Hi, I would just like to ask something about UofT, I’ve heard from many people how difficult it is, I was wondering whether or not you feel that this is true? Furthermore I was wondering whether or not you feel I would be able to handle the workload, right now I am an IB student, and have roughly an 83 average, looking into their forensic science program. I do a good amount of work as is, and was wondering whether or not I would be even able to pass at UofT. Thank you!
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hey there,
these kinds of questions are tricky to answer, because everyone has a different experience of what’s hard.
i know people in every program – even the mythically difficult ones – who manage to have social lives and do well without breaking themselves studying. i also know people who feel like they’re drowning in a workload that i would find easy.
when it comes down to it, in my experience, difficulty is a result of two things: aptitude and interest.* you can’t really affect the aptitude stuff too much, so the biggest advice i can give you is to take things you’re interested in. yes, in first year, you’re going to test the waters a bit, and you’ll probably take courses that it turns out you don’t like that much.
the important thing is that you?are experimenting and finding out what you really enjoy studying. then you have to actually have the guts to study that thing. it’s not easy, and it could take you a long time to figure out.
maybe you’ll be interested in everything, or maybe it’ll feel like nothing is really holding your attention. those feelings are fine, too – follow them wherever they take you. just don’t try to squish yourself into a box you’re not comfortable with. there’s a fine line between being?challenged and hating what you’re doing. try to feel out that line.
i don’t know that much specifically about forensic science, but my general advice in: go in with an open mind, and you’ll have the shortest route to figuring out how you really want to be spending your time.
obviously, people vary widely in how their marks change when they come to university, but i’ve encountered a lot of people who follow the 10% rule: that is, their average drops about 10% from what it was in high school. i know mine dropped exactly 10% between grade 12 and first year – the gap has since narrowed a little bit, probably since i’ve instituted my “at least 4 hours of sleep every?night” rule. (it’s done wonders for me, really. try it sometime.)
if you work hard and remain relatively engaged with what you’re studying, it’ll be tough not to pass your courses. first year is tough because there are a lot of courses out there designed to weed people out, but even so, most people don’t fail them.
all in all, i wouldn’t worry too much. just focus on finding out how to make university work for you (or how to find something else if it turns out uni is NOT for you), and you’ll be alright.
i mean, none of us are gonna have jobs when we get out of this anyways, so. what is even the point of stressing, tbh.
cheers,
aska
* i mean, i guess it’s also a result of, like, how good your profs are and stuff, but i’m talking about things INTRINSIC to YOU. because we’re all NARCISSISTS here at aska and also we don’t want to offend people who are tenured.
