost)

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

    hey there,

    you lost your offer of admission?? you mean you didn’t frame it and hang it on your wall to commemorate this momentous milestone? for shame. for SHAME.

    but yeah, you can just call your college registrar’s office and they should be able to get?that information for you.

    hoping you keep a better eye on your things, you absolute ingrate,

    aska

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  • ROSI,  subject POST

    ROSI has your mental health in mind

    May 16, 2014

    so far I’ve applied for two 2L majors, two type 1 majors, and one type 1 minor. rosi wont let me add any more majors or minors. whyy!?

    thanks

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    because ROSI limits you to three subject POSTs, of which only two can be majors or specialists. if you’re currently enrolled in three type 1 POSts, then that’s it! no more POSts for you. when/if the time comes to accept an invitation to a 2L major – or two – you’ll have to drop the equivalent number of type 1 majors to be within the limit.

    i know you probably want to learn about so many things in the world, and your dedication to the pursuit of knowledge is inspiring, but at a certain point, you just gotta read about some things on wikipedia. it’s great fun, trust me.

    have fun exploring the information mines of the internet!

    aska

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  • Transferring

    still in the running towards becoming a uoft student

    May 16, 2014

    hey so i’ve applied as a transfer student to u of t for the fall and was wondering if you knew how many transfer they accept for second year? I have a 3.2 GPA and pretty strong grades from this year. I’m just waiting to hear back as my final transcript was send off today.

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

    hey there,

    the most recent data i could find about this is from 2008, so the numbers have definitely changed since then, but this can probably give you a general idea of the acceptance rate.

    so out of 4429 applicants to transfer in 2008, 768 registered at uoft. that’s a 17.3% registration rate. that said, a higher GPA will increase the likelihood of your acceptance. since competitive applicants usually have a B average,?you qualify as competitive with a CGPA of 3.2. a higher AGPA will help, obviously, but i don’t know your exact chances. there’s just no way of telling whether or not you’ll get in, but – as tyra banks would say – you’re still in the running.

    while you wait for a decision, may i suggest some ways to pass the time?

    1. play?scrabble with a group of friends. pro tip: play using made-up words, where the word counts if you can make up a convincing definition for it. the game will almost certainly devolve into anarchy; it’ll be a blast.

    2. go into a field and talk to some daisies, alice in wonderland style.

    3. pretend to be a dog. write a diary entry about your greatest grievances.

    4. go to the opera with a friend and, in the lobby before the show starts, exclaim loudly every five minutes, “what does this fancy place have that a good, old-fashioned hoe-down don’t!?” see how long it takes to be escorted off the premises.*

    i hope to see you on campus in the fall!

    aska

    *please note that?askastudent is not responsible for any students or wayward rogues who cause a ruckus at the canadian opera company, or any other opera house, in any country. aska has the utmost respect for the opera and has been many times, though her low vision and lack of a fancy gown to wear meant she got more out of people-watching?at intermission than the blurry specks singing on stage 200 feet below her during the show.

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  • colleges

    a college question and a tip

    May 15, 2014

    If I’ve been accepted into innis college, can I major in other courses that is not provided by this college? For example, can I major in human biology which is offered by new college even though I’m in innis college?

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    you certainly can! the program you enrol into has no relation to your college affiliation.

    by the way, i know that trying to navigate uoft when you’re just coming in can be a little confusing, so if you’re a first-year student who’d like some answers about uoft stuff from knowledgeable uoft staff,* you can always give fastanswers a try. it’s kind of like aska, but geared specifically towards answering questions for first years students. that’s just a lil tip from the inside track.

    congratulations on being accepted to innis! i hope you have an awesome first year.

    all the best,

    aska

    *which i kind of am, but i seem to spill jam on my shirt much more than the rest of them.

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  • deferral,  exams

    deferral squared

    May 15, 2014

    Hi!

    I know this question might sound odd and rare… But…I was wondering if it’s possible to be granted a further deferral for a deferred exam? I was supposed to write a deferred exam but the night before I had an internal cyst ruptured, ended up in the ER and had a minor surgery done. I missed an exam that I prepared a whole semester for! I saw on the UofT website that it says “it is not easily granted.” How difficult is it? And what will happen if I don’t get a deferral? Do I get an F? I feel like my luck can’t be worse now.

    Thank you so much!!!

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    “odd and rare” – you make it sound like you’re an exotic bird or something. i hope you are. i hope you’re a toucan.

    if you take a look here and go to ‘Adjustments to the Deferred Examination Schedule,’ you’ll see that “[i]f you have extraordinary reasons creating a conflict (e.g., court appearance, citizenship hearing) you may have to file a further petition with full documentation through your college registrar.”

    now, i know uoft students are tough and all, but even for us, i think a ruptured cyst qualifies as a serious conflict. i’d definitely go to your college registrar and try to get a further deferral. if the deferral isn’t granted, then you wouldn’t be able to write your exam, however, i think that you have pretty legitimate grounds to attempt to get one.

    good luck and i hope they sort out that cyst, geez louise.

    best,

    aska

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