• psychology,  subject POST

    after psych

    September 23, 2014

    hey!

    I’ve been reading your is for some time now and was hoping you could help me out. I am a 3rd/4th year student and I spent all of last year taking the required courses to graduate with a major in psychology on time. Even for this year I picked courses relevant to the major in hopes that I would have enough marks to at least get into the minor. What sucks is that i didn’t get into either. And it turns out that for the last 2 years, the average threshold has been pretty high so the calendar was wrong. I just don’t know what to do. I honestly hoped that I would get in and I really wanted to graduate by next November. I basically spent an year taking courses that I didn’t,t even need. Is there even a remote chance of getting 85% in a 200-level psych course at UTSG?

    Best,

    Lost and depressed

    ———————————————

    hey there Lost and depressed,

    well, i hate to be that person, but the calendar isn’t wrong. psychology’s minor, major and specialist are all type 2L subject POSts, which means that there is a finite number of spaces in each POSt. so, even if you meet the prerequisites, you may not get in.

    that said, don’t be too hard on yourself for it. psych is insanely popular in this faculty, so the competition that you were up against was not insignificant (to put it mildly).

    i think now is the time to weigh your options and decide what you want more: to graduate with a psychology POSt, or graduate by next November.

    if you don’t want to be here over four years, it may be wise to start planning to graduate with whatever POSt(s) you’re currently in.

    as for whether there is the chance of getting in 85% in 1 200-level psych course: beats me.

    people do it, so it must be possible, strictly speaking, but one person’s possible is another person’s impossible. without knowing your strengths, i have no idea whether it would be possible for you, and that’s what’s counts.

    what i would do is make an appointment with your registrar’s office. they can take a look at your whole academic history and advise you on your options.

    based on your transcript and chatting with you one-on-one, they can tell you whether they think that 85% is feasible, and also, whether it’s a good idea to pursue a psych POSt again.

    if you had a specific question about a 200-level psych course, the undergraduate administrator at psych would be your first point of contact. you can also talk to them about the possibility of getting into a psych POSt in the next enrolment period.

    best of luck (hoping you feel a little less lost and depressed),

    aska

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  • breadth requirements,  graduation

    pls let me leave, uoft

    September 22, 2014

    Hello!

    I am in last year with the intention of graduating in June and, after checking Degree Explorer, I saw that I was missing a credit from BR=5 :Physical and Mathematical Universes. I just completed AST201 this summer and I passed (I took it as CR/NCR because I am terrible at astronomy!). Anyhow, I am just a little worried; I was so sure that AST201 covered that requirement. Or do I have to take ENG287? (I wanted to take that initially, but AST201 worked better for my schedule).

    If you could help me clarify this, I would be immensely grateful!

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    AST201 definitely fulfils the 5th breadth req. category, so you don’t have to worry about that. second, credit/no credit can be used to fulfil breadth requirements, so that’s also fine.

    my bet is that degree explorer has just been slow in updating the breadth requirement category from this summer.

    we are still only in september, and this is a busy time for people who work with Portal. i’d give them a bit more time to update everything before you start to worry.

    if you do want to make certain that you’ve done everything you need to graduate, what you can do is make a grad check appointment at your registrar’s office. then you can get confirmation from a real, live human whether everything is hunky-dory and you’re on track to graduate this june.

    cheers,

    aska

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  • dropping courses

    drop ’em like they’re hot

    September 22, 2014

    Hey! Right now I’m enrolled in 3.5 FCE for this year and I’m thinking to drop down to 2 FCE. When is the last day to do this? Thanks!

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    the deadline to drop courses without leaving any trace of ’em on your academic record is November 3rd for F courses, February 16th for Y courses and March 8th for S courses. take note of those dates now, folks, before it’s TOO LATE.

    cheers,

    aska

    P.S. a bit of unsolicited advice: keep in mind that a drop from 3.5 FCEs to 2.0 FCEs changes your status from full-time student to part-time student, which means a change in fees that you have to request, and possibly a change in your dealings with OSAP, if you get OSAP, though they’ll notify you of any changes if they happen.

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  • math

    shout out to this person for not asking *me* their math question

    September 22, 2014

    Hey! I looked at the math aid centre schedule, and I don’t see my course. Is it still cool for me to walk in and ask a TA if they are available to help me out even though my course isn’t listed? Thanks, Aska!

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    well, the location in sidney smith (assuming you’re on the downtown campus; i really really hope you’re at the downtown campus) says that it is intended for students in “MAT133Y, MAT135H, MAT136H, and possibly other courses.”

    i’d say the “possibly other courses” part is an open invitation to go in and see whether you can sniff out a TA who at least recognizes what you’re trying to learn. i’m not sure how strictly they follow the schedule, but i think it’s worth it to try.

    even if your question is not necessarily something they specialize in or are there for, they might be able to help you.

    and if they can’t help, you can at least count on finding a sympathetic ear from a graduate student in mathematics who probably knows all too well what it’s like to study some obscure branch of math that no one has every heard of. otherwise, you may have to go searching at one of the other math aid centres, or find a private tutor.

    i hope you find someone who can help you!

    aska

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  • grad school,  keeners

    undergrad can’t contain this level of keen

    September 22, 2014

    Hey aska, I’m wondering if you know anything about taking graduate courses as an undergrad student? I can’t seem to find anything 300 or 400 level to take and I’m wondering if I should expand into the grad courses. Thank you!!

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    wow, what a keener. good for you, my friend. personally, i wish i could take a couple kindergarten courses as an undergrad. that’d really boost my GPA.

    you definitely need to find some 300- and 400-level courses that pique your interest, ’cause you probably can’t entirely replace your 3rd and 4th years with grad school courses.

    however, it may be possible for you to take one or two grad school courses, if you can get permission from the department. depending on your GPA, and whether you can get permission from the instructor of the course(s) you’re after, you could be allowed to take a couple.

    just submit this form from the FAS to the department(s) that sponsors the course(s), and cross your fingers! for my part, i hope your wish to take grad courses is granted, and that i can find my way back to Mrs. Smith’s Junior Kindergarten room, where i truly belong.

    aska

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  • wait list

    “please let me into this class, i’ll bake you seven cakes”

    September 18, 2014

    Hey aska, so I’m trying to get into a third year class, but I’m 18th on the wait list. Is it logical to assume I have a shot at getting in? And if not, do you think I could convince the prof to let me in if someone drops after the deadline?

    Hey Aska! I go to UTM and am trying to get into Animal Behaviour – I’m 18th on a waitlist of 32, and the class has 48 people. It dropped by 7 people since the first day of classes, and I’m kind of hoping it drops even further by Friday.. but am I hoping for too much? Someone told me I should try to convince the prof to just take me in after the waitlist end date, but is that even a thing?

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    it depends on how big the class is. if your spot on the waitlist is within 10% of the total class size (so, if the class size was 180, you’d be right at 10%), then you’ve got a pretty good shot at getting in. after that, it’s a lot less certain.

    if you’re 18th in a class of 48, the chances are really poor, to be honest.

    if you need the class for a subject POSt or graduate school or have some other reason you ABSOLUTELY MUST take this course, you can talk to the department about potentially putting you in.

    make sure you talk to the department first, though, not the prof, ’cause they’re the ones who have the power to pluck people out of and stick people into classes.

    a quick note: i’m not sure if both these questions are from the same person (i mean, they probably are, but i want to give you the benefit of the doubt). either way, it bears repeating for everyone:

    sending your question multiple times WILL NOT make me answer faster. aska answers everything chronologically. if anything, spamming my inboxes will just annoy me. i’m already constantly on the brink of caffeine withdrawal-induced rage, so please don’t do it. thanks for understanding, amigos.

    best of luck, hope you get into that class.

    aska

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  • courses,  french,  UTM

    i wish we had a parseltongue class

    September 18, 2014

    Hey there aska! Could you possibly tell me anything about French languages courses, particularly at UTM? I am taking one as an elective (Y course) and am afraid of signing myself up for something that will take up too much time and become a GPA killer. Are languages courses particularly well known as time suckers? Thanks so much, I-want-to-be-bilingual-without-becoming-insane.

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    language courses aren’t well-known to me as time suckers, but 1) i don’t go to UTM and 2) i haven’t studied any secondary languages at the post-secondary level. i’m not an expert in the topic.

    BUUT it seems like indications of ease/proficiency in french are pretty clearly indicated in course descriptions.

    this class, for example, is very clearly called ‘advanced beginner,’ specifies a prerequisite, and says that it is not open to native speakers of french.

    if you still feel unsure of the difficulty level to expect, you can always chat with someone at the department of language studies about it.

    also, we’re into the semester now, so hopefully if you decided to take it, you now have a decent idea of how intensive it’ll be. just keep in mind that september 21st is the last day to add or change F or Y section courses, so you’ve only got a few more days to make up your mind!

    cheers, my bilingual bud,

    aska

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  • admissions

    two birds with one stone

    September 18, 2014

    I’m doing bad in grade 12 math but I’m applying for humanities and it won’t be in my top 6. Will they still look at it?

    Hey aska I’m applying this year (!!!!!) to u of t st mikes at st george for humanities. I have above 95 in english but my grade 12 math is really bad. The math won’t be included in my top 6 but I’m still worried… Will they look at it

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    i got these as two separate questions, but in the interest of avoiding redundancy, i’m going to answer them both together. besides, i’m pretty sure they were asked by the same person.

    even if they weren’t, i’m lazy, so this is how we’re gonna do it.

    if the math is NOT a required course for the stream you’re applying to (and it’s not, for humanities), and it is NOT in your top 6 4U/M marks, then it will not be a factor in the final admission decision from uoft.

    i hope you have a rad year at uoft/st.mike’s (still not sure if you’re the same person),

    aska

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  • courses

    man, this question is XTRA

    September 16, 2014

    If I took an extra course at one point in time and later switched into a program that requires this course for credit, will this course still be considered as an extra course on my transcript or will it be changed?

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    it will still show up as an extra on your transcript, but that doesn’t really matter. extra courses can be used to count towards program prerequisites, so if you need it for a program, it’ll count (they just can’t be used to fulfil degree requirements).

    huzzah!

    cheers,

    aska

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  • suspension

    where are you suspended?? athabasca u?

    September 16, 2014

    Hey Aska,
    I got suspended last year (winter semester) for four months. After trying again this summer by taking 4 courses, I just checked my rosi and it it showed that I just barely passed all four of them to end up with a cumulative GPA of 1.50 flat. I worked so hard from the start of the semester and even got great midterm marks. After midterm, it all just went downhill. And I very well know that I have nobody else to blame but me. I’m suspended again right, for 12 months this time?

    So if I am indeed suspended, do you have any tips as to what to do for these 12 months? See, I’ve been pretending to my parents that I have been going to school last winter semester. I did it for four months but 12 months is another story. Should I go to school, attend lectures and pretend I’m just any other student? As much as I wanna tell them that I got suspended, I simply can’t for the sake of my emotionally, physically and psychologically fragile mother. Is there any hope at all? Am I even supposed to be in university?

    Thanks.

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    guhhhh. see, this is why i harp on y’all about telling me which campus you’re on. i know you’re not in the faculty of arts & science, because we don’t suspend people for four months. but depending on where you go to school (faculty of applied science & engineering, utsc, etc.), the rules about suspension are different.

    check your utoronto e-mail address and your physical mailbox for any communication that may have come through about your suspension. if you didn’t get anything, talk to your registrar’s office and ask them whether you’re now on suspension for one year.

    if you have been suspended again, i would take the time you’re on suspension to use some of the resources at your disposal.

    if you’re a utsc student, get in touch with an academic and learning strategist and a study skills peer coach. the faculty of applied science & engineering also has a learning skills strategist, academic advising and academic success resources which i would strongly recommend.

    all these things are much better and more constructive ways to spend your suspension than by pretending to go to class, which probably wouldn’t be much fun for you anyways.

    obviously, you have to decide how to speak/act with your own parents, but i can tell you from experience that if you have unpleasant news to tell a parent, it goes down much better if you can follow it up with a plan on moving forward. get in touch with these academic success resources and make a plan to meet with them regularly through the year. then you can tell your mom, “i’m on suspension, but i’ve done these things to get back on track.”

    that’s a lot more comforting than, “i’ve been suspended for a year, i’m panicking, i don’t know what i’m gonna do, may as well sell myself to the circus and see where the wind takes me.” parents don’t like that. though if that is what you decide to do, make sure to write to us about what happens.

    finally: are you supposed to be in university? man, i don’t know. that’s something only you can decide. while you’re down at the registrar’s office, they’ll hopefully ask you to reflect a little bit on that question. but i think that if you’re put on suspension for a year, that’s something you’ll have to think about yourself.

    just remember that university is one very specific path, but it is by no means a necessary one. you do yourself a disservice by falling for the trap that university is objectively the best way to spend your young adulthood. maybe it is for you, and maybe it’s not – but you’ve gotta figure that out for yourself.

    best of luck with it,

    aska

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  • admissions,  computer science,  scholarships/bursaries

    give me an extra 5% for being charming

    September 16, 2014

    I’m currently a grade 12 student in Vaughan Ontario. I am taking Grade 12 University Advanced Functions. I’m currently at an 87, and am not pleased with my mark. If I were to retake this course, what would be the consequences?

    I am interested in going into computer sciences.

    Thanks.

    Sorry I to clarify I did the course in grade 11. I fast tracked math. I will be completing my grade 12 year this year.

    I also wanted to know if the additional 5% from extra-curricular activity participation counts toward the overall average when it comes to eligibility for scholarships. Furthermore; what are the automatic scholarship amounts for an average of 90% and 95%?

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    (note: this question is a follow-up to the one i answered here. read that if you’d like a little bit of context).

    i stand by what i said before – an 87% is a good mark. it would do you more harm to retake it now than to just leave it and focus all your energies on doing well in calc.

    as for the additional 5% from extra-curricular participation, i…have no idea what you’re talking about. is that something your high school does? do they add 5% to your average for participating in extra-curriculars? that’s amazing.

    anyway, since i’ve never heard of this being a thing, it’s hard for me to answer the question. i’m inclined to say no, just because the overall average is specifically of your top 6 marks including prereqs, and unless this extra-curricular participation counts as a class, it probably won’t be included. however, since this is the first time i’m encountering this, i could very well be wrong. i would contact enrolment services to make sure.

    the automatic entrance scholarship for someone with over a 92% is $2000, which can buy you a lot of Mr. Noodles in your first year. there are also faculty/college scholarships galore – with one of those, you could even get a bowl and some utensils and use them to eat your Mr. Noodles!

    best of luck with the application process,

    aska

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  • prereqs

    fulfilling prereqs, prefilling fulreqs

    September 15, 2014

    Hello! I have a question that I cannot seem to find the answer to, hopefully you can help me out! If the prerequisites for a winter semester course are that 4 credits have been completed, can I take it if I have 4 credits completed by the end of the fall semester?

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    yes! two things, though:

    1) make sure that you have completed 4.0 credits, as opposed to just 4 courses. there’s a big difference.

    2) departments can pull people from courses who haven’t completed the prerequisites at any time. they shouldn’t pull people now from winter term courses, but just in case it does happen by accident, just contact the department that runs the course, explain that the prereq will be done by the time you start the course, and have them put you back in.

    and that’s all! i hope you enjoy your class.

    cheers,

    aska

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  • online courses

    i’m on the line and i can’t see any courses?? darn this newflanged internets…

    September 15, 2014

    Hello 🙂 Does UofT have online courses? How do they work? Are they likely to be held in the summer session? Thanks

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    uoft doesn’t have a lot of info up about their online courses (what SHAMS, they can’t even promote their ONLINE courses ONLINE). however, it seems like the online courses they do have listed are pretty random.

    here is the full selection of courses offered this year. which of those will be offered in the summer, i’m not sure.

    what i would do is browse that list, see which courses you’re interested in, and once you’ve picked some, call the departments that administer those courses. ask if they’re typically offered in the summer term, and if there will be an online option.

    the more popular a class is, the higher the chances that there will be a summer and/or online option. i hope you have pretty mainstream taste in courses. keep in mind, though, that neither you or the department can be sure which courses will be offered until the summer timetable comes out. however, you can browse this past summer’s timetable to take a look at what was on offer then.

    as for how online courses work, they’ve pretty much got the same course material as classes in brick-and-mortar classrooms, just whacked up onto the web.

    however, i think that exams/term tests are in-class rather than online, so if you’re halfway across the world, an online course may not be feasible. don’t quote me on that, though – definitely ask the department about it before you sign up, as it may not be the same for all courses.

    good luck,

    aska

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