• subject POST,  UTSC

    *standing ovation*

    November 11, 2014

    Hi, I am a first year student here at UTSC and I have a question. What the hell is a subject POST??!

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    first off, i want to point out how GREAT this question is. it’s to the point, it includes the campus you’re from, AND it has so many question marks and exclamation points that my HEART RATE ACCELERATES just from LOOKING at it.

    like, i haven’t even had my coffee yet, and this question has got me moving closer towards cardiac arrest! whoo! what a question to wake up to!

    subject POSt stands for ‘subject Program of Study’ and it’s basically just a bunch of courses that make up a program. a POSt can be a specialist, major or minor.

    in order to graduate from uoft, you need to complete a certain combination of subject POSts. those combinations are: one specialist, two majors, or one major and two minors. you can get into other wacky combos like a specialist and a minor or two majors and a minor or a specialist and a major, but the first three are kind of the default.

    you apply to your POSt(s) after you’ve completed 4.0 credits, which for most people is in the summer after first year (between April and September).

    for that reason, it’s a good idea to browse the list of subject POSts before then so that you have some idea what you want to study when it comes time to apply. keep in mind, though, that you can (to a certain extent) change POSts after second year, if you’re unhappy with what you’ve chosen. so don’t FREAK OUT, alright?

    cheers,

    aska

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  • late withdrawal,  Transferring

    how much LWD is too much LWD

    November 10, 2014

    Hey Aska!
    I was wondering if you know how LWDs affect chances of transferring, for example, from UTSG to UTM, UTSC to UTSG or etc.
    Thanks!

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    LWDs aren’t particularly harmful all on their own. if you have had a reasonably good time at whatever uoft campus you’re at, and there’s an LWD somewhere on that transcript, that’s not a big deal. the important thing is that you have a competitive CGPA and AGPA, and you meet any program prerequisites.

    however, if you have a whole bunch of LWDs and your marks aren’t that great, then what that indicates is that you just generally haven’t been having a great time of it academically. if that’s the case, then yeah, your application might be affected.

    however, if that is the case, you can always write a letter explaining any extenuating circumstances relating to your academics to the university. as long as the extenuating circumstances aren’t, like, you preferred to play video games instead of do your assignments. the university doesn’t like that so much.

    cheers,

    aska

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  • med school

    Dr. Aska to the rescue

    November 10, 2014

    Hi,

    I have a few questions with regards to UofT med school marking schemes.?Does UofT med school consider a 3-4 course load as a full course load or?does it have to be 5 course load per term?

    I am aware that UofT Med school? drops 4 lowest full-course equivalent?grades for applicants with 4 full-time years.?My first year with regards to gpa is a complete disaster, and I am highly?concerned with my future application for Med school acceptance at UofT for?2017.

    Regards.

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

    hey there,

    5.0 credits/term is the going rate for ‘full course load.’

    if you did not take a full course load, then yeah, the ‘weighting formula’ which allows you to drop the lowest 4.0 FCEs from the admissions GPA will not apply, so in that case, those first year courses would still be factored into your GPA.

    i would recommend talking to your registrar’s office about how severely that may affect you. since i don’t know your GPA, i can’t really say how much cause for concern you have (for the record, a 3.8 is considered ‘competitive’). you can also call?416-978-7928, which is the faculty of medicine’s ‘admissions inquiries’ number, ’cause they’ll definitely know what they’re talking about. they’ll?certainly know more than i do.

    cheers,

    aska

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  • midterms

    NEVER SKIP CLASS

    November 10, 2014

    Hi there, so I’ve been trying really hard this year to improve my gpa. So far, my hard work has paid off and I’ve been getting 80’s in most of my classes. My mom told me she’s really proud of me, which makes me more determined than ever to maintain my grades. Last week, I skipped one of my classes as I thought there was a movie scheduled for that day. I just found out that the movie was scheduled for today and I missed my midterm. I cannot make up the test without a legitimate excuse and I’m absolutely devastated. I burst into tears when I told my mom because I felt ashamed and disappointed in myself. I know it was an honest mistake, but I can’t help but think that all of this is my fault. I received an 82.5% on my last assignment, which is worth 20%. The midterm is worth 25% of my entire grade and I now have a zero. Even if I get 80% on my next assignment and exam, I’ll only receive a 60% when, really, I’m striving for something higher. The course is chosen as an additional credit for my ANT minor program and I could’ve technically picked another course, but I don’t want to drop it since it’ll be a waste of money. I don’t want my gpa to suffer because of a stupid mistake, but I must face reality. Do you have any advice? Will credit/no credit work in this case?

    Lesson learned: Never skip class.

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    well, it doesn’t hurt to talk to the professor about it. i’m not saying that they’ll let you make it up, but it’s worth trying. there’s no real formal procedure for in-class tests and assignments like there is for final exams, so that’s about all i can advise.

    if it’s an F-section course, then the deadline to credit/no-credit it has already passed, but if it’s a yearlong course, you can still do it. however, if it’s a program requirement for your minor, you’re not allowed to credit/no-credit it anyway.

    so…yeah. don’t skip class, but if you do and you make a mistake like this, just try your best to explain it to the prof. and if they’re not willing to let you retake it then, hey, it’s not the end of the world. you can move on from this. don’t beat yourself up about it – we all make dumb mistakes.*

    best,

    aska

    * well, i don’t. but then, i’m an invincible, perfect being. students, though – students make mistakes all the time. and that’s ok.

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  • admissions,  UTM

    i am the epitome of communication AND culture

    November 10, 2014

    Hello! So i have a couple questions regarding the Communication, Culture, Information & Technology program.

    First of all is there anyway i can get more information on the program from UTM? I wasn’t able to attend the fall information day and I’ve already looked on the website at the program description, but i would like to know a little more about it if possible. So if there’s a number i can call or an email i can contact that would be great! Or if you know anything about the program please further enlighten me on it! I am aware that within the CCIT program there are a multiple interdisciplinary specialist programs, The one i’m interested in is the IDM (Interactive Design Media). On the UTM website it said that i have to apply after my first year of CCIT and that spaces are limited. So my next question is when applying on the ouac website do i just select IDM or select CCIT and then after my first year reapply to IDM? Also, if i do not get accepted into the IDM program after my first year, what happens? Do i continue on doing CCIT as a major? Im just really confused about the admission process. My last question is does the IDM specialization have coop/ internship opportunities?

    Sorry about all of these questions! I really hope you can help me out with this because i don’t know where else i can contact for more information about this stuff. Thank you so much!

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    i don’t know much about Communication, Culture, Information & Technology, to be honest with you. i would read the brochure if you haven’t already. also, it’s always interesting to go on a little google odyssey on the professors that teach in your department of interest; their research can tell you a bit about the kinds of things you might be learning.

    there’s also this careers by major thing which UTM does that i am super jealous of. also take a look at the websites of the student groups related to CCIT – they’ve got some helpful information on there (also, their websites are beautifully designed. figures). you can even contact the execs of the student groups for advice; i’m sure they’d be more than happy to answer your questions.

    otherwise, you can always call the ICCIT directly.

    as for admissions: CCIT is an institute – as in, the ‘Institute of Communication, Culture, Information & Technology.’ the institute itself offer a few different programs: the CCIT major, the DEM specialist, or the IDM specialist.

    you don’t enrol into specific programs until second year at uoft. when you’re applying out of high school, you just pick a stream. see this? the green headings are streams, the things listed under each heading are programs. your stream would be CCIT, and that’s what you’d pick on OUAC.

    again, that doesn’t make you a CCIT major, just a student in the Institute. you pick your program after first year. comprende?

    if you’re not accepted into the IDM specialist after first year, then you would enrol in one of your backup programs instead. you need to be in a program after first year to continue taking courses.

    and i don’t want to hear any of this nonsense about not having backups. life is gonna throw you some curveballs, y’know; it’s always a good idea to know what you’re going to do when and if they happen. (however, i do think applying to the CCIT major is a pretty good backup).

    you can browse every program offered by UTM here.

    CCIT is not offered as a co-op program, but there are some 400-level CCIT courses which are either just internships or can incorporate an internship into their structure: take a look at CCT409H5, CCT410H5, CCT411H5 and CCT413H5. also, the career centre, which is available to all uoft students, provides lots of experiential opportunities across all three campuses. also, there’s this. or you can just go door to door and beg to do people’s programming grunt work for free.

    and don’t worry that you’re asking too many questions, dude. i’m here all night. i have nobody to go home with and am very lonely, so…yeah. i’m here all night. also they sometimes have free food here.

    xoxo,

    aska

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  • OSAP

    #1 enrolment services fan right here

    November 6, 2014

    Hi, I wish to be not named, but anyways, my question is ,

    I had 2 credits in Fall(which is now) but dropped it to 1 credit and transferred 0.5 credit to next semester, Would I be on OSAP probation since I’m currently doing 1 credit instead of 1.5(due to 60% course load rules)? ?I would be a part-time student for the fall term, but then I’d be a full time student in Winter, would I still receive my second installment?

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

    hey there,

    i don’t know if you’d go on probation, but since you’ll be below the 60% of a?full course load?required by OSAP, you might run into some problems. they may reassess you next semester and then require you to pay back some money – or maybe not. they may or put you on probation. i’m not sure.

    that’s why?i would talk to enrolment services about it as soon as possible. whatever the case may be, they can solve the problem before it becomes an actual problem with OSAP. they can advise you or adjust your status, or whatever other sorcery it is that happens?in those offices.

    best of luck,

    aska

    P.S. why does everyone tell me not to reveal their name? what do you think this is, the Enquirer? c’mon people. i don’t even reveal my OWN name.

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  • psychology,  PUMP

    calculus is the bane of everything

    November 6, 2014

    Hi,
    I am currently taking PSY100 and hopefully I could end up with enough marks for majoring in Psychology. However, I found out that you have to have high school calculus for this major. I am really suck at math and I do not have credit in calculus. Also, I am really avoiding to take it in summer school. Is the credit necessary? Can I apply for psy major without it?
    Thank you :p

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    no, you cannot apply without calculus. it’s a harsh world we live in, my friend, a world dictated by integration and series. i know it’s hard. sure, i’ll hold you.

    fortunately, uoft offers an alternative to summer school. the PUMP program is basically high school math in university, and it can be used to bridge the gap between high school math and first-year calculus at uoft.

    normally, PUMP can’t be used to fulfil program requirements, BUT it IS an acceptable alternative to the high school calculus requirement for psychology programs.

    if you’re interested (which, why wouldn’t you be? it’s a pretty awesome program and much better than having to do school in the summer), you can register for Winte 2015 PUMP classes at the bottom of this page.

    best of luck with your POSt applications!

    aska

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  • admissions

    cog. sci. Q (that looks a keyboard smash but it actually means something)

    November 4, 2014

    Just wondering, what’s the difference between Cognitive science as a bachelor of arts and as a bachelor of science? I read what it said on the UofT website but I’m still kind of confused. Is there one that’s more preferred over the other in terms of finding jobs? The stuff on the website is really general and I want a bit more in-depth information since I’m applying to university in pretty much a couple of weeks *EEK*.Also, when they say you “should” take a course, does that mean you have to take it? Is it detrimental for you not to? The thing is, I’m really interested in going into cog-sci but I don’t think computer programming is my strong suit (it’s not really any kind of suit for me, I know nothing about it).
    Thanks in advance

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    this is gonna be frustrating for you, but there are no concrete answers to the things you’re asking. what can i say? life is horrible and uncertain. i’m sorry.

    1) is there one degree that’s more preferable for finding jobs?

    depends on the job, i guess. if you want to get an M.Sc. or go to med school or nursing or anything like that, it’s probably best to have a B.Sc.

    however, the B.A. is not useless. it opens doors to a whole other range of graduate and professional schools. neither degree is inherently better than the other. you just have to figure ou

    t what it is you want to do, and then you’ll know which one is best for you. this page may be helpful in elucidating the potential careers that can come from each degree.

    OR, if you, like most people, have no idea what you want to do with your life because what kind of a decision is that to make in your teens, holy geez, then it’s always a safe bet to pick what you’re most comfortable with. if you’re nervous about comp. sci. and you can avoid it by going the arts route, then do that. it’s much better to be really good in a program you’re comfortable in, than poor to average in a program you think is “more practical” or whatever.

    also remember that you only choose programs after first year, so you have first year to test out these different courses, and see which ones you’re most comfortable with. who knows, you may be a latent computer wizard.

    2) should you take a recommended course?

    maybe? it really depends. what i would do is call the cog. sci. department and ask them straight out about specific course(s), because they’ll know how essential that recommended prep. actually is.

    good luck on your applications! and i know it’s easier said than done (like, a lot easier said than done), but try not to stress so much about them. it’s all going to work out for the best, and uoft can’t make or break your happiness, regardless of what it decides.

    best,

    aska

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  • subject POST

    i hate to break it to you,

    November 4, 2014

    Hi there,

    I’m a first year in Stg campus, considering psych and Econ major for next year, however I didn’t get into MAT135h1 for this semester and will have to do it in winter, problem is with 135/136 being in the prerequisite for Econ major, I don’t think I’ll get them both done in time. So I was wondering, is it mandatory that we apply for subject Post as soon as we get 4FCEs, or, is it okay for us to apply after second year,or whenever time that feels right?? Also, what if worst scenario I don’t get into neither major I wanted? (knowing how competitive? psych is ) What would I do then?? (I don’t want to have to pick something that I’m not interested in just because it doesn’t have much prerequisite )

    Thank you so much I love this site:D

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

    hey there,

    “I don’t want to have to pick something that I’m not interested in just because it doesn’t have much prerequisite” – unfortunately, that’s exactly what you would have to do.

    you are required to be in an acceptable combination of subject POSts (one specialist, two majors, or a major and two minors) after you complete 4.0 FCEs, in order to be allowed to continue taking courses.

    so if you apply to psych and econ and you don’t get into either or both of them, it’s important that you have a backup subject POSt or POSts (ideally type 1’s, which you’ll be able to get into right away) that you can enrol into by the time course enrolment comes around.

    that said, you can totally apply for econ and psych again after second year. but you will have to be in some other program while you’re doing that (which you can drop like a hot potato if you get into econ and/or psych). unfortunately, you can’t be a POSt-less upper year at this university.

    best of luck with it,

    aska

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  • extracurricular

    promo 4 promo

    November 4, 2014

    Hello,

    I was wondering if you could help me with a problem I’ve been having. I’m a current McGill student trying to expand a club I’m a part of to have a UofT presence. I’ve exhausted my options going through friends, and am trying to get the word out to start recruiting and opening a UofT branch. I’m not a
    UofT student so I don’t have access to some things you might- Other than posting on specific facebook pages, is there any way to get the word out to
    the student body effectively?

    Thanks.

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    good for you for trying to spread your club! i mean, *i* spread joy and obnoxious singing everywhere i go, but i guess your thing is cool too.

    i would contact the organizations who have promotional power at uoft. that might be student life, ASSU, or any number of uoft organizations who do a similar thing to what you do. i would do a little search around (especially through that last link i gave) and just see who’s most relevant to your club.

    if you can partner with whoever that might be, then you can get a foothold here. then they can post posters, promote you on facebook groups within the umbrella UofT facebook group, tweet about you, or even help get a satellite club started here.

    also, it may be a good idea t offer to promo them on your campus, so they’ll be more willing to help you out. just work that MySpace-esque picture comment for picture comment etiquette, and you’ll go far.

    hope that helps!

    aska

    P.S. i can’t believe people all the way at McGill read my posts! step one: interprovincial. step two: INTERNATIONAL SUPERSTAR.

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  • CR/NCR,  rotman

    this question won’t be relevant for much longer so READ IT NOW

    November 3, 2014

    Hello aska!
    I have several questions regarding the CR/NCR option since this is the very time I plan to use it…
    1. For Rotman Commerce Students, how many FCES are we allowed to use for CR/NCR option? And do we need to pass 50% or 60% in order to get a credit?2. I am doing finance specialist and we have up to 5 ECO electives, can I make any one of them to be CR/NCR option? I know that if I pass it, I will get a credit with no marks. But without a mark on ECO elective, is it going to affect my graduation?
    I really appreciate your help!

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    I’M JUST GONNA ANSWER THESE REALLY FAST BECAUSE TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE, MY FRIEND. NO TIME FOR JOKING AROUND.

    1) you can use CR/NCR for 1.0 FCEs, and the passing mark would be 60%.

    2) “the specific ECO requirements listed in the non-RSM portion of the PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS cannot be CR/NCR – only ECO courses or non-ECO courses being used to bring the total credits up to 10.0 can be CR/NCR.” so i’m gonna say…yes? again, if they’re just electives and not listed as program requirements, then that’s okay. it might be a good idea to call rotman and double-check.

    cheers (and remember the deadline to designate F-section courses credit/no-credit is TODAY AHHH),

    aska

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  • CR/NCR

    to credit or not to credit?

    November 3, 2014

    Hey! I am wondering – if I set a course to be NCR, is it still eligible to be a prerequisite of the other in the same category?

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

    hey there,

    it depends. if the course that your course is?a prereq for lists on the course calendar that you just need to have completed the course, and you?make it CR/NCR, and then you get the credit, you should be okay.

    however, if it says something like ‘at least a 65% in EXAMPLE101,’ then you do NOT want to make that course credit/no-credit, because, even if you do really well and get the credit, the course you want to take next will have no way of telling that you got at least a 65% on it.

    if you’re looking at the course calendar and you’re still not sure, i would call the department that administers the course to double-check.

    xoxo,

    aska

    P.S. also, today is the last day to make an F-section course CR/NCR! so hurry on over to your registrar’s office!

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  • fees

    part-time, full-time, red time, blue time

    November 3, 2014

    Hello aska

    I’m currently a full time student. However I might have to go back to my hometown in the winter semester. Is it possible that I drop my courses for the next semester, then become a part-time student? And then maybe I ll be refund for the diffence between full time and part time student tuition fee??

    Thanks 🙂

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

    hey there,

    assuming you’re a student on the downtown campus, then yes, it is possible. HOWEVER, before you go spending all that money that was earmarked for a full-time fee on an expensive Caribbean cruise, i should make a clarification.

    here at UTSG, we?charge fees for the whole year all at once. that means that you can’t – in a financial sense, at least – be full-time in one semester, and part-time in another. you’re either part-time or full-time for the Fall/Winter term.

    so if you’re taking 2.5 FCEs or less in the Fall and you take 0 in the Winter – that is, drop all your Winter courses – then yes, you would be considered part-time.

    BUT, if you’re taking at least 3.0 FCEs total in the Fall/Winter term – regardless of how many you take in the Winter – you would be full-time for the whole year, and would be charged the full-time program fee.

    if however, you plan to be under 3.0 FCEs total?for Fall/Winter, then you can go to your registrar’s office and request a fee change. also, you can take a look at the refund schedule here.

    cheers,

    aska

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