• failing,  prereqs

    try try and try again

    December 18, 2014

    Hey,

    I failed a course that is a prerequisite for my program ( I got a 45) and the next offering of the course is not until the next school year, i.e 2015-2016 fall semester. Will I have to wait an entire school year to retake the class or is their possibly anything I can do during this school year?

    PS: How long does it generally take for people to complete their undergrad? I don’t think I’ll be finishing in 4yrs and I’m pretty bummed about it tbh.

    Thanks

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    ahh man, i’m sorry. that’s never a fun experience. you can contact the department to see if there are any other options (like taking an equivalent course at utsc/utm, taking it during the summer – the summer timetable isn’t out yet, so it still may be offered, etc.). but it’s possible you’ll have to wait until next fall/winter.

    you also may want to reflect a bit about whether the subject POSt you’re interested in is the right one for you. maybe contact your college registrar to make an appointment and chat about it.

    as for how long it takes, i have two things to say about that:

    1) lots of people take more than four years to complete their undergrads. people take breaks to work, people do make-up years to boost their GPA, people sometimes want to take more courses at the undergrad level about something that really interests them…the list goes on.

    also, one failed course does not automatically add a year to your degree. don’t resign yourself to a fifth year yet.

    2) even if lots of people DIDN’T take fifth years, that shouldn’t stop YOU from taking one.

    listen, the earlier you learn this lesson, the better it’s gonna be for you: do what you feel most comfortable with. one of the best things about uoft is how flexible it is (EVEN BETTER than the cold, the old buildings with wonky heating, the huge first year classes and the fact that there’s no subway station midway between Queen’s Park and Museum).

    it’s in your best interest to take advantage of that flexibility and make your university experience make sense for YOU. i know failing is never fun, but there are lots of options for you, and if an extra year is something you WANT to do, you shouldn’t let anything stop you. POWER TO THE PEOPLE! or person. singular or plural.

    xoxo,

    aska

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  • course overload

    why do you want to take that many courses in the summer though

    December 18, 2014

    Hello! ~
    Is it at all possible to take 2.5 courses in the summer term? Are there exceptions that would allow this? For example if you were looking to graduate after the summer term. Would you need a certain GPA in order to request for this?
    Thank you! Student

    ———————————————

    hey there student,

    it is possible. what you’re talking about is a course overload, and you can request one through your college registrar’s office.

    school is hard as it is, so yeah, usually you need a pretty good track record taking courses (read: a good GPA) to be granted an overload. if you’re planning on graduating soon, that would probably also help your case. gives a sense of URGENCY to the matter.

    xoxo,

    aska

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  • probation

    term is an ambiguous term

    December 18, 2014

    Hey aska,
    I’m concerned that my gpa from this semester won’t be so great, but my courses next semester are more my speed and should boost it. If I fall below the 1.5 gpa this semester, but bring my gpa back by the end of the year, will I still be in poor academic standing?

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

    hey there,

    i don’t often say this, but?good question. and the answer is: no. academic standing (in the faculty of arts & science at utsg) is determined at the end of a term, and here, there are only two terms: summer and fall/winter. so the next time your academic standing will be determined is in april. at that point, if your CGPA is below a 1.50, you’ll be put on academic probation. otherwise, you’ll be in good standing.

    so you’ve got FOUR MONTHS to redeem myself. best of luck to you, fellow soldier.

    cheers,

    aska

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  • engineering,  grad school

    engineering your acceptance to grad school

    December 18, 2014

    Hello Askastudent!

    I graduated from UTM with a HBSc degree in Chemistry and Mathematics and have attempted to apply to graduate school. I was rejected unfortunately, which made me question my choice to even attend graduate school even if I do eventually get in. I have a 3.0 CGPA and a 3.4 GPA for my last two years, so with more volunteer experience and possibly a college post graduate diploma, I would be able to get in. I have since been looking for other options in order to either increase my chances or find another career path. Two of the choices were an Advanced Lasers program (graduate certificate) and a Chemical Engineering Technology program (fast track diploma). I would like to ask you if you think it would be possible to complete the Chemical Engineering Technology program and be accepted into a master’s degree in chemical engineering.

    Thank you.

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    alright, i’m gonna preface this by saying that you should definitely, definitely follow up on this with the department of chemical engineering and/or the school of graduate studies. grad schools operate kind of on their own, so it’s hard to know what the best move would be in terms of trying to get accepted. even aska, in her infinite knowledge and wisdom*, doesn’t know the inner working of every graduate program admissions committee at this school.

    i think the major problem here is that you have a Bachelor of Science instead of a Bachelor of Engineering, or a Bachelor of Applied Science. because of that, there may not be much you can do to affect your chances – however, you should run it by the department to see how much of an issue it is.

    let’s just assume for now that the degree isn’t an issue.

    since GPA and references are the only things that’re used to determine admission, there’s a limited amount of things you can do to boost your chances. i’d recommend thinking about taking another year and taking some courses to boost your GPA.

    if your third year wasn’t as strong, you can increase your chances by taking another year. that way, your admission this time around will be based on your fourth and fifth years, instead of your third and fourth.

    i don’t know whether having a diploma would help you much. however, like i said, it’s worth asking chem eng. about it. ask about doing an extra year, ask about how helpful the certificate and diploma programs would be, and if there’s someone you can talk to about what specifically was weak about your first application, that would probably be the most helpful thing.

    good luck!

    cheers,

    aska

    *and charm and beauty

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  • courses

    we go together

    December 18, 2014

    hi aska, i’m a second yr student at uoft st george and i’m currently enrolled in a course for next semester called uni250 , which is health research methods.how ever i just looked at the course calendar and realized that uni250 is a corequisite for a course i have to take next yr for my major. do i have to drop uni250 or can i take it and still take the other course next semester, or will i be kicked out?

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    it depends. best thing to do is to e-mail the department that that offers the course that uni250 is a corequisite for*, and ask if they HAVE to be taken together, or if it would be okay if you took them sequentially.

    the departments are ultimately the people who will drop you like a hot potato from any course you don’t meet the requirements for, so they’re the people you should ask about it.

    just make sure you e-mail instead of call them , because if you get their permission, you’ll want that in writing. you don’t want to get permission from one person, get dropped from the course by another person, and then have NO PROOF that you got permission in the first place. so get it in writing, always. that’s just good life advice, actually.

    cheers,

    aska

    * that is the most hellish sentence structure i’ve ever seen or written, but it actually makes sense. i think.

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  • admissions

    cyborgs rule our LIVES

    December 16, 2014

    How does the top 6 sorting work? Does admissions put it through a computer or sort it themselves?

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    well, there’s a whole lot of data that the university has to crunch every year, so they’re certainly not just going through everybody’s marks with a pencil and a magnifying glass.

    the university uses multiple algorithms to determine eligibility based on a whole bunch of criteria (like, whether your final marks are in or just midterm marks, what those marks are, etc. etc. etc.)

    however, human eyes do pass over the data to make sure that no one is refused who is eligible for admission. so don’t worry – a mistake on a computer is not about to ruin your life.

    cheers,

    aska

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  • other schools (boo!)

    you’re in the wrong place, amigo

    December 16, 2014

    I had a question about transferring between 1st and 2nd semester… how does one go about doing this? I’m at Seneca and I want to go back to my hometown college (mohawk) or maybe humber or something not in this area….
    Also, how do I deal with OSAP if I transfer in the middle of the year? Do I reapply, ask for a transfer..? sos I’m confused

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    wait, lemme get this straight. you’re at seneca, and you want to transfer to mohawk or humber? so you’ve never attended?and don’t plan to ever attend uoft?

    you know that this blog answers questions related to the university of toronto, right? if you have questions about colleges, you should probably ask them.

    best,

    aska

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  • probation

    the registrar’s office is your favourite place

    December 16, 2014

    hey
    so last year i failed two courses and they were the only ones i was taking. i have assumed that i am on academic probation, however i was never notified that i am on academic probation. what does this mean? does this mean that since i never received a credit for either course that it doesn’t warrant probation? i’m currently successfully enrolled in a bunch of courses. i don’t understand what is going on.
    cheers x

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    i’m thinking you’re probably on academic probation (you’re allowed to be enrolled in courses when you’re on probation).

    however, the rules related to determining academic standing have changed recently in the faculty of arts & science, and they’re different in different uoft faculties and between the three campuses, and since you didn’t give me ANNNYYYYY context about where you’re from, there are a whole bunch of factors which mean that you may or may not currently be on probation.

    you know what the best thing to do would be? can you guess it? can you guess what i’m about to say?

    ……………………

    yep! you guessed it! go and have a nice chat with your registrar’s office. i would link to where your registrar’s office is located and a handy phone number you can reach them at, but i don’t know where you go to school. so. just use this, i guess.

    best,

    aska

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  • courses

    mosey on downtown for some courses

    December 16, 2014

    Im currently at utsc and got into computer science from high school. I have changed my mind and have decided to go towards a life science related degree. I have taken all the required courses except for BIOA01 and BIOA02 since they are restricted and I get this, http://i.imgur.com/PJ2UgGX.jpg . I would like to take the equivalent courses at utsg during the summer.
    My questions are:1. Is this possible 2. What courses are equivalent? 3. What process do I have to go through (i.e is there anything I have to fill in/ do specifically)?
    Thanks for the help.

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    1) it is possible for a utsc student to take utsg courses, summer or not. however, you’ll have to enrol a little bit later than the utsg students, so it’s not totally guaranteed that you’ll get a spot, even if you meet prereqs, pay your fees on time, etc. it’s an EXCITING GAMBLE you play when you try to enrol in courses on other campuses.

    also, just a note: enrolment controls might get in the way of your enrolment in UTSG bio courses as well, so i would read up on them before enrolment time comes.

    make sure you don’t have any exclusions for the courses you want, that you’re eligible to take them, etc. etc. if you run into a problem, talk to your registrar’s office about it now, before the absolute mania of summer happens.

    2) according to transfer explorer, your BIOAO1 is our BIO130, and your BIOaO2 is our BIO120.

    (p.s. y’all should really use transfer explorer more, like half the questions i get about transfer credit stuff can be answered with transfer explorer. jsyk).

    3) no process. just enrol in the courses you want when the time comes.

    cheers,

    aska

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  • OSAP,  residence

    takin’ care of business, everyday…

    December 16, 2014

    Dear askastudent,

    Google and the terrible UofT website have been able to answer the majority of my questions but unfortunately not these ones. That is, however, where you come in.

    – Will my OSAP cover the first payment on my residence or will I have to take care of business myself?

    – Whilst applying for Victoria College I checked off my interest in residence. If I (And I will so this is a non-issue) fail to get into Vic will I have to confirm my interest in residence at all the other colleges I may end up in? I like to deal with things as pre-emptively as possible, to prevent future issues and so if I could deal with this now it would be best.

    Thank you very much for your time wise askastudent. Have an excellent, fun filled evening.

    Sincerely,
    The Muscles Champ

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

    hey there Muscles Champ,

    *huffs* how dare you call the uoft website TERRIBLE? terrible, with its circuitous, illogical tangents and constantly moving web pages? nonsense! it’s not terrible, it’s?magical.

    1) it all depends. apply for OSAP, and when they release an estimate of how much aid you’re eligible for (that’s fancy talk for how much money you’re likely to get), they’ll tell you the dates that each instalment will be released.

    then you just have to figure out when your residence fees are due, and do the math. and then you can, as you said,?take?care of business, whatever the case may be.

    2) nahh.

    basically how it works is that, if you’re interested in residence, you do everything through a myres application. you’ll have to indicate your initial interest in residence through myres by march 31st.

    then, once you’ve been accepted to uoft and given your college placement, you’ll log into myres again. at that point, myres will recognize which college you’re a part of, and they’ll only list residence options that are available to you. so if you get into vic, you might?be given vic residence and chestnut (which is not affiliated with any college), for example.

    i hope you also have an excellent, fun filled evening, Muscles Champ. and thanks for the kind wishes.

    cheers,

    aska

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  • courses

    i like the lecture that’s closer to the second cup

    December 16, 2014

    Hey aska!
    I have a question that has been eating brain for a couple of days now: are the tests and exams of different lecture sections taught by different professors the same? For next semester (first year at UTSG) I’m thinking of attending lecture sections that I’m not officially enrolled in (BIO130 and CHM139), but the sections are taught by different professors – so do you know if the material covered and the tests will be the same, or do they differ? Does it even matter if I attend different sections (no attendance right?) or should I ‘sign up’ on the waiting list?
    Thanks!

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    the tests will probably differ. it’s a pretty big risk to attend a lecture taught by a different prof, because while they’ll teach the same stuff, they might emphasize different things.

    also, if you want to write the tests, you will have to write them in the lecture section that you’ve signed up for. so if you’re going to lectures by a prof different from the prof who’s writing your tests and exams, that could be a problem.

    at the end of the day, no one’s gonna stop you from going to whichever lecture section you want. you’re all grown up now; you can do what you want. but there is a risk involved, so just be careful.

    cheers,

    aska

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  • exams,  studying

    how 2 study for exams

    December 4, 2014

    it seems like it’s always the time of year when everyone’s saying “it’s that time of year again!” exams never really go away, do they? even when they’re not happening, you still carry around the weight of them somewhere deep in your soul.

    that’s why people have exam nightmares up until the age of like 90 or whatever. they let exams seep into their very bones, like a coca-cola?stain in a carpet. that stuff’ll never wash out.

    since exams are going to happen whether we want them to or not, here are some tips about how to get through the exam period alive. last year askastudent released this monolith of text?which is all about study tips. this year, i thought i’d write a follow-up of EVEN MORE HELPFUL tips. because the second time has always got to be BIGGER and BETTER, or so my friends in marketing keep telling me.

    TIP #1: SELF CARE.

    uoft has really tried to emphasize self care recently. i think that’s great. it’s important to take a break from studying so that you can feel energized when you get back to it. whatever you can do to de-stress is great. for example, there were recently therapy dogs at Sid Smith for people to cuddle and play with.

    i’m fatally allergic to dogs, so a CUTE TWIST on the therapy dog idea for myself, personally, is to go to one of these student spaces that are suddenly filled with dogs, stick my face into one of the puppy’s faces until it licks me, and then DIE.

    then, all i have to do is fill out a verification of illness and injury form, and i don’t have to write my exams! hashtag use your resources.

    TIP #2: CALL YOUR FRIEND WHO IS NO LONGER AND SCHOOL AND DOES NOT CARE TO COMPLAIN

    “hey, madison? what’s up? *sniffle*”

    “oh, nothing much, i just finished a 17-hour shift at work and i am absolutely exhausted. i had to get off the subway a stop early ’cause this guy was rubbing himself up against me. now i have to walk two blocks extra before i get home. i can’t feel my legs. my rent is due in two days and i don’t know how i’m gonna get the last $150 together because my roommate moved back to texas with her ex-boyfriend. i don’t even remember the name of the last guy who didn’t call me. anyway, what’s up with you?”

    “oh, i just…i’m just kinda stressed with…you know, exams and stuff…”

    “dude. i may have to sell my kidney to pay rent. you live with your parents. you’re studying instead of working at a horrible job you hate. you can buy food using OSAP money. stop complaining and get back to studying.”

    “o-okay…love you, madison.”

    “don’t call me again. i may not be able to pay my phone bill.”

    TIP #3: CRY

    here is my personal playlist of songs to cry to around exams!

    1. American Idiot, by Green Day

    2. Idiot, by Coldplay

    3. Dumb All Over, by Frank Zappa

    4. Dumb, by Jason DeRoulo

    5. Tonight I Wanna Cry, by Keith Urban

    TIP #4: GO INTO A CAFFEINE-INDUCED FRENZY 24 HOURS BEFORE THE EXAM. STUDY WITHOUT SLEEPING. STUDY SO HARD YOU GO A BIT CROSS-EYED. STUDY UNTIL YOUR EYEBROW STARTS TWITCHING. KEEP STUDYING EVEN AFTER YOUR EYEBROW FALLS OFF AND LIES IN SPASM ON THE FLOOR. GO INTO YOUR EXAM THE NEXT DAY WITHOUT SLEEPING. WRITE FOR THREE HOURS AS THE WALLS OF THE EXAM HALL CURVE?INTO YOU LIKE BENDY STRAWS. DON’T REALLY REMEMBER HOW YOU GET HOME. SLEEP FOR FIFTEEN HOURS INSTEAD OF PREPPING FOR THE NEXT ONE.

    and those are aska’s four TOP TIPS about how to prepare for your exams! tweet me @askastudentuoft letting me know how YOU study for exams!

    xoxo,

    aska

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