——————————————
hey there,
i’m not too sure what you mean by 4.0 credit requirements– does this refer to… a program requirement? a course requirement? i know i’ve registered in courses that were only available to students with 4.0 credits and above, which basically just means they’re not available to first years. or maybe what you mean is the 4.0 credits of overlap you’re permitted between two majors that each require 8.0 credits each? i’m wracking my brain here, man. i can’t figure out what you’re gettin at.
to answer the questions i feel like i can answer, in general, yes, you do need to take certain prereqs in first year for whatever programs you’re considering. that’s true whether or not you’re taking a double major. they’ll be considered for admission to whatever programs you apply to at the end of your first year. you can find those prereq listings on the arts and science calendar— just search for the programs you’re interested in, or browse the alphabetical directory.
i say in general because there are exceptions. for example, certain programs (usually type 1 programs) don’t have first year prereqs. you can register in english, forest biomaterials, or diaspora and transnational studies without any first year prerequisites, for example. although, i should note, if this applies to you it would certainly be helpful to take program courses in first year, even if they’re not necessarily considered prerequisites. doing so will help you get a feel for what that program is like, as well as allow you to start counting courses towards program requirements earlier on.
check out this webpage to find out what program type your prospective majors would be. this one, meanwhile, is supposed to tell you what your application periods are– it hasn’t been updated yet, but i anticipate it should be soon. and yes, you will request/apply for programs on ACORN once those application periods open up.
if you’d like help figuring out how your degree requirements work, feel free to send the specifics my way and i can try to help make sense of it! i’ve spent a lot of time doing that kinda stuff because my own programs are a little whack and require a heckin’ lot of forethought to be able to complete in 20.0 credits. otherwise:
be Boundless,
aska
look ma, i’m an insider
What are some pros and cons of going to UofT? I really want an insider’s perspective
——————————————
wild. this is more open-ended than the essay prompts on my exams. what’s expected of me? i do not know. as with everything else in my life, i’ll probably overshoot, but, hey. i’m guessing you’re not here for ambivalence and mediocrity anyway.
i feel like this is actually a really case-by-case thing. as in, what’s a pro for me may not be a pro for you. but i can give you my list and you can see how ya feel about it.
off the top of my head, here are the definitive wins of being a student at this school, as far as i see it:
- the downtown campus. it’s beautiful, especially in the fall, and has a lot of stories to tell.
- heckin’ number of clubs (and libraries! some schools have 2, we raise you a whopping 44.)
- academic diversity— there are a bunch of pretty niche programs here that i don’t believe are widely offered at the undergraduate level, like urban studies or bioethics. there are also some really cool courses— i believe the executive editor of the walrus taught a one-time-only course on #metoo and the media this year.
- top-notch profs, doing some of the coolest research. i’ve had more phenomenal profs than i’ve had terrible or even mediocre ones, which i think really speaks to the caliber of people this school employs. this is obviously a very subjective assessment, but that’s been my experience thus far.
- a lot of departments are very well-connected in terms of opportunities. the peace, conflict, and justice program, for example, places a lot of students with NGOs like amnesty international.
- the innis cafe
- lots of options for a sense of community, because as a large school there are so many different small communities on campus
- plenty of coffee shops all over campus. i can’t find any comprehensive lists (maybe i should write one!?!?) but here’s a blog post that runs you down a few. suffice it to say that there is always one within a 5 minute’s walk of you, no matter where you are on campus.
- some pretty cool places to study, like the OISE lounge with a view of the skyline or the gerstein journal stacks with the glass floors
- i’ve met a lot of really cool peers, working on everything from chemistry research to podcasts to magazines. i was at a holiday art gallery last week, and there was a ton of impressive student art. this school has a lot of creative, driven, and friendly people, which can be intimidating but is mostly pretty inspiring.
- because the student population is large, some pretty sick events happen on campus. we recently had the some of the raptors come give a mental health talk at one of the on-campus athletic centres, with a performance from jp saxe. it was free. hart house theatre also puts out some really quality shows.
here are some unexpected, slightly questionable wins:
- bigger school, more free food. if ya know where to go and have the time to make trips, you can snag some. first year, i remember scavenging multiple meals in a row, although it was admittedly a lil sketch at times. there are also pretty regular free snack events. happy to do a detailed post on this if anyone’s interested.
- also more free coffee.
- more places to nap.
- more places to exercise, if you’re into that. we have, like, three gyms?? and a lot of fitness programs.
- the work-study program.
- corncoming
- i guess u of t is prestigious, so your parents can flex it if they care about those kinds of things.
- apparently we get employed. this one better be true.
some things i, and others, have mixed feelings about:
- the city of toronto. i could probably write a whole post just on this. toronto can be a massive pro for some people and a massive con for others. it’s often considered one of u of t’s biggest draws, but i think if you’re not from around here the reality of living in downtown toronto can be a tad bit different than expected.
- the cute: something’s always happening. it’s a real great city to be a young person in. just being out on the streets walking, you see a ton of really quirky, interesting, and fun things. no matter what you’re into, chances are you’ll find it here (unless you’re into the stars, i guess, or nature, or small-town things. you’ll need to leave downtown for that). there are also so many professional and learning opportunities in this city for you to take advantage of.
- the not so cute: personally, i’ve felt unsafe in the city a few times. nothing’s ever happened to me, but i take precautions. the rental market is also less than ideal.
- robarts
- this article lists it as part of a ‘top 10 reasons to go to u of t’ kind of thing. i’m personally not a fan, but it does make for a decent overnight study space. i guess it’s a good example of brutalist architecture, if you’re into that. it seems like most students love to hate robarts. it’s one of the few things a student population this large gets to bond over. but at the end of the day, we all end up there anyway. while we’re on the subject, can anyone tell me what’s so special about the 12th floor, please?
some less fun things, because really these are just inconveniences but i like to complain:
- the ttc always seems to be late, but that’s not a u of t specific thing.
- dunno how important the movie college experience is to you, but sports aren’t really that big here unless you’re in an athletic/intramurals community. as in, we don’t have any iconic games or anything that everyone goes to. i guess in general we’re a little starved for school spirit.
- our grading system seems to differ a little bit from some of the other ones i’m aware of. it’s harder to get a 3.0 here than it is at mcgill or ubc, because the percentage threshold is a bit higher. granted, our cutoff for a 4.0 is 85 instead of 86, but i didn’t even know you could get a 4.33 at places like ubc, queens and ryerson until yesterday. we cap at 4.0 here, and those are relatively rare. i guess 4.33s aren’t that relevant when you consider that.
- the food in robarts is subpar— i’ve heard the rice in the burritos isn’t fully cooked sometimes, and i wouldn’t doubt that?
- queen’s park being under construction all the time makes me sad & makes the walk from victoria college to con hall feel so much longer. it also occasionally floods, which is annoying.
- don’t walk across king’s college circle in the spring. also slightly flooded, and you might wipe out.
- the snow and frostbite temperatures are not terribly enjoyable. my ideal lifestyle does not involve a daily trek through the snow, in temperatures so inhospitable that your nose hairs freeze.
and the reasons that, despite actually quite enjoying this school, i have the occasional angry day of… anger, and think it kind of sucks:
- the hustle culture and competitive nature of being a student here– this piece from the varsity gives you a better sense of perspective on this than i could. it’s not as impossible to do well as people make it sound, but you will definitely need to grind if you’re planning to take a full courseload and be involved in the community. with that said, there are supports in place to help you out when things get rough, like your registrars, embedded counsellors, and teaching staff. you can thrive and have a good experience here, but you need to be well-equipped and well-supported in order to do so.
- the way things seem to pile up at the end of the semester. i guess this is true of university in general, but things don’t feel very well-paced to me— they’re slow until after reading week, at which point you don’t really breathe til finals are over. keep in mind this does vary widely by program, but we’re talking about the pros and cons here as i see them, so…
- the bureaucracy. u of t has so many rules. the teaching staff and admin are expected to play by them, which means that quite often, you won’t be able to get an extension without some kind of doctor’s note or documented proof of exceptional circumstances. it can sometimes feel like there’s a lot of red tape to jump when you’re trying to get accommodations without being registered with accessibility services. i wouldn’t say i feel treated like ‘just a number’ in general, but i have seen the system be quite unsympathetic to certain circumstances.
well, there ya have it. you asked for a simple, clean-cut pro-con list. i raised you an entire spectrum. enjoy, and feel free to ask follow-ups if anything gets too confusing.
be Boundless,
aska
this post has been brought to you by my last half brain cell
So basically I really really messed up last year I filed petition for not writing exam due to health issues.. I was diagnosed with spinal cancer and things were just really hard… and I read the petition form has to be
signed within the day of the exam or the next day but because I was unwell it ended up getting it after a couple days and I got scared and changed the date by 3 days I did this for 1.5 credits …. I was super honest about my mistake and they said from May 2019-December 2019 I’ll be suspended and the 1.5 credits will be a 0..
I don’t mind I was suspended at the time cuz I had to have emergency surgery to remove the tumor because the dr said if I don’t I’ll become paralyzed and wheelchair bound sooo in April 24 I did the surgery hoping I would be able to walk again and by May 15 I left rehab walking!!! And now this winter I’ll be doing some tests just to make sure the cancer hasn’t returned so things were crazy…
But now I realize that I’m suspended cuz u tried going into my email or acorn and it isn’t working and I’m freaking out!! Cuz before I didn’t think I could even walk to school and would rather quit if that’s what happened, but thankfully I am fully recovered and now It is hitting me that I’m suspended and when I was in high school i was never the type and I’m just really sad and disappointed in myself…
I’m worried I won’t be able to enroll for Jan-April 2020 did they kick me out of uni? How do I know I can start to log in and enroll just in time for classes in January? Should I go to uni to see in December or just wait till the start of January??
And I’m actually a 4th year and barely completed any classes due to extreme fatigue and pain… but now I feel so much healthier and think I can graduate either as a 6th or 7th year… but if I were to apply for grad
schools like masters for microbiology or immunology would they see that I stayed at school for too long and not want me??
——————————————
I basically got enrolled!! so scratch that question… But since 1.5 credits are a zero i was wondering if i were to take a total of 29 credits.. would those extra 9 be added in the final gpa?? I feel if i were to do that many extra credits i would be happy with my gpa.. But is that allowed??
——————————————
hey there,
sorry for the wait in getting this question answered– glad you managed to get fully recovered and enrolled again! it sounds like the last few years have been a wild ride for you and it’s good that you’re doing better now. we love feeling healthy.
even though you said you resolved the issues in the first question you sent in, i do kinda wanna address them. you should have been able to access your email and ACORN while suspended– the only thing you don’t have access to while on suspension is course enrolment. that section of your ACORN would probably have been blocked, but everything else should have been available for you. i’m not too sure what happened, but from what you said i guess you managed to resolve it. if you ever run into similarly confusing circumstances, i wouldn’t advise waiting– always contact your registrar if something seems to be wrong. if it’s too inconvenient for you to go in person, feel free to email them or give them a call. that’s what they’re there for, after all!
as for your questions about grad school– yes, they would be able to see from your transcript how long you’ve been in school, but what you may not know is that grad school apps usually give you an opportunity to explain any academic anomalies you might have. you’d be able to let them know about your health issues (which are 100% valid) and they’d take that into account when considering you for admissions. hopefully that eases your mind a bit. you shouldn’t be expected to finish in four years if students not dealing with your level of health concerns have trouble finishing in four years, too.
as for your question about GPA — technically, yes, you can boost your GPA by taking an extra 9 credits after you complete your 20. according to the rules and regulations, the courses you take beyond 20 credits don’t qualify for exception from your CGPA. i found out today that actually, you can even graduate and continue to take courses and have them count towards your CGPA. hope that helps you out– keep in mind that the more credits you take, the less each one affects your CGPA. so it can be kind of hard to go beyond 20 and pull your GPA up significantly. but hey, if it’s the loophole you need it’s the loophole you have.
the more times i use this gif the funnier it gets. instead of one dude lifting the roof, you get several doing it in sync. here’s one more just because.
be Boundless,
aska
the aska guide to getting in touch with your registrar
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
- you can print a basic confirmation letter off ACORN by yourself, though! this is what it would look like, unless you’re in first year in which case it won’t include when you plan to graduate.
- 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
you’re doing amazing!
Hello! I am applying for U of T soon and I was wondering about the degree combinations. If I complete two majors (I believe you pick your two programs/majors after the first year on ACORN? Please feel free to correct me) how long does it take? Is it the standard 4 years as a double major? I’m planning on taking English and Psychology, if that helps 🙂 Sorry if this is a dumb question! I’m a very confused high school student
——————————————
hey friendo,
it’s all right to be confused, and this isn’t a dumb question at all! some students get to this school not even knowing program selection after first year is a thing. trust me, you’re ahead of the curve on this one, and it’s super great that you’re taking this into account now.
u of t basically only offers honours degrees. what this means is that to graduate with a bachelor’s here, you need to undertake one of the following program combinations:
- a specialist
- two majors
- a major and two minors
what you ultimately decide on, among these three options, won’t affect how long it’ll take you to graduate. u of t has set this system up so that all three can be completed within 20.0 credits. each course you take for a semester counts as half a credit, so if you take five courses in fall and five in winter, that adds up to four school years. in fact, you can even add a minor to a double major and still finish in four years, if there’s enough overlap between those programs. keep in mind that there is a limit of three programs total, though.
tl:dr a double major in english and psychology is fully doable in 4 years, if that’s how long you’re planning to take to complete your undergrad! an english major is a type 1 program, which basically means anyone can enrol in it– a psych major is a type 2L, which indicates that there’s a specific grade threshold you need to meet in order to be considered for enrolment. type 2L programs have a cap on how many students they can accept, so it would be best to aim for a grade higher than that threshold to make your chances of getting in better. in fact, the department recommends that you come up with a backup program, just in case admission doesn’t work out for you.
since you’re looking at two different program types, you should be aware of two different program enrolment periods. typically, you can begin requesting programs at the end of winter semester– the dates vary a lil every year. i’m linking you here to last year’s program request periods, just so you have an idea of what they might look like. this year’s have yet to be posted, but i’m sure if you check again later on, they should be up by february at the latest.
best of luck with your application! you know where to find me if you have any other questions.
be Boundless,
aska
lol are midterms even over yet
Have all the midterm marks been sent out to the students at U of T yet?
——————————————
hey there,
this is an easy one to answer. no, they have not. obviously this is gonna vary by program, class, etc.– someone who’s been done their midterms for a few weeks may have those midterm marks already. i (who am only just finishing mine, what is UP with that) am not expecting those grades for a bit.
if you’re a current student concerned about your midterm marks not being out for some reason, i’d advise that you talk to either your registrar or your profs. i’m not really sure why you’re asking this (out of curiosity? for grad schools? i dunno) but i hope this answered your question!
be Boundless,
aska
poop cafe: a recap in gifs
Um so what happened at robarts
——————————————
oh geez. i open my tumblr on a monday afternoon and this is what i get. yall really have no chill, do you?
Goes wild indeed…(Category: Eat & Drink)blogTO
Posted by Xi Huang on Friday, November 22, 2019
okay. let’s see what we got here. friday, november 23. an absolutely devastating day for at least one individual visiting this esteemed downtown campus of u of t. it was around 5pm in the afternoon, and in the cafeteria on the second floor of robarts library, nothing was happening. or nothing yet.
cue the shady individual redditors are calling peepeepoopoo man. some dude, apparently in a hard hat, presumably swaggers into the library, carrying a bucket. okay. nothing out of the ordinary. probably a repairs guy, right?
he zeroes in on an asian dude, studying at one of those tables with the brown chairs. upends the bucket. dips.
full silence. the smell hits. everyone in the vicinity packs up and leaves without saying a word, because they’re all too dead inside from finals prep to process anything properly or even react.
two days later. york university. the same thing happens again, at the same time of day. video here, for those of you who can stomach it.
What's next… George Brown? Seneca? UTM??? Nobody is safe.
Posted by Alex Forgay on Sunday, November 24, 2019
i dunno, man. i was almost there. decided not to spend my friday evening in robarts. look how that turned out. but yeah, this has been your recap. still have questions? so do i. i have so many. my roommates and i were sitting on the floor at 1 in the morning on saturday absolutely bewildered by this, and then it happened again.
one of the articles i read advised that students in toronto study at home for the time being, rather than in libraries– at least until the police get to the bottom of this. i’ll be following that sage advice. hope you will too.
be Boundless (but in appropriate, non-fecal ways, PLEASE),
aska
if i pulled a hair out every time someone threw numbers at me i’d be bald
Hey! I’m currently in grade 12 and I was just wondering how Rotman looks at grade 11 marks. I would say it wasn’t my best year, my average was around 86-87%. But currently my average is around 90-92%. I have done tons of different volunteering, co-op, and been part of numerous clubs. I’m just wondering whether I should worry about my average as of now.
——————————————
hey friend,
i never wanna tell people they should worry about their average. this rotman webpage indicates that if you’re from ontario, you’ll need an average in the mid to high eighties. you can decide for yourself what that means for you. in terms of your extracurriculars, u of t generally doesn’t look at those, but if they’re asked for in your supplemental application (which rotman requires) then maybe they’ll affect your admissions decision?
what i’ve been told before is that how much weight is placed on your grade 11 marks depends on what your academic progress at that point looks like. i don’t really know how to explain this, but in some situations grade 11 marks are almost entirely irrelevant for your uni applications– say a student took a few classes in summer school, putting them a grade ahead in some of their core courses. by the time they got to the eleventh grade, they ended up taking the courses universities would normally consider for admission (english 12, chemistry 12, whatever). in this case, because the most important courses for their university admissions had final marks by the time they applied for universities midway through their senior year, those grade 12-level courses taken during the eleventh grade would be the most heavily considered. their eleventh grade marks would have almost no bearing on admissions.
this is because, apparently, eleventh grade marks are used primarily as a predictor of a student’s final grade 12 marks, which aren’t available at the time of university applications. so these 11th grade marks may be looked at if your core 12th grade courses are still in progress, as admissions officers have no concrete final 12th grade marks to go on yet. they may be overlooked if you already have things like english 12 in your pocket. i’ve also heard that large discrepancies between grade 11 and grade 12 marks may be taken into account.
it would be good to note that this is based on something i was told in conversation with an admissions officer a solid number of years ago, and for a different program. i have no way to verify if it’s actually true. but that’s the beauty of being an aska as opposed to a journalist: i can offer up these lil nuggets of hearsay, with full disclosure that i haven’t checked this over with anyone official, and you get to decide how seriously you take them. for better! more concrete! verified! and straight from the source! info you should contact rotman’s admissions office directly. in fact, please do. in this case, i’m not confident in the information i’ve given you and think you can get better tips from them.
i hope this made sense. we speakin’ from a caffeine-induced haze out here. i hate to perpetuate the stereotype that u of t is disproportionately difficult when i say that– i think most major universities have these kinds of weeks, and either way it depends on your program and the way you work. but yea. we goin’ thru a thing right now, and it won’t be over for a good couple weeks. sorry it took me a while to get to your question, that would be why.
be Boundless,
aska
#fax
I’m in grade 12 in Ontario and getting ready to apply to A&S. I’m still undecided between Life Sciences and Humanities but am heavily l eaning towards Life Sciences. UTM and SC are not good options for me, so I’m stuck having to choose between LS or Humanities at SG. I will have all the prerequisites for LS, but a likely average around 85. I know that the “official” cut-off is low-mid 80’s, but then I read gazillions of comments online about people getting rejected with averages in the low-mid 90’s. Occasionally there’s someone saying “don’t worry, my buddy got in with an 84.” I’m considering applying to Humanities because my chances are better and I can still take all of the first year Life Sciences courses (I know that LS
will have priority for picking sections), but deep down I really just want to enter as a LS student; FLCs really appeal to me. What are the facts vs fiction when it comes to admission averages for Life
Sciences?
——————————————
hey there,
maybe i’m just over-caffeinated and heckin’ tired, but that felt like a hectic read. felt like the inside of my head circa twelfth grade. i, too, spent hours combing reddit for admissions averages and i can tell ya i got nearly nothing constructive out of it. big sigh.
at the time, i felt the same way you did– i wanted answers, and couldn’t figure out why there was so much variation between peoples’ experiences. now that i’ve been at this school for a while (haha cry) and know a lil more about its ins and outs, well… you asked for a facts-vs-fiction kinda thing. i dunno if there are any hard and universal facts here, other than the domestic admissions averages posted here and the international ones posted here. there are so many factors at play in any one admissions case; with just the numbers and results it’s not easy to figure out what’s going on.
in terms of why it seems like there is no standard admissions average story, and some people with 90s are getting rejected while some with mid-80s are getting in, these are two of the behind-the-scenes reasons i’m aware of:
- their admissions average might overall have been high, but their english or calculus mark may have been less than ideal, which may have affected their chances of admission
- this year, as long as you have calc at all, you’re good. unlike previous years, it’s not being weighted as heavily for admission and if it’s relatively low, won’t affect your admissions average
- admissions are rolling, so someone who applies earlier might be more likely to get in than someone who applies on the very last day
the main reason i don’t feel like i have any facts to give you, though, is because what kind of averages result in acceptances will vary from year to year. this is because the caliber of students varies per year, and admissions will adjust accordingly. if that makes sense. it sounds like such a cop-out answer, but that’s really what i’ve been told over and over again so it’s all i can relay. and i’m relatively certain that’s how it works, anyway.
in terms of entering the life sciences as a humanities student, the only thing you should be aware of other than priority enrolment is having the appropriate high school prerequisites for the courses you’ll be taking. i’m assuming that if your intention is to go into lifesci anyways you’ll have those, though. as for deciding whether to apply to lifesci or humanities, i’d suggest you speak with an academic counselor at your school, if you have one available, and see what they think about your situation.
i am so sorry for the long wait with this answer, and i hope it had some semblance of coherence. ya friend has been drowning in midterms and will not be able to take another breath until… finals season begins.
i hope this was still helpful though and best of luck with your application!
be Boundless,
aska
excess rhymes with success anyway they’re essentially the same
Hi. I am interested in joining the UofT’s PhD Program in Drama, Theatre and performance studies. After some reading, I found the information that the thesis supervisor is assigned AFTER the PhD candidate registration. My question: should I write and e-mail to the professor that I dream to work with? Or it would be excessive? Should I point at the Statement of Research intent my interest in working with this specific professor, or maybe it would be better leave it open?
——————————————
hey there,
as is pretty common with the questions i get, never been in this situation before.
but i spoke to someone with a lil more experience with this and it seems like there’s certainly no harm in doing any of the things you mentioned! there’s a possibility that the program told you the thesis supervisor wouldn’t be assigned yet to alleviate the stress of finding a supervisor before you’re registered. it may not necessarily be because they don’t want you to make those connections.
i mean, if it’s not an urgent matter for you, the program is running an open house on january 17 where they can answer your question. more info on that here. if it is more urgent and you really want a definitive answer, the page i linked provides an email you can use to set up a meeting outside of that open house and ask your questions.
hope this helped at least a lil!
be Boundless,
aska
employmee
what kinds of jobs on campus are there? does u of t hire students over the summer?
——————————————
hello hello,
jobs! employment! what wild concepts. after i graduate, i fully intend to languish my days away in my parents’ nonexistent basement, eating only doritos and drinking only orange juice from concentrate. that’s it. that’s my vision for the future. obviously i’m in school for the pure joy of learning, not so that i can secure meaningful employment during my studies or later on. because what fun would that be, am i right?
just kidding. i hate doritos and like my job, and you weren’t even asking about post-graduation employment. but i take every opportunity to tangent away, because god knows i can’t do that in my papers without some kinda consequence. we don’t love consequences here.
primarily, u of t offers work-study and casual employment positions for students, as far as on-campus employment goes. i’m a work-study student myself, so i’m happy to answer any specific questions and would definitely recommend giving the program a try. i believe it used to only be open to students receiving OSAP, but now it’s open to everyone!
how it works is that you’re usually given a set number of hours– i know people with everything from 4 to 15– and you’re allowed to work however much (or as little) as you want within those parameters. officially, i think it’s 15 hours max, at $15 an hour. once again, i have heard of some variance– for example, my friend in a slightly more demanding work-study makes a higher wage, and there are opportunities for promotion at her job. not too sure how common these situations are, but they are out there.
work-studies are primarily advantageous in that they prioritize your learning in two ways:
first, they offer flexible schedules, allowing you to focus on your classes. with my work-study, i pretty much set my own hours, so if i have a really overwhelming week at school i don’t even have to come in. once again, i’m not exactly sure how common that is across the program.
second, they’re fundamentally designed for you to further your own learning! as a work-study student, your job is meant to bestow upon you some kinda meaningful experience. in keeping with this, you set learning goals, complete self-assessments, and (at least in my case) get some paid training. you’re also eligible for CCR credit upon completion of your work-study.
work-study programs run both fall-winter and summer, but to be eligible for work-study during the summer as well, you unfortunately need to be studying. otherwise it’s just work and you might as well… become a line cook at de dutch or something. i dunno.
you can find more info on work-study positions on the career and co-curricular learning network. in terms of eligibility for the program, these are the hurdles you’ll need to jump:
- be a u of t degree student that’s not in theology (sorry… theologists)
- not be in co-op/placement
- be a domestic student in at least a 40% courseload for fall/winter (total 2.0 credits) or 0.5 credits in either of the summer sessions
- be an international full-time student for fall/winter and meet federal government requirements, or check in with the cie for summer session requirements
casual on-campus employment may be available on the clnx portal as well, but i don’t have as much info on that as i do on work-study. sometimes, there are postings on departmental or faculty websites– here are the job postings for kpe, for example. if you were hoping to secure employment for the summer session without being in classes, this would be the way to go.
hope this helped and that you manage to secure a job! if ever you need advice or help with the job search, feel free to check out the peer career advising program— you should be able to get additional assistance, like resume feedback, there.
be Boundless,
aska
your academic record is not word online, what’s on it will not disappear if you refresh
——————————————
hey there,
as far as i’m aware, i don’t think you can… start all over? at least in utsg’s artsci faculty (though i’m nearly certain most other places will be the same) your academic record is your academic record. there is no tabula rasa. you can certainly decide to return to your studies after your year of suspension and give things another go, but whether i’d recommend you actually do that depends on the reasons behind your probation and suspension.
were there unforeseen circumstances that were out of your control, but that you’ve since had the time, resources and support to cope with? did you have trouble adjusting to the pace of uni life but feel better equipped to do so now?
is school just not your thing? were you having trouble with the workload, or focusing, or the general structure of things? did you not ever want to be here in the first place?
i dunno, man, you’ve given me very little to work with (which is often the case with these questions, so that’s okay). it’s hard for me to really say whether i think coming back to school is a good idea just based off of your GPA and suspension record.
there are so many other factors that play a part in any given person’s ability to do well in school. my instinct is to refer you to your registrar, as they’d be better equipped to help you weigh your options given your academic history and personal aptitudes.
the only option for you i can think of, if you really want to start over, is to try to transfer to another school. if you manage to do that, any credits carried over from u of t won’t have marks attached to them. this doesn’t mean your u of t record disappears– if you choose to apply to grad school down the road it’ll still be relevant– but yeah, that’s the only “start over” option i’m aware of. it might be difficult to complete a transfer if you’ve been suspended, though.
i dunno, m’dude. brain is fried from midterms and i feel bleh and unhelpful right now :(( not even caffeine is managing to fuel the snark today. so yeah, hit up your registrar. or speak to someone who’s familiar with your circumstances. or! send more detail in and i can continue trying to help you. all the best as you try to find your path.
be Boundless,
aska
is this a… york advisor?
Hi, so I started my degree in 2016 and I really struggled the first two years and ended up on academic probation, and then an academic suspension. I’m back now, and I’m predicting I’ll finish in 2022 or 2023. So that’s 6-7 years I’m putting down on my resume I’ve been in school and it’s making me beyond depressed and embarrassed.
I want to purse a career in teaching. Possibly go to York for their consecutive education program, but I don’t know how they’ll look at my last 2 years. Especially if I decide to take an additional year, and take more than 20 credits. I can’t find the info on how York will look at my extra credits or even OISE/ grad schools in general?
I emailed York but they didn’t say much 🙁
I just want to know how extra credits and lower course loads (still full time, 3.0, but not 5.0) look to them.
——————————————
hey there,
there’s no shame at all in being in school for that long. i know there’s a certain pressure to get your degree done in the standard four years, but it’s becoming more and more common for students to take their time and stay in school longer. university is tough, man. and everyone’s life has different timing. i actually think your drive to bounce back from those obstacles you hit and return to school is pretty dang admirable, for what it’s worth.
i can understand, though, your concern over how your academic record will affect your future educational prospects. unfortunately, this is about as substantial as answer as i’m able to give you:
as in, it would be really really difficult for me to give you reliable info on how york would assess your academic record. only the people at york would know that. you can try the lovely people over at the york u life tumblr, which functions relatively similarly to aska, or you might just need to continue pestering the admissions office. it frustrates me that they didn’t provide you with much, because i refer people to grad schools admissions so often hoping the info those offices have will be better than what i have to offer.
tl:dr unfortunately, i have to stick to my standard grad school admissions answer and tell you to contact the grad schools themselves. this feels like too risky of a thing for me to guess at. even with OISE running out of u of t, i don’t have much info to work with. i’m really sorry i can’t be more helpful 🙁
best of luck and be Boundless,
aska