• enrollment

    i’ll never let go *cue celine dion*

    September 25, 2015

    Hey aska,

    I’m interested in doing HIS280, but unfortunately its a year-long course that clashes in timing with a fall course and a winter course that are important for me to do. Would you happen to know the procedure for requesting another lecture section for HIS280?

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

    hey there,

    unfortunately there’s only one lecture section available for HIS280H1, and you can’t really request that another one be opened up – that’s up to the department to decide on their own, in cases of overwhelming demand.

    you would have to find a way to work the rest of your schedule around the HIS280, or let go of it.

    keep in mind you have until this sunday to do this!

    cheers,

    aska

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  • prereqs

    malfoy voice: “i didn’t know you could read”

    September 25, 2015

    Hi. I’m taking both MAT232 and MAT244 this semester but I am planning to drop MAT244 and take it next year instead. However the prequisite for MAT244 says MAT233 or corequisite MAT232. Does that means that for me to take MAT244 next year I have to take MAT233 too? Or taking MAT232 is fine?

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    so, maybe i’m missing something here, or maybe you just can’t read, but as far as i can tell, the prerequistes for MAT244 are either MAT135+136/137/157 and MAT223/240. as far as i can tell, MAT233 is not a course that exists. neither is 232.

    if you mean MAT223 or 240 – then yes, you would only have to take one of the two to satisfy the prereq requirements.

    essentially, you would need to take one of the classes from every ‘group’ in the prerequisite line to fulfill the requirements. for example, if you were to take MAT137 and 240, you would be good. you would not also have to take MAT135+136, MAT157 and MAT223.

    basically, any time there’s a slash, that’s an “or,” rather than an “and.”

    also keep in mind that you will have to take one of the listed corequisites while you’re taking MAT244.

    just follow what it says in the calendar listing, and you’ll be A-ok.

    peace,

    aska

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  • grad school,  law school

    i’m a puBLISHED AUTHOR

    September 25, 2015

    Noticed numerous people who had a lack of any significant EC’s during their UG state that publishing of a paper looked fairly good on their CV while applying to law school or grad school. Just something I noticed; so I was curious what aska’s opinion about this? ( I know aska isn’t on the admissions board or anything – but y’know; aska’s opinion’s are always insightful and valuable) Also – how can I get a paper published at U of T (Note: I’m a UTSC student)

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    i love how you referred to me in the third person throughout this whole question. makes me feel like a famous person.

    anyway – yeah, as you all know, i’m no expert on this stuff. also, there is a HUGE difference between law school and grad school. the admission requirements for grad school vary widely depending on what program you’re attending, whereas law school has its own individual breed of application.

    generally speaking, if an application includes any kind of personal statement or CV, then including published work is definitely beneficial – though not, typically, a requirement. especially if your grad program is an academic or research-based degree, as opposed to a professional degree, published work in academic journals or magazines can be a huge plus.

    law school is a bit different. most law schools require some kind of personal statement in addition to transcripts and LSAT scores, but it differs from most grad school applications. law school statements are all about spinning a narrative about yourself.

    according to uoft’s Faculty of Law, “[s]uccessful statements tend to be those that feature clear and authentic writing…There is no template to follow as the statement serves as the means for self-expression and self-description.”

    you can take a look at some examples of successful personal statement for uoft law here.

    so – yes. published work can only ever be a positive when it comes to applications. it’s rarely a requirement, but i’d say it counts just as much – not more or less – as extra curricular involvement.

    cheerio,

    aska

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  • tutorials

    the mystery of the missing tutorial

    September 24, 2015

    ok i’m not 100% sure you could help but i’m in soc101 and i have a friend in that class who says that when she enrolled acorn asked her to choose a tutorial time? but acorn didn’t ask me to do that and now i’m totally lost on how to sign up for a tutorial or whether i’ll get into one at all???? especially because it’s a huge class???????

    to be fair i don’t have class until wednesday so i guess i could run to the front then and try and ask but since it’s a con hall lecture i doubt i’ll be able to… help please??

    i am sorry for the lack of capitals and terrible grammar i am in a panic

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    you can always double-check if you have a tutorial by looking at the timetable.

    (honestly, it’s a good idea to treat this as a general rule of thumb – if there is anything you don’t know about a course, check to see if the timetable has that information. or you could e-mail me. but as you’ve seen, i get a lot of e-mails and you won’t always get your answer right away – so it’s your choice).

    SOC101Y1 DOES have tutorials. i’m not sure why you weren’t able to find them on ACORN – i’m able to see it when i log in myself.

    the tutorials don’t have any enrolment controls, so you should be able to get in at this point. some of the tutorials do have space left, so there’s no need to panic! take a look on ACORN again, and if you still can’t see them, talk to your registrar’s office about it.

    best,

    aska

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  • grad school,  grades

    can’t get away from your GPA

    September 24, 2015

    The grad school I wish to apply to requires a course and they need the grade from that course, I’m worried that the course will affect my GPA. So my question is, once I graduate, can I come back and take undergrad courses without them affecting my current GPA/transcript? or will they affect my grades irregardless of taking the course after graduation or before.

    As the school said I needed it done before matriculation, not stipulating whether it had to be done at UofT.

    Regards.

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    good question. unfortunately, courses – and their grades – are always noted on a transcript and will be factored into your CGPA, regardless of whether they’re completed before graduation or after graduation.

    chin up, though! i know you can do it! uoft isn’t…that hard…

    best of luck,

    aska

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  • courses

    the registrar can’t help you now

    September 23, 2015

    okay so I really need this class and fortunately I got off the waiting list! problem now is, there is only one space left for the practical and it conflicts with another course that I really need. is there any way I could ask someone to squeeze me in on another prac time? should i contact my registrar about this or are there other authorities who can assist me with my request? thank you thank you thank you

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    unfortunately, the registrar can’t put you into the course. HOWEVER, you can talk to the department about it. they may be able to put you into a practical section.

    keep in mind, though, that you have until September 27th to add or change F and Y section courses – including labs. make sure to check if there’s a lab with space left before going in to the department, because you can still add a lab yourself on ACORN! power to the people, and all that.

    cheers,

    aska

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  • Transferring

    a nomad

    September 23, 2015

    hey I’m currently a first year student at utsc (life science if that?matters) and was wondering how hard it would be for me to internally?transfer to utsg for my second year into the health studies program or?criminology without having to start again from first year at utsg. I’m?mostly just wondering how hard is it to just transfer from utsc to utsg?after first year.

    The reason why I want to transfer is because utsc doesn’t really offer what?I want in terms of my personal education (not a lot of course?selection/programs) and also that I’ve matured greatly over the summer and?I have realized what I actually want in life vs what my parents want from?me in life.

    I’ve heard that in general it’s hard for students from utsc to internally?transfer to utsg. I was wondering (guess I’ve been wondering a lot lately)?if it would be easier for me to just drop out of utsc and use my?high-school grades from grade 12 to reapply to utsg this year or should I?just stay in utsc and transfer to utsg for second year? (If it’s actually?rather easy and what I’ve been hearing are just rumours)

    (Okay I’ve just confused my self now with all my wording, I tend to do that?a lot)

    Basically I’m trying to avoid starting from first year all over again (if?possible) since I want to transfer from utsc to utsg. However, if it is?indeed harder to internally transfer campuses and be accepted, would It be?better for me to drop out of utsc while I still can and use my high-school?grades to reapply to utsg?

    Also if it is highly unlikely for an internal transfer between campus and I?do have to drop out and use my high-school grades for a better chance, is?it possible to enter utsg during the winter term (so something like a?deferred year I guess?) so that I wouldn’t just be at home wasting a whole?year. (if there is something like that, how does it work?)

    Thank you so much for reading through my mini essay of complicated?questions.

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

    hey there,

    as usual, the answer to this question depends on a whole bunch of factors which i don’t know about you. so, i’m just gonna go through everything you mentioned point by point, and you can connect the dots depending on what your exact situation is.

    1. is it hard to get into utsg as a transfer student from utsc??

    not particularly. at least, i wouldn’t say it’s significantly?easier than getting in from high school.

    however, that depends on how good your grades are now, and also which program you want to transfer into.

    generally speaking, you need to have at least a B average?to have a reasonably good chance of getting in from another university. is that easy? who knows. it depends on the person. but you can use that ‘B’ average as a benchline to figure out where you stand.

    you would also need to fulfil any program prerequisites for the program you’re applying to. some programs have more prerequisites, and some have fewer, so that will affect the process as well.

    you can take a look at the first-year requirements for health studies here, and for criminology here, and you can figure out if any of your courses could count as transfer credit for those prerequisites here.

    2. should you just quit university and apply again from scratch??

    i mean, you?could, if that’s what you wanted to do. you’re in charge of your own life. if you feel like you have more worthwhile things to be doing this year other than going to school, or you’re not ready or excited for school, then by all means, take that time off. do what is important to you.

    but DON’T just take the year off because you think it will give you a better chance at getting into uoft again next year. it will likely be a smarter move to stay in school, do as well as you can, and then apply to transfer with a strong first year.

    3. will you just have to do first year again??

    highly unlikely. most people who transfer get at least some transfer credits from their first year of university – even if you’re changing?from life sci. to criminology.

    you cannot defer your offer at this point. you also cannot come into utsg in the winter term. since the downtown campus has a lot of year-long classes, the only time you can enter is in the Fall term.

    if you need more information or just want to mull this over a bit more with someone (which i always recommend), then drop by your registrar’s office.

    cheers,

    aska

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  • admissions,  physics

    up that grade

    September 18, 2015

    I’m out of high school and upgrading for a year. I do not yet know what I want to do but I am leaning towards life sciences/ medicine. I took Bio and Chem, and have OK math marks (not superb but I didn’t fail). Would you recommend taking physics as part of my upgrade?

    Thank you so much for your advice! I really appreciate it!
    Sincerely,
    A confused student

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    by upgrading, do you mean that you’re taking high school courses before applying to your undergrad?

    if so, taking physics will not necessarily improve your application. if you’re not applying to a program that requires physics, then there’s no reason that having taken physics will be beneficial for you.*

    as a high school applicant to uoft, your admission is based on the average mark of your top 6 grade 12 university or mixed courses, including any prerequisites to the program you’ve applied to.

    if physics isn’t required and you don’t anticipate doing very well, then it might not be a great idea to take it. what you may want to do instead is take courses where you think you’ll do well. that way, the courses you take will increase your average and give you a better chance of being admitted.

    not to generalize, but if your math marks were only ok, then you will probably find physics difficult. now, i don’t know you, and i could be wrong about that. ultimately, it is your decision. if you think you will do extremely well in physics, then by all means: take it.

    however, you shouldn’t be taking a course as part of an upgrade that you aren’t fairly certain will be among your strengths.

    as for medical school – physics will not make or break your application, especially at the high school level. med school actually has relatively loose requirements in terms of which courses you have to take. it’s all about your marks, interview, and MCAT scores there.

    so ultimately, your primary focus should be your confidence level around physics. if you feel it’s going to be too difficult, don’t feel pressured to take it.

    best of luck with it!

    aska

    *obviously, if you’re applying to a program that DOES require physics, then you should take it.

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  • dropping courses

    drop date, flop fate

    September 18, 2015

    what happens if we drop a course after september 20? does this apply to winter courses as well? or can we drop them once the winter session comes around?

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    alright, so here are the important dates around dropping courses:

    september 20th: the day the waitlist drops for F and Y courses. from the 20th to the 27th, there will be a free-for-all where anyone (with the appropriate prerequisites) can sign up for courses if there is space available.

    september 27th: the last day to make changes to F and Y courses – that means that this is the last day you can enrol in courses. it is also the last day you can drop a course and expect a full 100% refund, if you’re on per course fees.

    november 8th: the last day to drop courses from your academic record and GPA. after this date, the mark will be recorded, or, if you drop the course, it will be noted ‘LWD’ for ‘late withdraw.’

    january 24th: the last day to add or change S courses.

    february 15th: the last day to drop Y courses from your academic record and GPA.

    march 13th: the last day to drop S courses from your academic record and GPA.

    hope that slew of dates clears up your confusion, friend. and in future, don’t be afraid to Google ‘sessional dates uoft’ and click on the first or second week – it’s not as tricky as you might think.

    cheers,

    aska

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  • wait list

    good news for once

    September 18, 2015

    Hey! I’m ranked #2 in a waitlist for a class that has 350 students. Is there any chance that I’d get in before September 20?

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    the general rule of thumb is that if your spot on the waitlist is within 10% of the total number of spots in the course, you have a good chance of getting in.

    now, if you put your impressive, university-level analytical skills to work, you may notice that the number 2 is less than the number 35, which in turn is 10% of 350. so yes, you will probably get in.

    ooh! nothing like a little bit of math on a friday to put a spring in aska’s step.

    xoxo,

    aska

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  • grad school,  psychology

    the answer is yes. and no.

    September 18, 2015

    Hi Aska! I have a question regarding the psych graduate program. In order to get into the psychology graduate program at uoft do you need to major in psych or do a specialist in it?

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    not necessarily. however, if you are interested in uoft’s master’s program, for example, you would have to have completed at least 6.0 credits in psychology (including statistics and lab work) – which may as well be the psychology major.

    however, you don’t actually have to have ‘psychology specialist’ or ‘psychology major’ noted on your transcript, as long as you do the courses.

    also, the department of psychology at uoft notes that “[s]tudents with a strong background in mathematics, physical or biological science, neuroscience, or computer science are especially encouraged to apply even if they have fewer than the suggested number of psychology courses.”

    so basically, you do have to have a strong background in psychology, but you don’t have to be a psych major or specialist. as always at uoft, the answer’s always more complicated than a simple yes or no.

    cheers,

    aska

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  • suspension

    an optimistic suspense

    September 17, 2015

    Hi! I got suspended for a year at UofT, but I know it will be a good opportunity to help me discover my passion. Can I still attend all of my courses and purchase like textbooks? My goal this year is to discover my learning skill, and improve my habits. I’m very positive and optimistic, I am going to still get involved. I’m going to boost my GPA next september, and study my passion.

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    this is an amazing attitude to have, and i admire it. you have absolutely focused in on the two most important things coming off suspension:

    1. learning study skills and developing habits that will help you become a better student
    2. doing some self-reflection about what you want at university, so that if you decide to come back, it will be doing something you enjoy and can be successful in.

    some of this stuff you can do in discussion with the school, but you do need to understand that you can’t be in school while you’re on suspension.

    technically, you can purchase textbooks from the uoft bookstore (or bob miller, etc.) regardless of whether you’re a student. attending classes, not so much. in fact, you are not allowed to enrol in courses – at uoft or elsewhere – while you are on suspension.

    however, that doesn’t mean that you should or have to check out entirely. i do recommend that you make an appointment with your faculty/college registrar’s office to figure out a game plan. they can help you figure out what you should be doing in your year off, and which opportunities you should pursue.

    best of luck with it, and hope to see you back soon!

    aska

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  • work-study

    jobs all over the place

    September 16, 2015

    Hello!
    I’m in 2nd year and decided to apply to a couple of work-study programs a few days ago but the u of t site says that you start working on the 14th (even though the deadline for the apps are in october?) and I haven’t gotten a reply from any of the places I applied to. Plus one of them sent me an automated response saying that they were on vacation until classes start (the 14th). When do they usually hire and did I apply too late?

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    so the final deadline to apply to work study in general is October 2nd. after October 2nd, all postings will automatically disappear and hiring will end until the summer.

    HOWEVER, some work study positions take their postings down earlier because they need their work studies to start earlier for whatever reason.

    if you come across a posting you’re interested in, follow the deadline that’s specific to the posting. if they don’t include one in the posting, assume that you can apply until the 2nd and just submit your application. what’s the worst that could happen?

    some of them hire really early, and some go right until the deadline, so there’s really no “early” or “late.” there are still plenty of opportunities left – so don’t give up hope! you too, can make just enough money to eat out too often at cheap pizza joints at 1am on a Tuesday.*

    cheers,

    aska

    * no, i don’t do that. what would possibly make you think that? that’s just my whimsical, artistic interpretation of the modern student’s life. i am actually remarkably put together and always in bed by 10:30pm. so. admire me.

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