• admissions,  covid-19

    ma’am, this is a global pandemic

    October 13, 2020

    Hey, so I’m a student in grade 12 looking forward to applying for the concurrent program however, i know they need experience but what if i wasn’t ableto get a lot of experience because i was still in high school and then covid quarintine struck which completely blocked my chances now that i was older and able to get more volunteer experiences relating to teaching. Is that going to affect my application and get denied? Im so stressed about this 🙁

    ——————————————

    hello hello,

    this is the first i’ve heard about any concurrent program at u of t— do you mean the concurrent teacher education program? it looks like that program hasn’t been doing direct admission from high school for several years, so if that’s the program you’re after, you may want to look into other options.

    anyway, i know that the issue of experience is something that’s causing a lot of anxiety for senior high school students. the thing is, it’s hard for me to say whether how much a lack of experience will impact your application. i’m not an admissions officer and as much as i wish i had the inside scoop on this stuff, i don’t.

    it may be worth contacting whatever department you’re applying to and see if they’re willing to answer your questions. that’s usually what i recommend for admissions questions.

    if it helps at all, what i can tell you is that normally, when you apply, you’re admitted based on how you compare to the others in your application batch. if everyone’s missing out on experience right now (which is quite likely), then you won’t be at any distinct disadvantage for not having experience. most students are in the same boat. i mean, the world is still in crisis!

    an idea— is it possible that you can get creative with your application? for example, you could explain your situation, and then include any experience that might be transferrable to teaching, ie. peer tutoring, academic clubs, or any extracurriculars with leadership. if your school has a guidance or academic counselor, it’s possible that they may be able to provide you with advice on how to put a strong application together without experience. see who you can reach out to for help.

    final words: i know admissions season is incredibly anxiety-inducing. remember to take breaks from applying/studying/working and drink water, stay connected with the people you love, and go outdoors if you’re able. when i was doing my apps a few years ago, they seemed like EVERYTHING. and they are incredibly important. but do what you can to prevent yourself from dissolving into a puddle of stress, yeah?

    best of luck with applications and the rest of high school! aska is rooting for you.

    be Boundless,

    aska

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  • odds are that won't be asked again,  subject POST

    this week has felt like two years hbu

    October 4, 2020
    Hello there, I’m in a tricky situation that’s kinda rare. Couldn’t find any cases to reference to, so here I am. Long story short, Low CGPA, have 6 credits left to complete. But got removed from the program, since I didn’t meet the cut off. Went to the chair of the department, nothing useful came back. So should I switch a program to start fresh? Took me 3 years already in the school but it seems nothin’s worth it. Any suggestions would be great. Thank you.

    ——————————————

    hey there,

    happy october! hope you’re doing all right in this extremely chaotic world. i’ve been doomscrolling my way through the week and watching too much CNN. if ya know what i mean.

    it makes sense that, as you said, your situation is quite rare — i’m not really aware of any programs that require you to keep a certain CGPA, if that’s what you mean by “didn’t make the cutoff.” so, should you switch programs and start anew? it’s always difficult for me to provide clear answers to these kinds of questions. here are some factors i think you should weigh:

    1. is there a program similar to the one you were removed from? something you’d be able to use your current credits towards so that you wouldn’t have to necessarily start from scratch? for example, i had a friend switch from international relations to disapora and transnational studies in her third year— apparently there were enough similarities between the two that she was able to do so without too much inconvenience.
    2. is there a program that really gets you goin’? something that you’re intensely curious about, can see fitting into your interests well, or will help move you towards your goals? i know a few people who picked programs they weren’t into, just ’cause they thought they should, and it made their degree extremely difficult to complete. picking a program you care about will make finishing your degree feel doable.
    3. do you have the resources, stamina, and time to add a year or two to your degree? if you switch to a completely different program, it’s likely that you’ll need to take quite a few more credits before your degree is complete. is that a sacrifice you’re willing and able to make?

    if you answered yes to any of the above, it’s probably worth it for you to consider switching programs.

    i think it’s also worth considering what your alternatives are. were you doing a double major in two different programs, or perhaps a major and two minors? is it an option for you to take another program you’re already enrolled in and specialize in it instead? or maybe you were already a specialist and that’s why you feel like you’ve been backed into a corner. i dunno. this is a lot of guesswork,,, honestly, you might benefit from an appointment with your friendly local registrar’s office. personally, i find that it’s really helpful to talk things over with an academic advisor who has access to things like my academic record. you might benefit from the kind of advice an advisor can dispense.

    anyway, just to sling a lil encouragement your way (cause god knows we could all use some right now): i know school is tough and seems pointless sometimes. you weren’t explicit about what other options you were considering, but my sense is that you’re feeling lost and are maybe even thinking about giving up. and you know what, if this isn’t the right time and place for you to be pursuing a degree, then that’s all right! but if you want to stick around and are just discouraged, i do think that you can find a path to finishing your degree that makes sense to you. talk things through with people, if that’s something that helps you. make pro-con lists. explore your options. whatever you ultimately decide, i trust that you know what’s best for yourself. as one of my friends likes to say, this problem will have its place. things will turn out all right.

    be Boundless,

    aska

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  • deferral,  fees

    release those fees!

    September 22, 2020

    hi! if i deffered my tuition fee, when is the last day I can pay it? nslsc still hasn’t released my funding ?

    ——————————————
    hey there,
    the problem you’re having isn’t unheard of, which is why fee deferral exists in the first place! but it’s actually been quite difficult for me to find the answer to your question. i’m not 100% versed in how student loans work across the board, unfortunately, especially since i’m not from ontario and have zero experience with osap.
    this is what i’ve managed to figure out: apparently nslsc is what releases your OSAP funds to you. you probably already knew that, but i’m learning this for the first time. if that’s the case, you have until september 30 to pay your fall tuition fees. as far as your winter fees go, you have until january 31, 2021. 2021? what a foreign concept. i feel like i’ve been stuck in 2020 all my life. technically, your service fees won’t start accruing until around two weeks later, so if you need a day or two extra i think that’s normally okay. u of t affords a bit of a grace period, since funds don’t always get processed right away. after that, you have until april 30, 2021 until a financial hold gets placed on your account, which will block you from future registration. if i’m somehow wrong and your funding isn’t connected to OSAP, you can check out this page, which will give you the fee deadlines for other types of tuition deferrals.
    i hope this helped! actually, i hope that this post is now irrelevant and that somehow, right after you asked your question, nslsc released your funding. that would be nice. that’s the kind of ideal world i wanna live in.
    be Boundless,
    aska
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  • petition

    take care of yourself, bro

    September 17, 2020

    I failed a course this summer due to horrible health issues. I ended up writing the deferred final exam and I’m scared they won’t accept my petition to late withdrawal without academic penalty…. I’m thinking of taking a year off because of my heath so I can eventually get back to studies. And I was thinking if this WDR request gets denied could I CR/NCR Petition it? So it’s going to be NCR, however I do need this credit for my program requirement… so if it’s NCR would that create problems?

    ——————————————

    hey there,

    i’m so sorry you had to deal with those health issues! it’s been a minute since you asked this, so maybe you have the results of your petition already, but i’ll do my best to answer this anyway.

    i’m not really sure if you can petition to cr/ncr a course if a WDR petition has been denied. that would be a question to email or call your registrar’s office with. but if you do successfully petition to cr/ncr the course, that will throw a wrench in your plans whether or not the final designation is cr or ncr. that’s because the cr/ncr designation can’t be used towards program requirements.

    if this course fulfills a flexible requirement, ie. “take 2.0 FCEs from either list A, B, or C” you’ll need to choose a different course in order to fulfill that requirement. if this course is a rigid requirement, as in you need this specific course in order to complete your program, you’ll likely need to retake it. i know that you can retake failed classes, but i’m not 100% sure if you can take classes designated ncr. my gut says probably yes, but my brain says email your registrar and confirm since the rules and regulations don’t make that explicitly clear. but if you can retake passed courses (with restrictions), you shoulddddd be able to retake ncr-designated courses.

    (off topic, but did you see that video of that one professor who commissioned a video from snoop dogg to drive home the point that his students should read his syllabus? apparently he spent like $700ish on it? wild.)

    anyway, the arts and science students’ union (ASSU) is considering advocating for the cr/ncr deadline to be pushed until after final marks are released, so that people who are in your situation don’t need to jump through so many hoops. if you’re interested in seeing that go through, you can show them the support they need by filling out this google form. 

    best of luck with everything, and please take a year off if you need to! if i’ve learned anything from this year of absolute chaos, it’s that your health is really the most important thing and there are no substitutes for looking after it. wishing you a smooth recovery <3

    be Boundless,

    aska

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  • work-study

    what if we… applied to jobs we aren’t qualified for… haha jk… unless?

    September 9, 2020

    Hi I just checked out Clnx as I was looking for a part-time and people told me it’s best if I can get one through UT’s work-study program. However all the positions I saw were meant for higher-years. Do you know any jobs that will take first-years? Or is work-study typically not a first-year thing?

    ——————————————

    hey there,

    first years are definitely eligible for the work-study program! i know it can be a bit tougher to find jobs that feel like they’re geared towards u of t newcomers, but i’d encourage you to apply to anything you’re interested in, even if you don’t think you’re qualified. i’ve definitely seen a few openings that i think would make sense for a first-year to go for, like basic office jobs or assistant positions. you can also think about what strengths and interests you have, and filter the job postings accordingly— for example, i know a girl who got a work-study position doing some illustration and graphic design. for creative or skill-based jobs like those, i don’t think it would matter very much what year you’re in.

    if you don’t see anything that makes sense for you to apply for, i think some places are still adding work-study positions right now, so i’d recommend checking the site regularly up until the deadline to apply.

    if you need any help with your resume, cover letters, or interviewing skills, you should check out these career-advising appointments available to u of t students. they’re able to dole out some fantastic advice, most of which an average person wouldn’t know, and can even advise you on your job search in general.

    i do agree with whoever told you that the work-study program is a good idea. i’m a work-study student myself, and find that it affords me a ton of flexibility with my work hours that i probably wouldn’t have otherwise. plus, it’s super useful to work with a university faculty, college, or program, since it gives you a lil inside look at how things work at this school. i learned so much more about u of t from my work-study program than i did from literally anywhere else. aaaaand you get CCR recognition, which is always a win.

    anyway, sending you some physically-distanced encouragement with this weird, weird SNL gif i found. don’t let your first-year status hold you back in your job search!

    be Boundless,

    aska

     

     

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  • quercus

    what’s the dealio?

    September 8, 2020

    hi! it is currently September 08 (two days before the semester starts) and none of my courses are up on quercus yet. What’s the dealio?

    ——————————————

    hey there!

    my guess is that either you’re a wide-eyed first year— otherwise, you’ve somehow managed to consistently get profs who are more on top of their work than the ones i’ve gotten. i wouldn’t worry too much about courses not being up on quercus yet— i’ve literally had quercus shells posted sometimes a week, a week and a half into the semester. i get that late quercus shells are even less ideal this year, given that many classes are online.

    if you’re really worried about it, once the first day of that class has come i’d shoot a polite email to the prof just to check in. but i anticipate that some profs are probably doing some last-minute work and their quercus shells won’t be ready for launch til right before the class starts, which is my best guess as to why you’re in this situation today.

    tl:dr don’t worry too much! and good luck with the semester.

    be Boundless,

    aska

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  • graduation

    “the final degree” hmm sounds like a climate change horror film haha #ecoanxiety

    September 2, 2020

    hey!! I was wondering if that when you double major in a BA/BSc, what does it say on your degree when you graduate? Do you get to pick whether you want the final degree to be a BA or Bsc? I’m currently enrolled as an honours BSc

    ——————————————

    hey there,

    i believe you do get to pick what your degree reads when you graduate! you can find that info on this webpage— you’ll see that it says whatever’s on ACORN will be your default degree, but you can get in touch with your registrar to change that to another degree you qualify for. so in your case, your default would be an HBSc but you could technically graduate with a HBA as well. i’ve also heard (though i can no longer find any evidence of this) that you can ask to have both an HBA and a HBSc on your diploma, so if that’s something you’re interested in, you could probably inquire about it as well?

    one more note on this topic: i’ve heard that if you’ve chosen a POSt that goes above and beyond your requirements to graduate (for example, a minor on top of a specialist, or on top of two majors) that POSt won’t be shown on your diploma unless you ask for it. if that’s relevant to you, it might be something to keep in mind as well.

    man. thinking about graduation makes me a little sad. i hope that when my time comes, i get to have a real ceremony.

    be Boundless,

    aska

     

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  • extracurricular,  greek life

    everything scream queens told you is probably a lie

    August 29, 2020

    hey! im going into my first year and i was really considering joining a sorority since it seems like a good way to make friends, network, and do some philanthropic work. I’m just worried that it’s going to be too clique-y and it’s not going to be as happy and inclusive as they advertise it to be. i know that the panhellic community isn’t affiliated with uoft but do you have any advice or knowledge about what Greek life at uoft is actually like?

    ——————————————

    hello!

    these are definitely some valid concerns. while i’m not a member of the panhellenic community myself, i do know some people who have joined sororities and seem quite happy there. they seem great for networking and developing a sense of community at u of t, and i know a number of them offer leadership development opportunities as well.

    in terms of whether or not it’s as “happy and inclusive” of a lifestyle as it seems, that’s probably a super subjective assessment that only someone in a sorority would be able to make. all i know is that hazing isn’t really as much of a thing in canada as it is in the states (in other words, it’s not allowed). i’ve seen that the president of one u of t sorority has written about the racism and exclusivity built into the greek life system— you can read more here. there’s also a little bit on reddit about u of t sororities here, although reddit should typically be taken with a grain of salt when it comes to accuracy. i just like the note from one redditor in the thread pointing out that you can ask sorority members about their experiences during rush. that’s as close as you can get to knowing what it’s like in a house without actually joining it.

    if you decide to go ahead with joining a sorority, it might be worth it to look into the different philanthropic and social activities each house engages in, to get a sense of which one aligns best with what’s important to you. what values does each house have? what sets it apart from the others? knowing that kind of information well in advance will help you get the best experience out of a sorority, should you choose to join.

    anyway, you can find more information on u of t sororities, including recruitment, here. sorry i can’t be more specific about what kind of cliques and exclusion might be involved, but wishing you the best of luck with making this decision!

    be Boundless,

    aska

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  • programs,  transfer credits

    give us priority enrolment!

    August 25, 2020

    hey! really appreciative of what you’re doing here 🙂 I’m a UTSG student and I need to take PHL281 (biothetics) as part of my program (health studies). But, no priority so the waitlist is super long (40% would need to drop lol). PHLB09 at UTSC shows up as transferable to 281 on transfer explorer, and it has lots of space and a great prof. does that mean I can take it and have it count towards my major reqs? i should email the dept, but I don’t know how to write that email/what to say :/

    ——————————————

    hey there,

    this is one of the most annoying things about course enrolment at u of t, tbh… i wish they’d provide priority enrolment for all program requirements. it makes things so hard when the school doesn’t give you priority for courses that you actually need in order to complete your degree.

    as far as i know, if PHLB09 at UTSC is transferrable to the PHL281 at UTSG, you should be able to take it. it might be even easier than normal this year, with hybrid/online classes. i agree that you should probably email the department and double-check. you can keep the message pretty brief. here’s a suggested email from me if you’re not sure what to say:

    “Hello (name of person),

    I’m emailing with a question about a Health Studies program requirement. My name is ______ and I’m a student in the Health Studies major. My student number is _______.

    I haven’t been able to get into PHL281 for this upcoming academic year, but according to Transfer Explorer, PHLB09 at UTSC has been accepted in the past as a transfer credit equivalent to PHL281. I’m wondering whether or not I’d be able to to take PHLB09 in place of PHL281 and have it fulfill the program requirement.

    Thank you for your time and I look forward to a response!”

    i’d also shoot a quick email to your registrar, just to check what else you need to do in order to take a UTSC course and have it count towards a UTSG degree. i’m not sure if this is a letter of permission situation or not, but there are likely other hoops you’ll need to jump through in order to be 100% certain you can get credit for the UTSC course. i think you’ll almost definitely need to interact with the transfer credit department at some point. your registrar will know what to do. don’t forget to include your student number in the email so that they’ll get back to you sooner!

    i hope this helped and good luck.

    be Boundless

    aska

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  • petition,  suspension

    two thumbs down

    August 16, 2020

    Hi, I am a student at UTM. I recently got suspended due to academic probation. A mark for a course from winter 2020 was inputted late thus resulting in my suspension. The university has allowed me to continue with my summer semester and I was very motivated towards CCIT as I wanted to switch from commerce. My CGPA for my summer session has improved significantly, as it is above 1.50 and I was wondering how I can highlight this in my petition for early return/lift of suspension. Any Tips?

    ——————————————

    hey there,

    geez, if a mark was inputted late, doesn’t that mean you got suspended for something that literally… was not under your control? maybe i’m misunderstanding something. but if that’s the case, that’s dumb and we don’t like it.

    for this, i would actually reach out to your registrar for advice if you haven’t already. usually i get a wave of suspension questions in the spring right before the summer sem starts, so i can’t remember encountering a case like yours before. an academic advisor might be able to give you better guidance on how to make your petition as strong as possible.

    with that said, if your CGPA is above 1.50, that means you’re in good standing. personally, i would recommend emphasizing that in your petition statement, along with the efforts you’ve gone to in order to bring your CGPA back up. you don’t need to write a novel— something concise will do— but anything to show that you deserve an exception should help. maybe even throw in a little “this is how i plan to keep my GPA up moving forward,” i don’t know?

    best of luck!! i hope your suspension gets lifted early.

    be Boundless,

    aska

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  • credits

    after a year at u of t you’ll be able to answer this question in your sleep

    August 14, 2020

    HI! This may sound like a dumb question, but approximately how many courses amount to 20 credits?

    ——————————————

    HI back at you! love the enthusiasm.

    another name for credits at u of t is full course equivalents, or FCEs. once you know that, understanding what 20 credits actually means is a lot simpler— it essentially entails that, to complete your degree, you need the equivalent of 20 full-year courses. with very few exceptions, each full year course is typically worth 1.0 FCE, while each half-year (single-semester) course is worth 0.5 FCE. so to finish your degree with 20.0 FCEs, you’ll need to take some combination of full year courses and half year courses that add up to the right amount. you can also think about it this way: if you plan to take 5 courses each fall/winter semester of your degree (which you totally don’t have to, but many people do), then that means you’ll end up with 20.0 FCEs after four years.

    i hope that makes sense! no dumb questions here, since this blog basically exists to help people navigate the tangle of rules and bureaucracy that is u of t. if you want a handy-dandy tool to help you track your credits and programs, you can check out degree explorer.

    but… oh, honey, if 20 credits confused you, you’re gonna love this thing called the 12 distinct credits rule.

    be Boundless,

    aska

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  • CR/NCR,  grad school

    y’all are really testing the limits of my all-knowingness

    August 10, 2020

    hi there, I am going into my third year and I took a breadth course this past summer which I NCR/CR’d. I unfortunately didn’t pass and got a final grade of NCR. I am particularly concerned because I want to go to grad school (particularly masters/law). I am in humanities and the course I didn’t do well in was a science course, but its the first time I failed to get the credit for a course. Will it look bad on my transcript and will it greatly impact my admission chances?

    ——————————————

    hello hello!

    don’t feel too bad about the NCR, it happens sometimes.

    i’m not sure how it’ll look on your transcript or how it will affect your grad school admissions, though. admissions questions are always the toughest for me to answer because, as a fellow student myself, i’ve never worked in admissions or gotten to go behind the scenes of the process.

    something i’ve been told by academic advisors, though, is this: usually when you apply for grad school you’ll have an opportunity to explain any personal circumstances that may have affected your academic record. so if there was a serious reason you didn’t pass the course, you’ll be able to provide that reason to the grad schools you’re applying to.

    other than that…

    you could always try checking in with your registrar, who might know more about this subject than i do. but i have a feeling they’ll redirect you to the specific grad school programs you’re considering, since every program has different admissions policies.

    be Boundless,

    aska
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  • bird courses

    sometimes i have more questions than answers

    August 9, 2020

    Hi Aska, I have a question. Is “ITA103: Made in Italy: Italian Fashion from the Theatre to the Runway”, an easy course/bird course? Thank you in advance.

    ——————————————

    hey there,

    i would love to be able to tell you that it is, but i can’t actually lay claim to having taken every single course this esteemed institution offers. i can also see that nothing turns up when i plug the course code into reddit, so there’s no use directing you to that.

    wait, hang on. does this course exist?

    nothing comes up for it in the timetable, and it’s not included under the italian calendar listing. so i actually… don’t really know what to tell you. i actually have more questions for you than answers. why do you know about this course? where are you getting your course listings? is there something you know that i don’t, like a starbucks secret menu, but make it u of t?

    in terms of bird courses in general, though, i always tell people that it’s more important to choose courses that play to your strengths and interests. an ‘easy’ course is super subjective, so even if i had a personal assessment to toss your way, i don’t know that it would be worth very much. plus, if you’re paying tuition, you get more of your money’s worth by investing in courses that make you actually want to engage with the material. a class on italian fashion does sound pretty interesting to me, so if that’s why you’re drawn to it, then by all means— enrol.

    just, maybe, wait for a year in which it’s offered?

    be Boundless,

    aska

     

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