askastudent - your student life specialists

campus, first year, UTM

the BAchelor

January 14, 2019

Hello!

I am in my first year and I am deciding what my major and minor is going to be. I know I want to major in Eng and minor in Soc. However, I want to take courses in Mississauga because I live closer. I can’t find rules or regulations that can help guide me on choosing my course.

And can I take a minor in Mississauga campus? The minor is only offered in Mississauga (however a similar minor is offered in St. George). I would like to take the minor Education Studies in Mississauga. But I don’t know if I am allowed.

And if I wanted to change my campus from St George to Mississauga how would I go about that? Is there a certain link that I can apply through?

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hi!

you are allowed to take courses at another campus and have them count towards your POSt (program of study). however, you can’t take a minor that is only offered at UTM; your POSts must be at your home campus (in your case, st. george).

to take a course at UTM, all you need to do is add it on ACORN during the course enrollment period, just as you would for any other normal course. just make sure that you have all the prerequisites and enrollment controls. take a look at the faculty calendar for more info.

to make sure that the courses you wanna take will count towards your majors/ minors, you should take a look at the transfer explorer. it’s a really nifty tool that allows you to see what the equivalents are at st. george. it’s also probably a good idea to speak with someone from the department(s) involved to make sure that those credits will actually transfer and that they will accept them. so, for example, if you wanted to take an english course at utm, you should get in contact with someone from st. george’s english department to make sure that they’ll accept it in their program.

(but like, the rose is the course)

in terms of the education studies minor, as i said earlier, your POSts must be at your home campus. so, if you decide to stay at st. george, i suggest that you take a look at the education and society minor that they offer at vic (i think that’s what you’re referring to in your question).

if you wanted to switch campuses, that’s called an internal transfer. you can check out this link for more info. i also suggest talking to someone at your registrar’s office about your internal transfer (should you decide to go that route).

i hope this helps! good luck!

xoxo,

aska

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athletic centre

get that fitness!

January 10, 2019

Hi, i have gym anxiety (and anxiety in general lol). I went to the athletic centre today but left after like 5 mins because I didnt know where anything was. I heard there was a room where there are gym machines (other than the strength and conditioning room) and squash courts. I went to the strength and conditioning room because I couldnt find the other location I heard about. Is there a map of AC online? Or do you know which entrance is the closest to the squash courts? Thank u

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hi!

so i’m not sure if you could tell from my general demeanor, mood, or anything else about me… but i don’t really work out. shocker, i know. because of my lack of exercise, i’m not really familiar with the AC and when i do work out, i go to the musty hart house gym.

that being said, i wanna help you out and flex the most important muscle of them all… my heart.

i did some digging around online and i THINK the room you’re looking for is the field house? according to the website, the field house has cardio and strength equipment, multi-purpose courts (these are probably the squash courts that you were referring to), and a track. it’s located on the third floor.

i hope this helps! get that fitness! yeah!

xoxo,

aska

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engineering, first year, probation

post holiday slump

January 10, 2019

Hello,

I’m a firsts year engineering student and I’m currently having a pretty bad first semester in terms of grades. I’ve already dropped 2 courses and I know that I most definitely failed one of the remaining 3. I’m guessing my overall sessional average will fall between 40 to 45 percent which I know is really bad. Although I’ve learned some useful lessons in that i need to work on my time management skills and not falling behind, I’m unclear as to whether I’m going to be able to move on to the next session. I was wondering if they’ll put me on probation or if I have to restart all together or if I’ll be kicked out entirely.

Thanks for your response.

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hi!

first of all, apologies for the super late response. it was exams and then the holiday and then the requisite two days of getting over the holidays etc etc etc. you know how it be. i’m not sure how relevant this response will be for you now that the semester is over, but hopefully this will help another student in the future or provide some clarity for you.

according to the faculty calendar, if you are a first year student with a session average of 45%, you will be put on probation and you must withdraw for 8 months. then, you will have to retake the fall session. because of my late response, you should know your session average at this point. take a look at the calendar and see which average you fall under and what your situation is.

i highly suggest that you get in contact with your registrar’s office or the engineering first year office to discuss your case. especially since this is a late response and your situation could’ve changed, i think it would be for the best if you talked with someone who can pull up your file and give you the most accurate info possible (even more accurate than me, your dear aska!).

i hope this helps!

xoxo,

aska

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Uncategorized

404- answer not found

December 17, 2018

I’ve been slacking in one of my courses, and because I’m on academic probation, I don’t want to risk potentially failing. However, I am taking the minimum amount of courses a full time student can take, so what happens if I drop the course? what will OSAP do since I’ll technically be part time, but I already paid this semester’s full time tuition.

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hi!

unfortunately, this is outside of my scope, so i’m not really sure what’ll happen with your OSAP or tuition. i suggest that you get in touch with someone from your faculty/ college registrar’s office or enrollment services, who’re the OSAP specialists on campus.

sorry i couldn’t provide you with some As to your Q, but i just really don’t want to give you false information or lead you astray.

hope this helps!

xoxo,

aska

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applying for U of T, math, Transferring

u ought ta transfer!

December 17, 2018

Hi,
I’m currently a first year student in a mathematics program at the University of Ottawa. I am very passionate about maths and am hoping to pursue a career in the field, possibly in research. I am finishing the first semester with a GPA of around 9.4 or 9.6/10.0 (as uOttawa is on a 10.0 scale), which is about a 3.7-3.8 on the 4.0 scale. I decided to stay in my hometown due to the costs associated with studying in a different city and I was offered a good scholarship at uOttawa, but after one semester, my drive as been rekindled and I was hoping to transfer to UofT for the Mathematics Specialist in September, even though I would have to stay for an additional semester to graduate. Do you know if it is likely that these transfers are accepted (the site only lists a B average as required)?. Is UofT very selective about their transfer applicants? Do they simply look at grades at university to determine transfer acceptance?

Thanks

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hi!

as i’ve said time and time again, i have no effin’ clue how u of t reviews and selects their applicants!!!!! this website says that you need a solid “B” average to be competitive and that they factor in both university and your entire academic history, so i’d trust that information.

anyways…

essentially, you would be applying to u of t generally at first. if you’re admitted, that’s when you’d apply to programs within the university specifically based on your transfer credits. take a look at the math calendar for the specific program that you’re interested in to see what their requirements are. then, you’d use this handy dandy transfer explorer to see what transfer credits you’re eligible for. those transfer credits are then confirmed after you’re accepted and you get a transfer credit assessment from the faculty. depending on what your transfer credit situation is like, you MIIIIGHT (emphasis on MIGHT!) be able to transfer directly into math without having to be a “first year” student (which means you aren’t in a program). this is totally just my (very educated) guess though, so it might not actually work out like that.

i’m not totally sure what the process is like for transfer students and getting into programs (i’ve never been a transfer student) but i think that should be all you need to know. i’d also recommend contacting someone from the math department for any other questions you might have about their programs and transferring into them. their contact info can be found here.

best of luck!

xoxo,

aska

(PS- the title took me forever to come up with y’all better be grateful!!!!!)

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admissions, applying for U of T, life science

pros and cons list

December 17, 2018

Hello,

I’m a grade 12 student who’s been interested in U of T for a long time. I’m really focused on getting the best quality education and research opportunities and I know UofT is amazing for that, but I’m concerned about my GPA. I (currently) aim to pursue graduate studies after undergrad and I’ve heard a lot about U of T being a terrible school for prospective grad students since they don’t focus on undergrad and kill your GPA. If it’s relevant I’m somewhere from 10-20% above class average in all my courses and I work extremely hard in school. In your opinion do I have a chance at a high enough GPA in U of T life sci for grad school? Or should I just go to an easier and less prestigious school for undergrad that I may enjoy less but have a better chance at grad school?

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hi!

so, like, this question is a little bit impossible for me to answer. which is definitely not what you wanted to hear, but we out here.

yes, u of t has a reputation for being really hard on your GPA which can negatively affect your grad school applications. at the same time, u of t has amazing research opportunities as well as extracurricular and academic opportunities for undergrads that look great on a grad school application. i also know people in life sci who have excelled at u of t, more so than they did in high school. ultimately, it’s up to you. you need to make your own pros and cons list and weigh all your options.

that being said, if you need any information regarding the actual application process, you can take a look at this FAQ from the faculty of arts and science.

i hope this helps!

xoxo,

aska

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admissions, americans, applying for U of T, engineering

would it be canadian american or american canadian?

December 17, 2018

hi!

im an american senior high school student that’s suuuper into attending u of t for electrical engineering. i think my case is a little different because im a canadian born citizen, but all of my education from grade 1 was completed in the usa. basically, my gpa is a 3.3/4.0 and my sat a 1300/1600 with a 21/24 on the essay, and ecs are good (fencing team captain, intern job, volunteering, etc.). my question is… 1.) are admissions harder for american students and what are my chances OR because im a canadian would i be considered domestic? (i know this is true for fees) and 2.) well… anything you can share that would be relevant to this case in general. i finished my online student portal and im gonna submit it by the end of this week. im really passionate about potentially being able to attend u of t, and id be ecstatic if i would somehow be able to be accepted.

im sorry if this is a little hard to answer!

– canadian born american

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hi!

first of all, sorry for being MIA and the super delayed response. it is askastudent after all and i had exams and finals too.

anyways…

so, according to this link from the engineering website, you will be “evaluated on the basis of the education system [you] followed, regardless of [your] country of citizenship.” meaning that yes, you will be evaluated as an international student.

that being said, i’m not sure about the specific numbers/ averages/ SAT marks you need. all they say is “high grade point average and high scores.” this link has some information about admission requirements specifically for US students as well as how you can submit your transcript.

i suggest that you get in contact with the engineering admissions office to get more information or if you have any further questions. they’ll have the most specific and up-to-date information.

i hope this all helps!

xoxo,

aska

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kpe, Transferring

workin’ on my fitness

December 5, 2018

I am currently half way through my first year at UOIT studying Kinesiology. I had been accepted into UofT Kin and had it as my top choice, then I last minute changed my mind and accepted UOIT’s offer. I was wondering if it’s possible to apply to UofT for the coming September, and if that application would include my transcript from UOIT even though I would not be completing the full year if I get accepted? Or would my application only include my high school grades? I have well above the GPA recommended for transfer students, and I am aware that none of my credits will be transferred.

I am just curious what I would need for the transfer or if I am okay with just applying right away.

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hi!

according to this link from KPE (the faculty of kinesiology and physical education), it seems as though they would be looking at both your high school marks and your post secondary transcript. it says that you need to have “high school grades in the A range” and “a university GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale” in order to be competitive.

hope this helps!

(^me, working on my fitness, you’re my witness)

xoxo,

aska

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admissions, applying for U of T, keeners, music

kids these days

December 3, 2018

Hello I’m a grade 11 student stressing about post secondary. I am interested in the music program at uoft but am scared that my grades are not good enough because 2 of them are were mid-high 80s. Should I be concerned?

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hi!

jeez, are you saying that your two LOWEST marks are mid-high 80s? wow. kids these days.

so, i scoured the internet for information re: admission requirements for the faculty of music. according to this link, they don’t list any academic grade averages. they do, however, say that you need to have completed RCM level 8 theory with at least a 60%.

there are also other requirements that you need for the music faculty, but i can’t really tell you what the specific requirements are because you haven’t told me what program specifically you’re interested in! kids these days.

anyways, you can check out the faculty of music’s application info page to see what the specific requirements are for the program you’re interested in.

hope this helps! good luck, catherine keener!

xoxo,

aska

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OSAP

(non)answers all around

November 26, 2018

Will OSAP punish me if I explain to them the desire to go to grad school and require funding for a fifth year but instead of taking those pre-grad school courses I use the funding to complete another minor? One of the financial advisors told me OSAP doesn’t look back but another advisor frowned upon my idea.

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hi!

unfortunately, i have no effin’ clue.

it really sucks that you’re getting conflicting information, and now i’m being no help. sorry ’bout that!

i suggest that you get in contact with enrollment services, since they’re the financial aid experts on campus. they should be able to give you a more definitive answer.

i hope this (non) answer helps! good luck!

xoxo,

aska

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mental health

it’s okay to cry

November 12, 2018

What are your top 10 places to go on campus to cry? I’m fed up of getting weird looks when I sit in the middle of a cafeteria sobbing

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hi!

not sure if i have a top 10. though personally, i like a good washroom cry. a nice, deep, soothing robarts stacks washroom cry. i also kinda love crying in the lester b pearson garden for peace and understanding, which is located by ej pratt library, but that’s more of a scenic seasonal cry.

on a more serious note, mental health is something that sometimes gets thrown out the window once the semester gets too busy. and while everyone cries and it’s okay to cry, just know that if there’s other stuff at play here, there are on-campus resources that you can access. there’s health and wellness’ mental health services. some services that they offer include: individual therapy, group therapy, and on location counselling.

hope this helps!

xoxo,

aska

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rotman

not so all-knowing now, are we?

November 2, 2018

I’m currently in my second year in Accounting Specialist, but I’ve been thinking about switching to the Finance Specialist at the end of the year instead. If I want to switch during the appropriate Subject Post Request Period, do they recalculate your GPA and see if you meet the cutoff for that specialist program? I’m scared after this year my GPA will drop and I will not be able switch and get in.

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hi!

oh god, a rotman question.

i’m not really familiar with the rotman requirements, but i’ll do my best. that being said, it might be a good idea to get in touch with your college registrar or one of the academic advisers at rotman just to get some more definitive answers.

as to whether or not they’d recalculate your gpa… i’m unsure. this link only lists specific marks that you need in specific courses, not any GPA cut-off. so, i assume that they would only be looking at those specific marks. in that case, then only the marks you got when you took those courses will be looked at. however, the part that i’m looking at only applies to people applying to rotman who aren’t already in rotman. so…. yeah, probably not the most relevant info.

that’s just my ignorant assumption, though. i really think that you should get in touch with someone more knowledgeable than me just because rotman is so confusing and insular. also, the information doesn’t seem as accessible as some of the other departments or faculties.

(live footage of me looking for answers)

hope this helped (somewhat).

xoxo,

aska

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academic success, chem

does anything make sense anymore

October 29, 2018

Hi,
I recently got my midterm mark back from CHM135 and as expected I did horrible. I got a 39.22% (it’s my fault for slacking off full-time). Apparently the labs are “easy marks” but I’ve gotten a 79% on my first one and my friend told me that it’s pretty bad. I’ve never really been good at labs, but I’m willing to improve.

I’m extremely anxious about the next midterm and the exam. Is it still possible to pass the course with a 60-65%? (How do I calculate how much I should get for next assessments to get this mark?).

Thank you.

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hi!

oh man, we’ve all been there. it’s tough, but you’ll get through it.

a great tool that i’ve used in the past to figure my sh*t out is this grade calculator. basically, you just enter the marks that you currently have and how much the assignments are worth, and it’ll calculate that you currently have in the course. there is also an option to see what you’d need to get on the rest of the assignments in order to achieve a certain mark and an option to see what your final course mark would be if you got a certain average on the rest of the assignments. i hope that makes sense. it’s hard to explain. just check out the link above.

i highly suggest going to your prof/ TA’s office hours to discuss strategies for success. i know that that’s super intimidating and scary, but trust me, it’s worth it. it’s always a good idea to talk to the people who’re actually grading you to get a sense of how you could get better grades. profs/ TAs are always happy to see students and to help them out.

you should also check out the academic success centre. they’re a great on-campus resource that is sadly and criminally underused. you can make appointments with learning strategists, attend workshops, and meet up with peer mentors– all of which can help you improve your grades and help you become more…. academically successful.

i hope this helps you out! good luck!

xoxo,

aska

PS- don’t forget that the last day to drop or CR/NCR any F courses without academic penalty is november 5th!!

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