• prospective student,  studying,  UTM

    you all want impossible answers

    January 12, 2021

    hello! i am a grade 12 student at an ontario highschool. my average at the moment is around 93-95%. i’ve applied for social sciences at utm/ustg. i’m hoping to major in political science or criminology, and then apply to uoft law.

    from your experience in social sciences, 1) do you think i will be able to achieve a 3.5-3.8 gpa in my undergrad? 2) do you have any tips/advice on how to do so? 3) what are the pros/cons between utm/ustg…will i have more difficulty achieving a high gpa at ustg? ty!!

    ——————————————
    hey there,

    that’s a pretty dang good high school average!

    i’ll answer your questions in order.

    do i think you’ll be able to achieve a 3.5-3.8 gpa in your undergrad? that’s hard to say. different high schools have different levels of grade inflation, and i know literally nothing about your study habits, so i don’t really feel like i can make a prediction. however, what i can tell you is that there are certainly people with high school averages like that that manage to maintain your target GPA at u of t.

    i know u of t has a reputation for being really tough, and it is challenging. there are certainly high achieving students who have a very difficult time adjusting to first-year university, but i wouldn’t say everyone needs to be super scared of failure. there are student supports at u of t to help you achieve your goals.

    do i have any tips on getting a good GPA? sure. here are a few:

    • use your resources.

    achieving and maintaining a high GPA is a lot easier when you’ve got help.

    here are some things that have helped my friends and i with our studies: going to office hours, making use of the writing centres and math learning centres, participating in club or college mentorship programs, visiting a learning strategist, and checking out the academic help workshops on the clnx calendar. visits to your registrar’s office will prove invaluable whenever you need advice, and tapping into u of t’s mental health resources can help you deal with the stress of academics.

    • build a support network

    studying is a lot easier if you’re not also dealing with isolation and loneliness. a lot of uni students i know have struggled more with their studies when they haven’t been surrounded by supportive peers. pulling a long-haul study session is less painful if you’ve got someone with you keeping you accountable (even if just over Zoom).

    plus, it’s important to remember that academics won’t be all you’re dealing with in university—you also need people to help you endure your personal lows and celebrate your highs.

    i really do think that the better you’re doing as a person and the more you’re plugged in to some kind of likeminded community or friend group, the better equipped you are to achieve your academic goals.

    • get organized

    i’ve spent a solid amount of time at u of t now, and something that seems to happen every semester for me is that a few balls get dropped. unless you’re gifted with impeccable organizational and time management skills, the endeavour of managing classes, clubs, a job, your health, and your personal life does get tough.

    find a system that works for you to keep track of all your responsibilities and deadlines. it always feels really bad when you find out about an assignment last-minute or after the deadline—you lose marks unnecessarily, and your grades don’t reflect your abilities.

    i currently use a monthly planner that i got from muji, which allows me to see all my deadlines several weeks ahead of time. i colour-code it (green for assignment deadlines, pink for tests, purple for shifts at work etc) so that, at a glance, i have a good grasp of what i’ll be busy with in any given week. and then at the beginning of each week, i dump everything into a google spreadsheet schedule broken down into half-hour increments, so i have a sort of weekly timetable. that’s what works for me. virtual calendars are also a good option if you prefer!

    to touch on your last question, i’ve only ever been a student at st. george, so i don’t feel like i can say whether it’s harder than utm. i don’t really feel that qualified making a pro-con list either, since i’m probably quite biased towards st. george. this might surprise you, but i’ve never even been to utm in person!

    i’d recommend that you do some research yourself and make a pros-cons list that reflects your own priorities. you can consider things like what extracurriculars each campus offers, living costs (if those are applicable), program offerings, campus aesthetics (if that even matters to you), and location.

    if you’re extensive in your considerations, you’ll probably find that you end up with one option that’s clearly better than the other. i chose my campus because i was interested in specific st. george extracurriculars, as well as programs that were only offered at st. george. it just seemed like the right call.

    hope this helped! wishing you all the best of luck with your application.

    be Boundless,

    aska

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  • first year,  mental health,  studying

    first years have it rough

    December 18, 2020

    Are we allowed to redo a semester? Bc/ this term has been an absolute shit show. This was my first year and let’s just say I was not prepared. My study habits were terrible, and so was my anxiety. By the time I figured out how to manage these things, it was too late. All I can really do now is study for my exams, but if you have any idea as to what my options are I’d really appreciate them. Also, thx for taking the time to answer questions and gl on ur exams =)!

    ——————————————

    hey there,

    thank you for the well wishes on my exams! that’s thoughtful of you :’)

    i’m hearing from a lot of first year students who have had a terrible semester, so if it’s any consolation to you, you’re absolutely not the only one experiencing this. the odds have absolutely been stacked against you guys this fall. first year is normally such an an adjustment, even without a global pandemic. my first year felt a little like this:

    to answer your most direct question, no, i don’t believe you’re allowed to redo a semester. the only way i can think of to do this would be via the petitions system, but i’m not sure that redoing a semester is an existing type of petition. i could be wrong, though! you’d have to ask an academic advisor at your registrar’s office. 

    in fact, i’d really recommend that you get in touch with your registrar early in the new year—even before classes start, if possible. they’re your best bet in terms of finding out what all your different options are.

    here are some of the options i think it would be good to discuss with them:

    you can always always use the credit/no credit option after your grades come out, particularly for courses you won’t need for your program prerequisites. that may help you salvage your GPA. if you do consider applying the credit/no credit designation to a course, keep in mind that the deadline for fall courses is january 15, 2021.

    you can also apply a late withdrawal designation to your courses until january 15, which might actually be a solid option for you. basically, an LWD just means that a course will show up on your transcript, but without a grade. it’s good for courses you’re failing. however, there are rules for applying LWDs. you can find those rules here. if i recall correctly, you do need to request LWDs through your registrar’s office, so you’ll have to discuss this with them anyway.

    “it” being your registrar, lol.

    apart from getting in touch with your registrar, there are two other supports i’d strongly recommend that you check out.

    first, you should book an appointment with your learning strategist. you can do this through your registrar’s office as well. meeting with a learning strategist will help you figure out how to build better study habits and schedules, you can also talk to them about other things related to academic success, like efficient note-taking, staying motivated, and managing your time.

    second, if you’re struggling with anxiety, you should look into either mySSP or health and wellness counselling. mySSP is available to you 24/7 wherever you are in the world—it’s essentially a way for you to get in touch with a counsellor either by appointment or immediately. this service is provided in a variety of different languages, and can be done by chat or phone. meanwhile, health and wellness is a good bet for you if you’re currently in ontario. you’ll be able to book appointments with a counsellor to help you manage your anxiety.

    i struggle a lot with anxiety too, but seeing a counsellor through health and wellness during my second year  helped me develop less harmful thought patterns, which in turn made my anxiety easier to deal with. think of accessing these mental health supports as an investment in your own wellbeing, and in your ability to withstand the various stresses of university. it’s definitely worth the time that it takes, trust me.

    apart from that, here’s a quick list of other things i think might help you:

    • if you’re struggling with assignments, you might benefit from visiting the writing centre or a math learning centre.
    • if you’re seeking a sense of community, look into the student unions of your prospective programs, clubs at your college, or mentorship programs affiliated with either your program or college. university is so much easier when you’re doing it with people who are struggling, too.
    • meet to complete sessions and study hubs are great for getting things done during the semester

    i hope this helped! i’m really sorry this semester has been so rough for you. wishing you all the best in the winter, and you know where to find me if there’s anything else i can help with. wishing you a restful holiday break!

    be Boundless,

    aska

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  • academic standing,  failing,  first year

    … so evermore is living rent-free in my head

    December 15, 2020

    Hi! I’m a first year life science student and pretty much I failed this term. My average for sure would be a 0 this fall term. I’m not sure what to do next? Will I be able to take courses next term or would I have to withdraw and re-enrol for 2021-2022 year and re-do first year? Would I be put on academic probation?

    ——————————————

    hey there,

    i know this term has been rough for a lot of first years, so i want you to know it’s all right to have had a ! not great ! time this sem. it’s bad enough being a first year, let alone being a first year during a global pandemic.

    it’s good to look ahead, and you came to the right place with your question about what to do next. what i can tell you is that academic standing isn’t assessed until the end of fall/winter, meaning that you won’t be placed on academic probation just because of this semester. you won’t be forced to withdraw unless you get suspended.

    so, as far as i know, you should be able to continue taking the courses you’re registered for next term (winter 2021). however, if you’re not able to pull your GPA up to at least a 1.50 by the end of fall/winter, you will unfortunately be looking at probation.

    that sounds like a threat or a warning, which really isn’t the message i’m trying to send! it feels like my responsibility to explain how the system works, but i believe you can recover from this and i’m rooting for you all the way. do as taylor does and come back stronger than a ’90s trend.

    in order to make sure you have the best shot at getting back on your feet, though, i’d really recommend that you reach out for some support. first year is hard, but it’s harder without help.

    here are some things that have helped me in the past:

    1. your registrar’s office should be your first stop. they’ll be able to help you understand your options, let you know about anything you should be aware of as you move forward, and perhaps refer you to more resources (or more appropriate resources) than i’m able to. please give them a call and book an appointment with an academic advisor! if you move forward with ONE of my recommendations from this post, i hope it’s this one.
    2. book an appointment with a learning strategist, who will help you identify better study, productivity, and organization methods for your next semester. you can usually book one of these appointments by calling your registrar.
    3. if you’re having trouble with papers, seek out your writing centre. the math help centres are great if your problems are more numerical (the page i linked you to gives you in-person addresses, but if you click the names of the offering divisions you’ll see virtual options).
    4. seek out mental health help if you need it. i know a lot of students are struggling with anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns right now, which are making it SUPER difficult to get through the semester. i’m certainly one of those students. if you’re interested in what mental health resources are available to you, you can check out previous posts i’ve done on this subject, this u of t mental health site, or beacon (which is free if you’re in ontario).
    5. reach out to your friends (or even chill acquaintances!!), and schedule virtual study sessions where y’all keep each other accountable. i started doing that at the beginning of december, and you wouldn’t believe how much it’s helped me.
    6. look into mentorship programs within your program, college, or faculty. in my first year, it was really helpful for me to have an upper-year that i could ask about academics and university life. so much of success at u of t just comes from knowing how to navigate the school!

    anyway, i’m not sure which of these resources you’ll find a good fit, and whether there’s something i didn’t mention that might help you more, which is why i really think you should call your registrar. try not to procrastinate too long on that, since the university does close on the 23rd!

    other than that, i hope you have a good and restful holiday break, and that things get better next semester. let me know if there’s anything else i can help with.

    be Boundless,

    aska

     

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  • mental health,  midterms

    midterm blues

    November 3, 2020

    Hi there! So… I’ve been struggling a bit lately. I’m not sure why I feel so overwhelmed and unmotivated all the time. Every moment I spend doing schoolwork is just painful. In high school, I used to be able to snap out papers in 2 hours. Now, it takes me the whole day to just start writing. Is there any way to stop this feeling of hopelessness? 🙁

    ——————————————

    hey there friend,

    it’s perfectly okay and normal to be struggling in uni, especially at this point in the semester. please don’t be hard on yourself for that.

    it’s truly impressive that you used to be able to finish papers in two hours (i could never), but as i’m sure you’re aware, high school and university are not the same! university demands a lot more of you in terms of robust argument and rigorous research/analysis, plus you’re adjusting to new expectations. it took me until the end of second year to feel more at ease with writing uni papers. what i’m trying to say is that it’s valid that you’re having a harder time with papers than you’re used to. papers are hard!

    with that said, is there a way to deal with those feelings of hopelessness and overwhelm? yeah, i do think there is. i’m glad you reached out and asked.

    first, i want to remind you that you don’t deserve to deal with these difficulties without support.

    i talk a lot about resources on this blog, and a lot of that is because seeking out campus resources has made such a difference in my ability to withstand the pressures at u of t. here are some supports that i’d recommend you reach out to:

    if you’re dealing with feelings of hopelessness, this is the main campus support that i’d recommend. when you paid your fees for u of t, you paid for access to u of t’s embedded counsellors, who will offer you five free appointments to help you reach a mental health goal. the counsellor i visited walked me through cognitive behavioural therapy, which i found really helpful.

    i should note, though, that embedded counselling is only available to students who are in ontario. if you want to see an off-campus counsellor, you should be covered for that under the utsu’s insurance plan, or greenshield if you’re a part-time student.

    if booking an appointment doesn’t sound right for you at this time, you can also reach out to the MySSP program, where there are counsellors who will talk you through what you’re experiencing at any time of the day, 7 days a week.

    either way, there’s a lot of value in looking after your mental health when you’re struggling with school. i can’t emphasize that enough. if any of these options appeal to you but seem confusing, feel free to shoot me another question and i’m happy to help you figure things out.

    learning strategists are such a cool resource, and i think they should have them at every school. i think it would help you to book an appointment with a learning strategist to talk through your paper-writing strategies and your lack of motivation. they’ll be able to help you spot what’s not working, what improvements you can make to your schoolwork system, and just generally give you tips, encouragement, and a sense of perspective.

    if that sounds like something you’d be down for, you can give your registrar a call.

    just gonna throw in a side note here: i know sometimes these appointments feel like a waste of time when you’re overwhelmed and stressed and know you have a million things to do, but trust me. they’re worth the time. they’re an investment in your wellbeing and your ability to handle future schoolwork.

    • writing centre

    if it’s papers that are gettin’ you down, the lovely people at your writing centre will be able to help you out a ton. you can approach them at any point in the paper-writing process. i’ve found that sometimes, bouncing ideas back and forth with a writing centre instructor can be a really solid way to jumpstart a paper that really was not coming together when i was trying to tackle it alone.

    if you’ve never been to the writing centre, i wrote a post on approaching the writing centre for the first time, which you can check out here.

    sorry. i dunno why that spongebob gif is so intimidating.

    apart from those resources, here are some of the things that help me, when i’m feeling the way that you described:

    • reaching out to people

    this school year is such an isolating one, and keeping up with the stress of midterms feels so much harder because of it. if you have good people that you trust, i find that it helps to reach out to them and let them know you’re having a hard time, so that you can commiserate.

    or maybe you don’t have people, which is okay and honestly pretty normal right now. in that case, there’s value in seeking out online u of t social events, trying to reach out to people in your classes, or joining clubs. i think everyone’s feeling some degree of isolation right now, and because of that many people are open to making new friends.

    any sense of connection you have will take some of the weight off you, i think. it’s easier to struggle as students together than alone.

    • taking a break

    there’s only so far you can push your brain before it stops serving you, lol. i do my best work after i take a walk or a run, or switch my brain into a non-study mode by cleaning my room/doing chores. if you find that you’re not productive for a long chunk of time, set your work aside. it’s okay to come back to it after a break. you’re a student, not a machine. you’ll do better, more efficient work if you feel refreshed.

    there’s really no use in staring at a blank computer screen, waiting for your paper to come together when you know you won’t type a single line for another eight hours. so do something that makes you feel more like yourself for a lil while. it’ll help, i promise.

    • getting enough sleep

    sleep is a big one for me, personally. whenever it takes me too many days to put a paper together, which makes me feel absolutely useless, i know it’s because my brain and body are drained and i need to start sleeping better. as uni students we run a constant sleep deficit, so i don’t know how practical this advice really is lol. but if you’re able to block out some time for sleep, i do think that will help.

    anyway, i hope that you made it to the end of this post, and there was at least something in here that sparked a little “oh, i can do that, that might help” moment.

    i really do want you to feel capable, motivated, and supported, and wish you all the best of luck with the rest of the semester. you got this. you’ll make it through, and things will get better.

    take care of yourself,

    aska

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  • first year,  midterms

    i’m not even in first year and my grades still hurt my feelings

    November 2, 2020

    Hi! do you have any advice for handling midterms and feelings of disappointment? I have two more left now and every time I finish one, I feel like I did a good job but I get sorely disappointed with the grades I receive — especially considering I’m genuinely working hard and studying for 2 weeks for one test, etc. I know university is NOT like high school, so I’m trying to keep that in mind, but floundering in first year does not feel good at all, haha! Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

    ——————————————

    hey there,

    i honestly really feel you on this. during my first semester of first year, i was really overwhelmed and it took me a good many months to adjust to uni. i’d been warned that grades tend to drop by at least 10 percent in the jump from high school to first year, so rest assured that you’re not the only one struggling with lower grades than you’re used to. it’s a common first year experience.

    here’s what advice i can offer to make this easier on you:

    first, it will probably be helpful for you to take inventory of what resources you have to support you through this. first year can be particularly difficult because you’re not used to navigating university yet, and don’t know about all the different ways you can receive help.

    i’ll divide the resource recommendations in this post into two sections. first, let’s start with resources that will help you handle your midterms better:

    1) learning strategists

    while i’ve never visited a learning strategist myself, i’ve heard that they’re really great for helping you reach your academic goals. a learning strategist will be able to give you tips on managing your time and stress, evaluate your study plans with you, and just generally talk you through better ways to learn and thus improve your grade. if you’re in arts and science, you should be able to call your college registrar and request an appointment with the learning strategist. otherwise, i think CLNx also allows you to make appointments.

    i do think this is one of your best bets for learning how to handle midterms well, and whatever skills you learn from your learning strategist will carry over to finals as well.

    2) writing centres

    if any of your midterms are midterm papers, the writing centre will be a godsend. my college’s writing centre has helped me improve my grades on many, many papers. a highly recommended resource. if you’re unfamiliar with the writing centre, this past weekend i did an advice post for first-timers, which you can check out here.

    3) librarians

    if any of your midterms include a research element, you can actually live chat with librarians for research help here. also, i think u of t still does the personal librarian system, which should mean that you’ve gotten an email from a campus librarian who’s offered to help you with research and show you different tools to make your life easier. my personal librarian is my college librarian.

    you’d really be surprised how much wisdom librarians have— they can be super helpful for finding books and papers you might not have come across otherwise, and can also give you tips on how to parse a whole ton of information.

    4) office hours

    if you’re studying really hard and still don’t find that you’re getting the grades you hope for, that’s usually a signal that you should reach out to your profs or TAs for an office hours appointment. clarify their expectations, ask them how they’d recommend that you prep for a midterm, and see if you can sus out what they care most about. what topics do they see as most important? should you memorize things or know how to apply them? only your course instructors will be able to tell you. they’re being paid to teach you, so you might as well ask.

    now, for resources that will help you handle the disappointment (no matter how hard you try, it will still hit you sometimes. that’s what i’m learning as an upper year).

    1) dons, mentors, and other upper years

    upper years have been through it. most of them know how you’re feeling, but have also had more practice putting their failures into perspective and moving on. if you have access to residence/commuter dons, a mentorship program, or any upper years in general, i wouldn’t be afraid to start a conversation with them about dealing with disappointing grades! as an upper year myself, i’m always happy to talk younger students through the emotional struggle of first year. i guess that’s why i run this blog lol.

    2) friends

    honestly, my current favourite way to get over a bad midterm grade is to play an hour of among us with my friends. there’s nothin like a little friendly space murder to make yourself feel better.

    but hey, even before the pandemic, i found that it helped so much to take some time off my studies with people that i like, so that i could come back to studying refreshed and ready to work.

    don’t know anyone, since you’re still in first year? check out your prospective program’s student associations, your college, mentorship programs, and clubs. there will be friendly people going through the same thing as you— don’t be afraid to approach them. some random girl from my class added me on facebook, and now we rant to each other weekly about how frustrating our assignments are. ten times better than slogging through alone.

    3) embedded counsellors and MySSP

    if your disappointments begin to make you feel anxious or depressed, please reach out to one of the mental health supports on campus. you have five free appointments with your college’s embedded counsellor, who will talk you through your negative feelings and help you identify how your patterns of thought might be holding you back. you can call health and wellness to make an appointment with your embedded counsellor. if that doesn’t sound like an option for you, you can also chat with the counsellors at MySSP in different languages, 24/7, even outside of North America. your mental health is very important!

    in case it’s not obvious yet, i really think that reaching out to other people in the university community is the best way to pull yourself through what you’re dealing with.

    other than that, i think there’s value in maintaining a sense of perspective. first year is an adjustment. there is no shame in not doing as well as you hoped to, and things will get better once you figure out what the heck is going on in university. i really had to overhaul my study habits in order to get on my feet. you’ll learn. it’s why you’re here.

    sending you tons of encouragement for the rest of the semester— i’m proud of you for working so hard. keep it up, you can do this!

    be Boundless,

    aska

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  • academic offense

    guys please ://

    April 19, 2020

    hi , I just got an email from my professor that the TA suspects me for plagiarizing . This is my first time getting academic integrity/offence email . It involves my final which is worth 30% . The issue was some of my answers were not properly paraphrased and misreference as I thought citing from Wikipedia isn’t valid . I know Im the dumbest person in this uni right now , but currently this issue has give me a lot of pressure . Thanks in advance for your help 🙂

    ——————————————

    hey there,

    not sure what your specific question is, but i can tell you what will probably happen next. according to the code of behaviour on academic matters, you’ll need to make yourself available for a meeting with your instructor, in which the two of you will discuss what happened, your instructor will give you more information, etc. etc. nothing you say in this meeting can be used against you, so you and your instructor can have as open a conversation as possible about the situation. if, after that, your instructor still believes that you committed an academic offense, your case will get passed on to your department chair or dean, and things will be dealt with accordingly.

    in your case, since your assignment was worth more than 10%, it’ll likely be the dean who decides what kind of reprimand you’ll be facing. but no use speculating about what that’ll be until you meet with your instructor.

    to address specific elements of the message you sent me:

    in general, citing from wikipedia isn’t really a good call. if you’re really insistent on using it, scroll down to the bottom of the wikipedia page and see if you can find any legitimate sources lurking in the footnotes. it’s a much better to (properly!!) use and cite those sources than it is to use or cite wikipedia. don’t cite wikipedia. at most, use it as a starting point.

    anyway, you pay for access to u of t’s library of online journals and stuff, anyway, so it may be worth the extra effort next time to pull sources from there instead. i know the language can be more difficult to parse and it’s a little less straightforward than doing a simple google search, but the quality of info you’ll get there is so, so much better than wikipedia. not using a service you already paid for is kinda like:

    as for proper paraphrasing… this document from the uc writing centre is pretty legit in terms of the guidelines it provides. at the core of it, they outline two essential points. first, you NEED to reference your source (in-text, like through footnotes or whatever your prof wants). second, it’s essential that you use your own words and sentence structures when paraphrasing. it may be beneficial to give those guidelines a look, just so that you’re clear on what the expectations are for next time.

    in general, i’d recommend that you reach out to your friendly local registrar. book a phone appointment and explain your situation. it would be useful for you to talk your situation over with someone who can give you advice specific to your case. it would also be a good opportunity for you to ask any specific questions you might have.

    a final note: i need you guys to understand that i can’t bail you out, or give you reassurance i ultimately can’t stand behind, or even predict what’s going to happen to you. i’m willing to answer as many of these as are sent in, but i (as a fellow student!) can only be useful in these ways, as far as academic integrity cases are concerned:

    • explain the code of academic conduct
    • give you tips to avoid academic integrity issues in the future
    • walk you through the next steps of navigating an academic integrity case
    • refer you to resources

    this isn’t @ you specifically, just an announcement for anyone asking academic integrity questions right now. i’ve gotten more this week than i usually do over the span of, like, five months.

    best of luck finishing the rest of the semester if you’re not yet done. we’ll pull through.

    be Boundless,

    aska

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  • no one asked

    the aska guide to getting in touch with your registrar

    December 11, 2019

    friends!

    we refer yall so much to the registrars, but i realized a few months back some of you might not have all that much experience visiting them. i haven’t gotten that many questions this month (blogging is dead? no one loves me? something’s broken? all of the above?) so i figured i’d write a guide hyping the registrar’s office up. i love my registrar. as far as i’m aware i’m not getting paid extra to say that, although i wouldn’t argue if i was.

    um, who actually is the registrar? are they a person? an office? an ~entity~?

    it’s okay. this confuses some people– i guess ‘registrar’ isn’t all that common of a word outside the university bubble. most directly, your registrar’s office is the place you go for academic advice and certain academically-related services. your registrar (and associate registrars) are the advisors you meet with there.

    what do the college registrar offices even DO though?

    a lot, but not everything. here’s a list of things they generally can’t do:

    • update and access OSAP applications (enrolment services can help ya)
    • book/change writing centre appointments (that’s what the writing centre is for)
    • provide confirmation of graduation, including eligibility/intent to graduate (hit up artsci!)
    • bend rules for ya

    oof, maybe a bit harsh. sorry.

    as for what they can do– your registrar’s office is your reliable first stop for a ton of things! first off, they can outline your options and assess your aptitudes/interests to help you strategize course/program selection. need help planning for the future or juggling personal/work/school priorities? they got you there too. they’re also great at coaching and crisis management, if you ever need someone to talk to but don’t know where to go. basically, the registrar’s office is the place to go if you’re looking for support or to iron out the details of your life as a student.

    in more technical terms, this is what falls under their domain. they can:

    • get you letters to prove your enrollment for study permits/RESP/insurance
    • advise you on academic and financial matters, as well as personal ones (to a certain extent!)
    • register you in course overloads
    • re-register you, administer late registration, or reinstate you if you’ve been financially cancelled
    • book you appointments with a learning strategist or career advisor
    • help you submit petitions for term work extensions/deferred exams
    • process late withdrawal requests (LWD)
    • consider grant requests
    • tell you about deadlines, walk you through course/program enrolment, etc.
    • conduct grad checks
    • and more!

    where can i find my registrar? 

    usually in your college’s main building!

    can i send them emails?

    yes! always include your student number and be patient with responses. don’t send an email after closing hours and another panicky one before opening.

    can i call?

    yeah, you definitely can–but keep in mind that if you’re calling at a particularly busy time of year (think late august/september etc) whoever’s answering the phone may not be able to take your call right away. it’s usually better to come in person. this might entail waiting in line, but that wait will likely be shorter than the time you’ll be on hold.

    that said, this isn’t true all year– if it’s a slow time of year and you have a quick question, you’re certainly free to call!

    can i drop in? 

    for quick questions, yes. for issues that are more private, complicated, or might warrant sitting down and chatting, it’s best to book an appointment.

    but the internet.

    yeah, the thing is reddit isn’t all that reliable. it can be great sometimes, but it can also be wildly misguided. get your info from the people who know it best.

    anyway, i hope this was helpful. that’s all on this for now. find the directory of registrars here, and go give yours a visit! and a friendly reminder to be kind– they’ll do their best to help you, but they’re also human.

    be Boundless,

    aska

     

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  • english,  first year,  newly admitted,  polisci,  programs

    double double (major) toil and trouble

    May 2, 2018

    Hey aska!
    I’m going to uoft St. George for an English undergrad in the fall of 2018. I’m also interested in doing a double major in political science. I’m a bit confused about how to choose courses (how to take ones that interest me, fulfill my program requirements, and are also are prerequisites to upper-year courses)  and am worried about the workload if I do go for a double major. (I think I heard somewhere that it would take an extra year?) Also, I know I’m not outstanding in English and the main reason why I want to study it is because I want  to improve in it. Since my highschool graduation is drawing closer, I’m beginning to have doubts about whether or not I can succeed regardless of how much effort I put in because it’s a world class program and I’m only average at best. In your experience, was there a huge step-up from  highschool English to university English? Were can I find information on courses available to me?
    Thanks so much!

    ——————————————

    hi!

    at u of t, in order to complete your degree, you have to do a combination of programs of study (or, POSt). you have to complete either: a specialist, two majors, or a major and two minors. so, your desire to do a double major is actually pretty common at u of t. being worried about the workload is valid, you ARE moving from a high school workload to a university workload. however, like i said, doing a double major is extremely common at u of t, with some students even piling on a minor with their double majors! i don’t think you will have any issues doing a double major. however, if you do, that’s ok too. and it’s ok to consider taking a reduced course load (less classes per semester) and take longer to graduate in order to work at a speed that works for you.

    god, if i could, i would grab every incoming first year student by the shoulders, give ’em a good shake, and scream “YOU CAN TAKE MORE THAN FOUR YEARS!!! TAKE YOUR TIME!!!!”

    listen to me omg GIF

    but… i digress.

    now to address the question of course selection. most students take 5.0 FCE (full course equivalents) in a year. 5.0 credits is considered the standard for a full time student and it’ll allow you to graduate in 4 years (5.0 FCE times 4 years = 20 FCE needed to graduate). because first year is general and you can take anything you want, it’s a good idea to check out the required courses for your intended programs of study. so in your case, if you want to do an english and polisci double major, you’d want to see what the required courses are to get into those programs as well as what first year courses are offered in those programs.

    for english, there aren’t any prereqs to get into the major. however, you should probably take a first year english course anyways as most second year courses and other upper year courses require the completion of a first year course. check out this link for all the first year english courses that would count towards an english POSt.

    for polisci, you need to have achieved at least a 67% in POL101Y or POL200Y or one POL FCE or equivalent in half courses. so it would probably be a good idea to take one of those courses in your first year so that you can get into a polisci major after first year.

    you 100% should get in contact with your college registrar’s office and set up an academic advising session. they will be able to go more in-depth with you and discuss all your options. you can also get in contact with the program advisers of english and polisci respectively. check out this link for their contact info.

    as for whether or not you can succeed “regardless of how much effort [you] put in”… well, like i said earlier, the transition between high school and university can be difficult, but it isn’t impossible. if you find yourself struggling academically, don’t hesitate to make an appointment with the academic adviser at your registrar’s office, or to contact your prof/ TA, who are also great resources and can really help you if you’re struggling in a course. you should also look into the academic success centre, where you can make appointments a learning strategist who can help you learn more about how you learn.

    another great resource at u of t, especially for kids in programs like english and polisci, are the writing centres. you can book an appointment and bring your assignments to them before the deadline, and the people who work at the writing centre can go through the assignment with you and provide insight on how you can write a better assignment. they’re awesome. they’ve saved many a paper of mine.

    joe jonas relief GIF

    ok, phew! that was a LOT of information. i really hope this helps. if you have more questions, please get in contact with the people i’ve linked above (especially your registrar’s office, they’re super helpful and a great first contact point for anything academic).

    good luck, see you on campus in september!

    xoxo,

    aska

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  • academic success,  failing,  health and wellness,  mental health

    i’m rootin’ for you!

    February 5, 2018

    HI!!!
    Sooo ya, Im in my 3nd year of study and I already failed 2 courses back in first year. I thought I was doing fine in this course (csc236) but then the marks came and it was abysmal. During this whole year I wasn’t feeling well, a lot of anxieties and some depression – I know, I only have myself to blame. I’d like to ask what are your suggestions on the actions I should take to deal with this 0.0gpa and the advice to do better?

    Thanks ;(

    ——————————————

    hi!

    that sounds like a really tough situation to be in. i’m really sorry for how long this response has taken me, but i hope that you still find it helpful.

    first of all, i’m going to suggest that you make an appointment with your registrar’s office. they can help you and/or point you towards resources that can help you. they should be your first point of contact whenever you’re feeling distressed (emotionally or academically). make an appointment, talk to one of the advisers there, and they’ll be able to give you more nuanced/ detailed/ personalized advice– more than i can give you (as a lowly student blogger).

    broken computer GIF

    for academics, i highly suggest checking out the academic success centre. you can make appointments with learning strategists, mentors, people who work in writing centres, and a whole bunch of folks that’re there to help. they can provide a lot of personalized advice and teach you all about HOW you learn and ways of learning more effectively. that should help you learn BETTER and (hopefully) boost your marks. they also have some walk-in appointments that you can make, if you don’t wanna make an actual appointment.

    you should also check out health and wellness. in your question, you said that you aren’t “feeling well” and have “a lot of anxieties and some depression.” i think that you should check out their mental health services, even if you don’t think that you need to. mental health is super important, and the university doesn’t talk about it enough. mental health can really have a negative effect on your academics and getting to a healthy state of mind can help improve your academics as well.

    i hope this was helpful. i think that, most importantly, you should make an appointment with an adviser at your registrar’s office– they are literally paid to help you. school, especially this school, can be really hard, and we all need a little bit of help sometimes. there’s no shame in it 🙂

    good luck.

    spongebob squarepants good luck GIF

    xoxo,

    aska

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  • colleges,  st. mike's

    colleges, crim, enrolment, oh my!

    January 22, 2018

    Hello,

    I am admitted in the University of Toronto St. Michael College for studies in Humanities. I have 2 questions for you.

    1) What is the difference between all the Arts & Science colleges?

    2) Is it possible for me to select Criminology & Socio-legal studies as a major after my first year even though i have been admitted in the faculty of Humanities?

    Thank you.

    ——————————————

    hi!

    since your question is in two parts, i’ll be answering in two parts.

    1) colleges are kinda like a student’s “home base” during their time in the faculty of arts and sciences. every student in artsci belongs to a college. this is mostly for administrative reasons, as u of t and the faculty of arts and sciences are huge. so, if you needed to access any admin (ie. registrar’s office, dean’s office, etc), you would want to get in contact at the college level first. there are also a lot of different resources that are available to students at a college such as writing centres. you will also be participating in orientation week with your college and if you’re living on residence, your college is where you would live.

    there isn’t really any difference between the colleges, they all serve the same basic purpose. there are some people who say that each college has their own “personality”, but you will be able to find people that you click with no matter which college you’re at. basic people will tell you all about the stereotypes associated with the different colleges, but that’s all they are– stereotypes.

    2) yes, it’s possible for you to for you to enroll in criminology and socio-legal studies as a major even though you were admitted into humanities. as long as you have the appropriate prerequisites fulfilled, there’s nothing stopping you!

    you just need to take 2.0 FCE (full course equivalents) in either: HIS (history), ECO (economics), PHL (philosophy), POL (polisci), PSY (psychology), or SOC (sociology). then, between first and second year (or whenever you complete 4.0 FCE), you have to apply for the major on ACORN. check out this link for a detailed explanation of the program enrollment process. criminology and socio-legal studies is a type 3 program.

    you could also make an academic advising session with your registrar’s office, who would be able to give you even more information.

    i hope this helps! see you on campus in september!

    millie bobby brown blow kiss GIF by SAG Awards

    xoxo,

    aska

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  • failing,  probation

    keep holding on

    September 22, 2017

    Hey

    As I 3rd year international student and heading to the last year of my uni life, I just found out I failed a course during the summer. It was a course for my program but it’s not a required course. This is really breaking me down because it drags my CGPA down and below 1.5. I used to be on probation before but I studied hard and pull my CGPA back to normal and safe line, now I have to face a fact that I would be on probation again when I am in the fourth year, is it going to suspend me directly? Is there any possibilities that I could make up this test to let it pass (the pass grade is 50 and I am 48), can I talk to the professor and see if he can curve? Or can I talk with the registrar office and see I could late withdraw this course? I knew the possibilities of these might be very very small but if there is anything I could to let it pass or erase this course history, I would sacrifice my life for it.

    Thanks

    ——————————————

    hi!

    first, let me apologize for my extremely late response. i’ve been super swamped lately with the start of classes. i know that isn’t a good excuse and it’s pretty sh*tty of me to have put this off for so long, so i hope that you will forgive me and that this response isn’t TOO too late.

    so, you shouldn’t be put on suspension; you’ll just be put on probation again. which sucks, i know, but you got out of it once, you can do it again! you should look at this link that gives has a lot of information on probation and advice. i also highly recommend visiting the academic success centre. they’re a criminally underused service here at u of t. you can make appointments with mentors, learning strategists, people who work at writing centres, and a whole bunch of other folks who are there to help out. it’s a really great way to learn about how you learn which should, in turn, help you learn better and get better marks. they have walk-in times as well as appointments that you can make. it’s pretty dope.

    as for your mark– unfortunately, if that mark has already gone through and you have the final mark for the course, it’s too late to get rid of it. the LWD date has also passed. i’m really sorry about that.

    if you need anymore advice at all, especially concerning probation, i also suggest making an appointment with your registrar’s office. 

    i hope this helps. again, i’m so sorry for my late response. i know that you’ll be able to get yourself out of this pickle. i’m rooting for you.

    GIPHY Studios Originals yay cheers rooting go team GIF

    peace and love,

    aska

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  • academic offense,  suspension

    suspension sequel: the petition RETURNS

    July 7, 2016

    Hi, i don’t even know where to start but here i go… I’m a first year student at utsg i started school in september 2015 same year March 2015 i had my first born ( teen mom) as a young mom i just wanted to prove people wrong and went straight to school so that i can get an education even if a had a baby early. Its a bumpy ride as when my son was born he had major complication which had required surgeries and 3  months admitting  at sick kids and by the time we brought him home the amount of visits to paediatrics and sick kids are very over whelming. But i still went for it and went to school at utsg ( big mistake ) i took only 3 courses and failed all 3 i thought that by taking summer school i can pull my GPA up little did i know my register office has sent me a mail that went straight in to clutter box and i didn’t get that letter indicating lots of important things but when i read that letter it was too late because i have made an academic offence for plagiarism and went through so much that i can’t drop that course and i was not focusing in that course for me to pass it even with a 60% which clearly i know i will be on 1 year suspension. I really really don’t want to be on that suspension because i have no plans for me if i did honesty my mom would be so mad, i will lose subsidy i will loose osap i don’t know what to do. (I’m a single mom btw). I went to my register office and that they recommended a petition letter which i know its not a guaranteed thing but i just wanted to know will they grant me that
    opportunity to do so because of what I’ve been through during the year? i have all the documents of my child being sick, emergency visits almost all the document added it to 71 pages pf paper of his history do you think that my petition will go through and that i won’t be on suspension??? I’m really confused and so scared for my future ?? i know it isn’t a big deal but being a suspension means its the end of the world to me tbh !!!!!!!!!

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    unfortunately, the golden nugget at the core of your question is something i can’t answer. will your petition go through? i don’t know. i’m not involved with petitions. all i have is anecdotal information, and that’s scant as best. the best thing you can do is keep in touch with your registrar’s office – and imagine that i am saying this emphatically, because i really mean it – about the status of your petition. ask them questions. they won’t be able to give you a 100%-for-sure answer either, but they can tell you how likely they think the petition is to go through.

    i will say that the more evidence you have, the better the chances of the petition being granted. if you have documentation verifying the existence of an extenuating circumstance, that’s great. the fact that your registrar’s office suggested the petition in the first place is a good sign. if your child was sick, that seems to me like a specific, extenuating circumstance that could merit a granted petition.

    that being said, i don’t have an answer for you. it may not go through. if it does happen that you are suspended, you will make it through that. and i can totally understand the feeling that a suspension is the end of the world; i don’t want to invalidate that feeling. it is scary. i can’t imagine how hard it must have been for you to juggle school and parenting, and it is admirable that you have been putting your child first while simultaneously handling this academic matter.

    however, if you are suspended, it’s only for a year. if, after that year, you still feel like coming back to school is the right decision for you, then you can do that, and you can be successful. again, your registrar’s office can help with that. the academic success centre, the family care office, your college writing centre, and the math aid centres can help with that.

    then again, in a year’s time, you may realize that school is not for you; maybe not right now, maybe not ever. you have to do what feels right, and you’re the only one who can make that decision. trust yourself. trust in yourself. don’t be afraid.

    best of luck with it.

    cheers,

    aska

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  • law school

    b(law) b(law) b(law)

    April 22, 2016

    Hey! I hope you guys will be able to help me out with my all my questions,

    Anyways, I am a first year student thriving to (hopefully) become a lawyer in the future. It is also one of my goal to get accepted at U of T’s law school. My first year experience taught me a lot of things indeed and although I can assure you that I did work hard and I did try my best in school, I still found myself struggling to get that amazing GPA.

    I currently have a 2.7 GPA and I was wondering if hypothetically, I get to improve my marks in my second, third and fourth year, and if I am able to get close to a 4.0 in the next few years, will I still have a chance to be accepted to U of T law school? (despite my low average in first year) I know how hard it is to get accepted at u of t and i don’t really know what things I need to work on in order to get a better chance of getting accepted (like volunteer work or joining school clubs?)

    Also, are there any tips you can give me in terms of ways I can do to improve my marks? Like tips in note taking for example?

    Thanks for your help [&#X1f60a]

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    standard disclaimer: i am not uoft law school (if i were, i’d probably wear much nicer shoes). i have NO IDEA what actually goes into the admissions process at the faculty of law. all i know is what they’ve published, and even making predictions based on that is a sketchy business. definitely don’t take my words as gospel; think of everything i say more as helpful suggestions.

    now, to your questions: you have a lot of time ahead of you; three long years to sort out your marks, and develop your interests and skills. if you can pull up your marks significantly in the next three years, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t graduate with a very respectable GPA. uoft law in particular bases its admissions GPA on your best three years (see “Standards for Admission 2015-2016“). hypothetically, you could apply having had a 4.0 CGPA over your second, third and fourth years. your first year doesn’t even need to have influenced it.

    lots of people have very different marks in their first year than they do in their subsequent years. first year is a transition period, and for a lot of people, it can be pretty rough. it certainly was for me.* that being said, you don’t just start your second year and magically turn into a goddess with a 4.0 GPA who somehow finds time to run a charity and go to yoga three times a week. going from a 2.7 to a 4.0 is a big leap, and it won’t come easy.

    that being said, the harder you work, the more you seek out help, the better your chances of landing the jump. resources that can help you include the academic success centre, math aid centres, and the writing centre at your college. the more you can get into the habit of asking for help, the better. go to TAs’/professors’ office hours. study with your peers (if you find that helpful). ask questions when and wherever you can.

    also, i recommend that you use the summer to reflect on your first year. maybe you’ll decide you need to change what you’re studying for next year. maybe there are some things you need to de-prioritize in order to focus on school, like a job or extra-curriculars or falling asleep watching Netflix (later, i will advise you to join all these things, which i realize sounds contradictory, but it’s all about BALANCE). maybe you need to dial back on social outings in favour of studying. almost everyone adjusts their habits slightly after first year, so don’t be afraid to make the changes you need to to be successful.

    finally, your question about what non-academic things you should be doing to get into law school is the least answerable of all your questions. i don’t think the admissions committee even knows what they’re looking for – until they see it. what they want is someone interesting. someone with a compelling story. there’s no one way to be that.

    the best piece of advice i can give you is just to do what you’re interested in. if there’s a club you’d like to join, great. somewhere you’d like to volunteer? awesome. if you need a job, do the job. start a band. join a sports team. get involved with student politics. join an activist group. just try and live and study and work to the fullest of your capabilities and interests, and you can’t go wrong.

    if you have more questions, i find these pages are helpful introductory primers. and a final tip: don’t let the LSATs sneak up on you. the time to study for them will come up sooner than you think.

    cheers,

    aska

    *i know that’s hard to believe, considering what a perfect, put-together specimen of perpetual light aska is now.

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