• admissions

    this question about repeated courses has got a lot of flair, would read again

    July 21, 2014

    I absolutely bombed high school and never made it to university. Say I go back, and take the required 6 U/M courses and let’s say I get a 99% average to my name, and I’m applying to the Life Sciences program. Is there any reason why UofT still wouldn’t accept me?

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

    hey dude,

    from the horse’s mouth: “[t]he Faculty of Arts & Science does not recommend that students repeat courses and reserves the right to give preference for admission and scholarship consideration to students whose marks are the result of a single attempt at each course.”

    that’s uoft’s way of saying that they definitely take note of the fact that a course is repeated, and it does harm your chances, but it doesn’t rule you out completely.

    plus, there is an opportunity to explain any less-than-stellar grades on your application, if there are any specific circumstances that may have?affected them.

    obviously aska can’t guarantee anything, but, as with everything in life, sometimes you just have to dive head-first into the pool of crocodiles and pray you can swim fast enough. unless it is actually a pool of crocodiles. then you just need to get the heck out of florida already.

    if you really want to do it, then go ahead and apply, is what i’m trying to say.

    cheers,

    aska

    EDIT: if you have been away from school for some time, academic bridging could also be an alternative to going back to high school. just make sure you meet all the admission req’s before applying.

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  • enrollment,  subject POST

    subject LOSt

    July 18, 2014

    Hey aska,
    I’m returning after a one year suspension from UTSG, during which I completed a certificate in Media at Humber college (awesome btw). Now that I know what I like, I requested Book & Media Studies Major and Cinema Studies Minor (Type 2 Subject POSts). My Creative Expression & Society Minor Subject POSt is active.
    On ROSI it says I am a 2nd year student so course enrolment starts towards the end of the July. However, I read my Subject POSt results won’t appear until September 13 because I applied during the second round…
    Will I still be able to enrol in courses, and if so, how??
    Thanks for your help!
    p.s. you rock 🙂

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

    hey there,

    that sounds like quite a journey – it’s nice to have you back.

    you’ll still be able to enrol in courses (on july 24th), but you may not get the ones you want. if you’re not in the enrolment category for a course, a few things might happen.

    if the course has a ‘P’ indicator on the timetable, you’ll have to wait until?August 8th at 6am to enrol in it. if it has an ‘R’ indicator, you won’t have access to the class. you can read about the other, more exotic indicators here. if a course doesn’t have an indicator and you meet any prerequisites, you should have no problem.

    also, you should add an acceptable combination of type 1 subject POSts while you wait on Book & Media and Cinema Studies to get back to you – some POSts that’ll get you into courses you’re interested in would be ideal, but it doesn’t really matter. just add some so that you can enrol in courses while you wait on the results from the type 2’s.

    also,?well done on the witty e-mail subject line. it was so good i had to use it as a title for this post, which may not seem like a big deal, but you saved me 10 minutes of staring vacantly into space?trying to think up come clever pun or one-liner related to enrolment indicators, so thanks.

    best,

    aska

    P.S. you sediment 😉

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  • enrollment

    jus t enrol in evERYTHI GN JS UT DO IT

    July 18, 2014

    Hey aska! I’m going into 1st year and so far, most upper years’ advice has been ‘Enrol in as many courses as you can, then after classes start, drop the ones you don’t like’. So my question is, is dropping courses just a few clicks on ROSI? Or would I have to write a ton of letters and get sassed out by my registrar? Thanks! 🙂

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

    hey there,

    sometimes i think uoft’s bureaucracy is unnecessarily confusing and complicated, but then i see?what incoming students THINK it’s like, and i thank my lucky stars this?school is not actually the dystopian?nightmare y’all seem to think it is.

    up until the deadline (september 21st for this Fall/Winter), you’re able to add, drop and change course sections yourself on ROSI at the click of a button. that’s it, that’s all.

    that said, there’s a limit to how many courses you can enrol in. until august 8th, you’re only able to enrol in 5.0 FCEs (that’s Full Credit Equivalents). after that, you can enrol in a maximum of 6.0.

    cheers,

    aska

    P.S. the registrar NEVER sasses. that’s exclusively aska’s job. oh and did i mention that?your mom and i hang out behind your back? haha. sass.

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  • course overload,  courses

    socrates said ‘know thyself’ but what did he know amirite

    July 18, 2014

    is it a bad idea to take 5.5 credits next year (i’m going into second year)

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    not necessarily. uoft doesn’t require that you get special permission to take more classes until you go over 6.0 FCEs, so obviously they don’t think it’s impossible.

    now that you’re all grown-up and wipe your own nose and whatnot, you’ve gotta be the one who assesses how much you can handle. think about how many courses you took last year and how well you did. if you really struggled with 5.0 or less, doing more this year probably isn’t the brightest idea. on the other hand, if you really excelled, then you can probably do more.

    it’s kinda like using a Q-tip; you’ve just gotta be able to feel when it’s the right time to stop.

    best,

    aska

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  • graduation

    YOU WILL NEVER LEAVE

    July 18, 2014

    Hey aska,

    I’m in the last round of my fifth year (double major English/Anthro) and am?completing my last 1.0 credit this summer. When I used the degree?navigator, my anthropology major is incomplete by 3 credits!? Many?300-level courses that I wanted to take I was locked out of for some?strange reason. If one of my majors is technically incomplete, will I still?be able to graduate? 🙁

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

    hey there,

    in order to graduate, you need to complete degree AND program requirements, i.e. your major requirements. however, don’t automatically trust?whatever degree explorer is saying – it has been known not to update information right away.

    if you think you’ve done everything you need to for?the anthro major, check your academic history on ROSI against the program reqs on the course calendar.

    if it turns out you haven’t completed the reqs, then unfortunately you’re stuck here in this windy, frozen, sprawling city of a university* until you’re done your programs. sorry.

    best of luck,

    aska

    *which i love. but it’s a complicated love, you know? like rachel and ross.

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  • subject POST,  UTM

    I Don’t Mind waiting to get into IDM

    July 18, 2014

    Hello,
    So, I’m going into third year starting September, in CCIT. With this program (major) I am allowed to choose either another major, two minors, or a specialist (DEM or IDM). Right now I’m enrolled in the major, and two minors (SOC and VCC), but I want to take the IDM specialist. In the first and second years I did not meet the requirements to enrol in the specialist, but since then my GPA has increased and now does meet the minimum requirement.
    Is it too late to apply for the specialist now? I completed the required first year courses, and 2nd year courses were exclusive to those enrolled in the specialist. Can I still get into the specialist and catch up?
    Please let me know, thanks a lot!

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    firstly, thank you for using all acronyms that i am not familiar with. i really love when students do that. (also, who knew interactive digital media was a program? i interact digitally with people all the time! i should receive an honorary degree).

    i doubt you’ll be able to get in after now. according to the calendar, “[s]tudents may apply to enrol after having completed this program’s requirements in the first year with a grade of 65% in both CCT109H5 and CCT110H5.” the fact that they specifically said “in the first year” means they probably don’t accept people after second year. but the wording is ambiguous, so i wouldn’t give up just yet.

    departments sometimes make exceptions for a few upper-year students, depending on the program. i’d give them a call and explain your situation, just in case they’re willing to consider you. all the department contacts are here.

    best,

    aska

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  • enrollment,  subject POST

    but i FEEL like i should be in a higher year

    July 17, 2014

    Hi! I have 2 questions. Im starting my third year from september and I want to enroll in a course and it says the prerequisites are? 2.0 ENG FCE and any 4.0 FCE. Does this mean from first and second year or? just second year?Also, although I am in my third year, on Rosi, it says Im in second since I am 0.5 credit behind. Does this mean I’ll have to mainly select second year courses? I’m assuming that most third year courses will be full since I will have a later date to pick courses than third year students.

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

    hey there,

    guuuUUUUURGH i wish you’d told me what course?it was so i could just look it up.?ah, well. time to whip out the thinking cap.

    if it says ‘any 4.0 FCEs,’ then it just means that you need to have completed 4.0 credits. any 4.0. that prerequisite is?typically a baby-proofing measure used to prevent first year students from taking a course. the fact that it requires at least 2.0 ENG FCEs makes me feel like that’s almost definitely the case here.

    you’re only a third year student if you?”expect to complete 9 to 13.5 credits by the end of the 2014 summer session.” if you’re under 9.0, then you’re still considered a second-year student, meaning you’ll have to enrol along with the second year students, on july 24th (you can check your start time on ROSI on july 18th).

    you may be able to enrol in some third-year courses though, as long as you can get in and you meet the prerequisites. yeah, a lot of them will be full by the time you enrol, but you might be able to waitlist your way into some, if you’re dedicated enough.?i wish you luck with it!

    best,

    aska

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  • frosh

    the best week of your life probably

    July 17, 2014

    frosh week tips?

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    ***disclaimer*** aska spent her first, terribly misguided year at a university other than uoft (there are universities other than uoft? you better believe it, you egocentric turnips), so she doesn’t know the specifics of frosh here. however, it’s essentially the same event plopped onto different campuses, so my experience will hopefully still be somewhat relevant.

    1. you don’t have to go.

    most people enjoy frosh week, but some people don’t. that doesn’t make you weird – it’s your life for God’s sake, do what you want.

    if you decide not to attend for whatever reason, why not use the week to find your classes, buy textbooks, familiarize yourself with campus, and scope out grocery stores and 7/11s, if you’re going to be living in rez.

    2. it’s ok if you don’t meet your BFFLs at frosh.

    i met some great friends during frosh week, but i met lots more in my classes, extra-curriculars, etc. be open to new friendships and chat with as many new people as you can, but don’t hate yourself if you don’t meet your soul mate in between college spirit cheers and football games.

    3. be frickin realistic about your alcohol intake.

    look, i’m not here to police your decisions – obviously, aska doesn’t condone underage drinking. but PLEASE, if nothing else, don’t go into frosh aiming to drink more than you’ve ever drunk in your life. this is not the time to be testing your liver’s overdrive capabilities. guess what? if you puke in someone else’s room, mom won’t be there to clean it up for you (take it from someone who saw a stranger projectile vomit off a bunk bed in someone else’s room, and then had to clean it all up themselves.)

    4. no one cares if you’re attending frosh week ironically.

    frosh week is a little bit cheesy. there’s dancing, chanting, leis, and themed parties with styrofoam cups, all of which is fun if you just go with the flow and don’t worry about how silly you look. if you plan on going just to make fun of it, you probably won’t enjoy yourself.

    5. go to the “boring” parts of orientation.

    there is always an academic portion of orientation that some people skip entirely (take a look at vic’s orientation schedule from last year to see how academic vs. non-academic activities balance out). which is fine, but if you’re at university because you’re not at all interested in academics, you’re probably not gonna last long here. my point is: guest lectures and club days are really useful, and you may even find them interesting.

    and those are aska’s 5 tips! no matter how you choose to spend orientation week, i hope you stay safe and have a great time.

    best,

    aska

    BONUS TIP: if there are any dances or formal events where you feel inclined to wear heels, always bring flats with you. you don’t look as cute as you think in bare feet, and you’re not going to enjoy the walk home either.

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  • graduation

    grumble grumble graduates

    July 17, 2014

    hello! my question is fairly simple but I cannot find an answer. If i were to finish everything required for my degree after the first semester of fourth year, do I still have to take classes in second semester? or could I just go home and hang around until june graduation? thank you for your help!!

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

    hey there,

    as long as you complete your degree requirements, program requirements, and request graduation on ROSI by the deadline, you’re under no obligation to take courses in the second semester.

    just keep in mind that if you do that, you may end up being a part-time student, which would affect your OSAP/provincial funding for the year.

    otherwise, yeah, go home, catch up on your TV, sleep in ’til noon…damn, i hate?graduating students.

    cheers,

    aska

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  • courses

    man, those both sound cool

    July 17, 2014

    Hello! Please I am confused as to which Seminar to take. I’m stuck between Culture and Conflict in Early Toronto and Anthropology of Brands. Do you by any chance have an idea of anyone of them?

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    i don’t have any experience with either class, but there are a few factors you can use to judge both?before actually attending either one. neither class will meet all the criteria (what is this, candyland?), so just go for the one that meets the most.

    both of those courses are offered at different times. one of them is going to fit better in your schedule (and as much as you may want to take EVERY CLASS, there’s only so much you can do).

    second, there are ways (which remain unmentionable on this site) to measure profs up against each other on the internet. might be a good idea to do them.

    if either course is a prereq for another course you’d like to take, or for a breadth requirement, that’ll be a third factor to consider. also, if you have an idea of what subject POSt(s) you’re interested in, think about how what you might gain from either class could supplement/complement those POSts.

    finally, ROSI often makes the choice for you, because one of those classes may fill up before you can even get to it – trust me, it can happen. and it’ll be the only thing anyone will hear uoft students whine about for the next two months, so prepare yourself for the possibility.

    if all else fails, you could just enrol in both (provided ROSI is smiling down on you that day) and attend the first lecture of each class in order to make a decision.

    best of luck in the enrolment arena,

    aska

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  • jobs

    work, study, and compliment aska

    July 16, 2014

    Dear Askastudent! Thank you very much for answering my question regarding waitlist for priority courses. I have another question that I am hoping you can answer. I am completing a work-study internship this summer. On the U of T Career Centre website, it says: “Students are permitted to accept one Work Study position per program year”. Would I not be able to apply again in 2014/2015? I am unsure when exactly I end my program year. Thanks once again and I truly admire your wittiness 😉

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

    hey there,

    no problemo, amigo. glad i could be of help.

    you would definitely be able to apply again for Fall/Winter. what that rule is getting at is that you can’t hold more than one work-study position at a time.

    their wording is a bit wonky, but since?”[s]tudents are permitted to accept ONE work-study position per program,” and they clearly separate the Fall/Winter and Summer Work-Study programs, you would be able to have one job in Summer, and one in Fall/Winter. or the same job in Summer and Fall/Winter, if they like you enough.

    i appreciate your flattery – feel free to keep it coming. (i also accept monetary donations).

    hoping you find a rad job,

    aska

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  • extracurricular

    stay on your side of the playhouse

    July 16, 2014

    Hi Aska,

    Are students at the St. George campus able to join clubs at the other UofT campuses and vice versa?

    Thanks!

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    the clubs are pretty much entirely divided based on campus.

    there might be some clubs or societies that span all three campuses that i’m not aware of, but because the uoft campuses are in three separate cities and we have not yet perfected the art of apparating, it only makes sense to have location-specific clubs.

    you can take a look at all the student life opportunities available on all three campuses here.

    i hope you find a home wherever you end up, whether it be at the Doctor Who Society or UTMLead or UTSC’s Video Games Society Squared.

    cheers,

    aska

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  • 12 distinct credits

    12.0 distinct credits will ruin me

    July 16, 2014

    Does the 12.0 different fce have to be from outside the major or can I take extra credits from the major to have 12.0 different btw the programs as long as they don’t overlap?

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    that question is making my head spin and i’m not really sure what you’re asking, SO i’m just gonna explain the rule as clearly as i can.

    if you’re still confused, just keep asking me until you get it. or go to your registrar’s office, ‘cuz eventually i’ll just get bored and go suntanning for the day.

    if you are taking two majors, OR one major and two minors, then 12.0 credits out of the 20.0+ you take as part of your degree will have to be ‘distinct,’ i.e. count as a requirement for only one POSt. so if a credit is a requirement for one of your POSts, but none of your other ones, it’is a distinct credit. and how many of those do you need? that’s right. 12.0.

    so the 12.0 are not “in the major” or “outside the major” or whatever. they’re just credits that are only requirements for a single subject POSt. the rest of the credits you take during your degree can overlap for one, two, or all of of POSts, or count for none at all. capice?

    cool. now let’s split and go to the pool.

    cheers,

    aska

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