Hi there! Sorry for bothering you but I am really struggling between UTSC and UTM right now. Little bit of background info: I was accepted to the Co-op Management program at UTSC and the Management program at UTM (did not apply to UTSG). I am also an international student who has received a 65% scholarship for my studies in UToronto, and an additional 19000CAD scholarship from UTM.
Pros for UTSC:
-Can do Co-op which I believe is really good for a student’s future career
-Better sports facilities (especially for my sport) which are really ideal for me
Cons for UTSC:
-Don’t really like the campus, looks pretty sketchy and people don’t seem to like it on Reddit
-More expensive as I will be losing my 19000cad from UTM and Co-op costs more I believe
-The campus just really doesn’t look as nice as UTM but I am not sure because I have really only looked at pictures online
-No free shuttle bus to downtown:(
Pros for UTM:
-nicer campus, more green area which I will feel more comfortable being around
-Lower tuition fee (which is kind of a big deal for me)
-Free shuttle bus!!
-The community just look nicer and suit me better, idk…
Cons for UTM:
-no co-op which I’m not sure if its really that big of a deal (Coz I really need job experience but can I even get any at UTM…)
-might have to travel to downtown/UTSC 3-4 times a week to practice
-isolated area? So hard to find jobs/internships around campus? I am really not sure because I am just so lost:(
I guess UTSC can prepare me for a better career which is truly ideal, but UTM is what I prefer for my 4 years of college life. Would be great if I can get the same amount of work experience at UTSC by attending UTM (is there a way to secure that the school can help me find jobs if I don’t do co-op or am I really going to be on my own:( )
I might even do UTM Commerce in my second year if I study at UTM, but I will probably stick with Co-op management if I study at UTSC. Which one do you think I should choose? Is Co-op really that big of a deal? Is it worth sacrificing part of my college experience/preference for it?
Sorry that I am all over the place, there’s just too much going on in my head and I’m just so worried that I’m going to regret it. Thank you so much for your precious time and help!
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hey there,
congrats on making it into both programs, and with scholarships, too!
quick psa: it would be v cool if people stop sending questions to every single ask box i advertise! this seems to be an international student thing, so you’re not alone in it, but rest assured that i will see your question even if you only send it once.
but you never need to apologize for bothering me, this is what i do. let’s get to it. for anyone who hasn’t been following this epic saga, this post is a part two, it seems, to this one. thank you for taking my suggestion to shorten your question! that’s cool. we love readability.
so you did the epic pros and cons list, i can see. a few notes on that list:
- don’t believe everything you see on u of t’s reddit! from my experience, it’s where the angry people go to congregate.
- finances are definitely something to consider! you’ve been offered a huge scholarship to UTM, and imo that’s hard to turn down.
- it can often be quite difficult to make a judgement about a campus based solely on pictures. here is a webpage offering virtual tours of utsc, and here are some virtual tours of utm residence buildings. you can also try looking video tours up on youtube, which is something i did when i was making my admissions decision!
- utsc has a lot of green space too!
- it’s hard to tell what a school’s community is like until you’re there. i’m curious as to why you think the utm community will suit you better. rest assured you will be able to make friends, find mentors, and study under great profs regardless of whether you choose utm or utsc!
it’s still really hard for me to give you a definitive answer re: which school you should choose, because even if i know what factors you’re considering, i don’t know the weight of each one. for example: if you give up the utm scholarship, will you be taking on that same amount in student loans? or do you have sufficient parental support to not need those loans in the first place? i feel like depending on your situation, the importance of certain things you’re considering can change.
keep in mind that you will (presumably) be spending four entire years of your life as a student at whatever campus you choose. so if you feel like you’d be happier at UTM, that’s not insignificant. four years is a solid chunk of your life. university isn’t just a stepping stone to a future career– it’s an experience, and one that has so far been really precious to me.
that being said, i’m not sure that there’s a way to ensure that u of t helps you get a job without a guaranteed co-op. that isn’t to say there aren’t any student supports to help you find jobs at utm– utm has a fantastic career centre, and like i told you in the last post, the utm management program has programming that will help you get work placements and hands-on experience. ie. MGT480H5 and the certificate in effective business practices and leadership skills. if you end up choosing utm commerce, you’ll have access to the Personal Experience Year (PEY), which is a 12 to 16 month internship also done by students at utsg.
basically, i wouldn’t say you’ll ever be fully on your own. there’s programming at both schools to help ensure that you get hands-on work experience while pursuing your degree. at the very least, your registrar’s office (both at utm and utsc) will be able to provide you with guidance and refer you to career resources.
ultimately, you’re gonna need to take ownership for your decision. there’s no easy formula to success in life. co-ops are important, yes, but you can do great even without one. students at st. george don’t have access to the co-op program that utsc runs, but they tend to be fine. i have full faith in you to make the best decision for yourself. you got this.
i actually think it’s pretty clear which school you want to go to, so…
be Boundless,
aska