Hi aska! I have a series of questions and I hope you can help me with them! As background info, I’m a UTM first-year going into second year, and I am unsure if I want to stay at UTM or if I want to transfer to UTSG. I’m planning on specializing in accounting and majoring in economics. Here it goes:
1) Is there a significant difference between UTM Commerce and Rotman Commerce? I know we both get a BCom degree from U of T, but from reading internet posts, it seems like they’re two different worlds.
2) I’m unsure whether UTM was the right choice for me, and seem to be inclined to want to transfer to UTSG. Don’t get me wrong, I love UTM, but there’s something that’s telling me that UTSG is where I belong. Is it easy to transfer internally??
3) I really want to get into Commerce, but if I transfer into UTSG, I know that Rotman Commerce is very difficult to get into after first year. Since they don’t publish an official cutoff for ArtSci transfers, do you know what the unofficial cutoff could be? Like the average of the people that were able to transfer? (BTW, I completed most of the required 1st-year courses, except for MGT120 which I’m just about to complete.)
4) I went to the Internal Transfers application website, and noticed that there are no transfers available for UTSG. Is there a specific timeframe as to when we’re allowed to complete a transfer application?
5) If I apply for a transfer to ArtSci, and they accept me, do I instantly get kicked out of UTM? What if I change my mind and want to stay at UTM?
6) Is there a GPA cutoff for transferring to ArtSci? If I do plan on transferring, I want to apply to University College. Does it have a minimum GPA or requirements?
I’m sorry for making this long, and trust me, I also want to go over this with my Registrar. However, I think it would be awkward talking to them about transferring out. Thank you in advance! Take care aska!
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hey there,
wow. lot of ground to cover here. why don’t we just get right to it?
1. they’re different in some ways, but probably not as much as people at either school say. you can take a look at the program requirements for rotman’s programs and UTM’s and make a judgement call yourself. you can also read more about rotman’s programs here.
obviously, rotman’s behemoth reputation is the elephant in the room that i can’t address, because i just don’t know how much of that is accurate, and how much is just good marketing. i do know that the programs are different enough that students in rotman can’t take the equivalent UTM or UTSC courses for their degree.
people are always gonna try to create an us-versus-them binary, so to some extent, you just have to ignore that stuff. however, you do need to decide which one is right for you, and the best way to do that is actually visit rotman yourself. they can even connect you with a current student who can give you the inside scoop about their experience!
2. just to be clear, rotman commerce does not accept internal transfers. you would have to transfer to the Faculty of Arts & Science into some other program and then apply to rotman after second year. here are the stats for registered transfer applicants versus transfer applicants at uoft – but keep in mind this data is from 2008 and has probably changed. the world’s changed a lot since then; crazy frog isn’t even popular anymore.
3. yes, it is very diffcult (from rotman: “Entry into Rotman Commerce through this route is very competitive. Students who apply are advised to simultaneously ensure that they have appropriate prerequisites for other Arts and Science programs of interest.“) as always, i have no idea about cutoffs to programs. rotman doesn’t tell me these things. (rude, tbh. but what’re you gonna do?)
4. the deadline to transfer internally to the faculty of arts & science was january 31st.
5. as far as i know, you would just have to accept the offer of admission from UTSG. but double-check with your registrar.
i’m all for talking to your registrar about your options (as always), but at this point, you’re looking at: transferring to UTSG, possibly having to spend an extra year in the Faculty of Arts & Science (to take RSM100Y, at least), applying to rotman and then hoping to get in despite the extremely competitive admissions process. it seems to me like it would be a lot easier to stay in UTM commerce, but as always, it is your decision. whatever feels right, is right.
cheers,
aska