• frosh

    res bnb

    May 26, 2017

    Students that have been admitted can stay on residence just for frosh week right? How do I apply to that ?

    ———————————————

    hello!

    yes, you can stay on res for just that week. when you register for your specific college/ faculty’s orientation week, there should be an option for you to billet (room with) a residence student for that week. it’s a really cool option and you get to have a little bit of the res experience.

    hope that was helpful. looking forward to seeing you on campus in the fall!

    xoxo,

    aska

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  • new kids,  work-study

    will work-study for food

    May 25, 2017
    Are you allowed to apply for work study when you’re still a high school student? Or can you only do that after you begin in September? Thank you!
    ———————————————
    hi!
    unfortunately, you can’t apply for work study if you’re still a high school student. you need to be enrolled as a student (full-time, part-time, undergraduate, or graduate) to qualify for work-study positions. 
    good luck, young one. looking forward to seeing you around campus come fall.
    xoxo,
    aska
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  • admissions,  other schools (boo!)

    hot buttered soul admissions

    May 25, 2017

    I know this sounds a bit too ambitious, but can utm grads get into HBS? If so what do you think needs to be on the checklist?

    ———————————————

    hey!

    i have no clue what you mean by HBS. do you mean the heritage building society? health and biological sciences? hardware breakdown structure? hawaii biological services? hot buttered soul? hrvatski biljarski savez? i literally have no idea.

    okay, in all seriousness. i think you meant harvard business school? idk. ask harvard.

    jk. i don’t think it’s too ambitious to go for harvard! despite the jokes and sterotypes, utm is a university too, just like utsg. you worked hard for your undergrad degree, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise!

    again, i don’t know much about other schools’ application and admissions process, but i can tell you what they have on their website. according to the harvard admissions website, you need an undergrad degree, GMAT or GRE test results, an essay, two recommendations, and a resume. i would suggest putting in extra effort into the essay. you’ll be able to really appeal to the admissions committee and showcase your passion and dedication.

    best of luck, get after that HBS (whatever it means).

    xoxo,

    aska

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  • graduation

    so close to the end

    May 25, 2017

    Hi Aska,

    I am close to graduating and my goal has always been to graduate with ‘high distinction’. I am coming very close to a 3.50 and just about have 20.0 credits. However, I am wondering if I can take additional courses (more than the required 20.0 credits for graduation) in order to raise my CGPA and graduate with high distinction. Or do only my first 20.0 credits count towards getting that distinction? When and how is this determined?

    Thanks!

    ———————————————

    hey!

    congrats on being almost done! any course that you take, even those beyond the required 20.0 FCE, count towards your CGPA. this means that if you choose to take more classes to boost your CGPA, they will count towards getting that high distinction.

    get that degree!!

    xoxo,

    aska

     

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  • bad times,  gap year,  lost,  petition,  probation,  suspension,  UTM

    you need some good ‘ol r and r

    May 24, 2017

    hello aska,

    i read through a lot of your answers that were tagged with relevant terms, but I still hope I am not repeating someone’s question

    im a utm student about to be put on suspension… last school year i was negligent with my studies and so getting on probation was my fault entirely. this fall semester my marks have been abyssmal (i failed 3 courses) and I know it is my fault too, but there was also a  situation that happened during november (2016) that I could argue affected my marks.

    im not used to persisting to get exemptions or extensions (since ive never had problems that werent at least partially my fault) so I did not do anything about it at the time. now I am wondering if it is worth/possible pursuing or if it is too late. it was stressful and time consuming situation and unfortunately I do not have any official documents regarding the situation, maybe a few witnesses or pictures and onesided attempts to a file report…

    i am just grasping for any straws right now if you cant tell, just looking for a way to return to uni this september. ive read that students improved after a year off but i do not see how I will be able to cope with suspension and the burden of crushed expectations during the forced year off. needing to repay my school loans once im not full time also scares me.

    if my winter semester gpa is a great deal higher than my fall gpa this year is there a chance i could file a petition to return to school in september since I showed improvement?

    im probably hoping you could gauge my chances of returning in september and relay to me some good news ;; although I didnt mention it a lot, I do know how much of the blame for this situation is on me.

    im scared to reflect on it too much so i am trying to keep moving by looking at my options. the only hope I have right now is to ace every single one of my upcoming exams 100%..

    thank you for your time with these answers

    ———————————————

    hello,

    first of all, i’m really friggin’ sorry that i didn’t get to this question in time. sometimes it’s hard to get through everyone’s questions in time for the end of the semester, but we (yes we, i’m not alone in my efforts anymore!) are working our way through them as fast as we can.

    also, thank you for taking the time to see if this question has already been answered. we really appreciate it.

    when you emailed us, you mentioned that you were about to be suspended. i’m assuming that the suspension has now taken effect. again, i wish i could’ve offered you some advice earlier but it really wouldn’t have had much of an effect on your situation.

    so, how do we move forward from this? it sounds like you’ve had a tough year.

    first: i cannot stress this enough. go to your registrar’s office as soon as possible. even though it might seem too late, they may be able to help you file a petition to lift your suspension. please keep in mind that these kinds of petitions are reserved for very special circumstances will only be approved if the committee on standing believes that there were extenuating circumstances affecting your ability to meet the demands of school. your chances of continuing school in september will depend on whether or not your registrar believes there are sufficient grounds to file a petition. don’t lose faith, there is still hope!

    i’m not 100% sure about the timeline/deadlines on these types of petitions since they are very rare, but i would go the registrar’s office as soon as you can.

    regarding asking for extensions from profs: this is definitely hard. it took me a long time to get used to doing it, but you really need to think about it like this: you’ll never know until you ask. at least do the bare minimum and ask. if you don’t feel comfortable with asking for extensions from your profs, registrars are also capable of sending emails on your behalf.

    on the other hand, taking a year off might seem like the worst thing right now, but maybe it’s just what you need. you can get a job doing something you like and work towards paying off your student loans. the time off could be valuable for you in terms of re-evaluating your goals. a year without school might be good for your soul. think about it. a year of no readings, no essays, and no assignments sounds pretty nice tbh. relax and recuperate. it seems like what you went through was a little traumatic to say the least. don’t beat yourself up if you need some time to get back in the groove of things.

    wishing you all the best,

    aska

    *we are always here for you if you need us for (somewhat delayed) support* <3

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  • admissions,  grad school

    masters of saving the environment

    May 24, 2017

    Hi aska, I recently decided that it would be best to go to grad school. I was interested in UofT’s masters (specifically, forest conservation) program but need a min 3.0cGPA. I currently have a 2.6cGPA (hoping for 2.7-8 if all goes well), but by the time I graduate I would’ve been in school for 6/7years. With a low cGPA and years taken to graduate, is there anything I can do to strengthen my application? I’m worried I’ll never get in anywhere due to my low cGPA. Help!!

    ———————————————

    hello!

    first of all, the number of years it’s taken you to complete your degree doesn’t matter. in fact, if you want to have a more competitive GPA (and you have the resources to do so) you could even stay longer. if you’re hesitant to do another full year, you could do summer courses. of course, this comes with risks- you have to do well in the classes- but if you think you’re up for it and you’ve committed to going to grad school, i say go for it!

    there are also a ton of non- GPA requirements outlined on u of t’s masters of forest conservation website. they say that you need a CV, letter of intent, and three reference reports. i would suggest putting a lot of effort into those parts of the application to strengthen your shot. i would also suggest working extra hard on the letter of intent to really outline your passion, dedication, and appeal to the admissions committee.

    good luck, my dude. go and save the environment. i’m rooting for you.

    xoxo,

    aska

     

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  • biology,  other schools (boo!),  Transferring

    transfer quest 2k17

    May 24, 2017

    Heyy askastudent

    I messed upp sooooo badddddddd!

    I don’t even know what to do or how to explainnn!!!

    When I was in high school I barely got good grades in sciences although I really wanted to go on the science route and I did so bad in bio grade 12 by getting a 56% due to my mental health (ADHD and my anxiety). Since I did so bad in biology I thought i would make a drastic change by going ahead with commerce since my math marks were 90%+. And I got accepted to UTM.

    I was first year student this year 2016-17 and I was doing fine in all my classes but i freaked out recently and had a mental breakdown because I don’t think commerce is for me and i want to do my degree in biology… so I LWD literally every single course I had left and now on my transcript i just have soc100 as a CR/NCR this year was sooooo freaking crappy I don’t even understand. AND NOW I’M LIKE WHY DID I DO THAAAAATTTTT…

    When I talked to the registrar they said I have next year to choose whatever program I want to go in. But I now want to switch into McMaster or McGill or even downtown campus UofT for biology.

    I’m planning on meeting the requirements for the biology degree in UTM for 2017-18.

    But to transfer to McGill or McMaster Their website said I have to be newly admitted at UTM to transfer… but next year would be like my 2nd year i guess?? but technically a re-do first year >.< … By the end of 2017-18 year i would have hopefully completed 5 credits (not including the 0.5 CR/NCR) ….Idk if they mean this because they don’t want someone who is “half done their degree (10CR)” from a diff uni or if they just mean even if u just have 5 credits “you can’t apply here since u are second year”? Do u think that would make it hard to get into McGill or McMaster because they say that, or is my situation diff since i would only have completed 5.5 CR.??

    ANDDD im freaking out if my grade 12 marks would matter for transferring since i got 56 in bio grade 12 … but If i get a good cgpa next year that shouldn’t matter right??

    GHAAA I HATE MYSELF SO MUCH I DONT EVEN UNDERSTAND WHAT I SHOULD DO!!

    i know that transfering to downtown campus wont be that bad as long as my CGPA is a bit higher than the minimum but my heart feels more inclined to actually “starting fresh” by going to a different uni like McMaster ot McGill.

    What do you think? Helppp :'(

    Thanks yoo!

    PS sorry for a lot of rambling…

    ———————————————

    hello!

    from what i can understand from your question (which is like… not much), it sounds like you’re a first year student who’s finished 0.5 FCE’s. is that right? as for wanting to transfer, i really shouldn’t be answering any questions about other schools. this is askastudent u of t, not asakstudent mcgill or mcmaster. i really can’t guarantee correct answers if we are speaking on behalf of another school.

    there are many factors that go into a transfer, and i really have no clue how it works at other schools. because your case is very unique, you really need to speak to admissions at mcgill and mcmaster directly. if you are aiming to enrol in either of the schools for the 2018/19 session, your application would be due sometime in the winter term, meaning that they wouldn’t have much of a transcript to look at when reviewing your application. in that case, they might even consider your high school grades. who knows? all i can tell you right now is what i see on their website, which might not even be applicable in your situation, so promise us you’ll talk to them first!

    the mcgill website doesn’t say how many credits you need to have, just that you need to have a 3.3- 3.8 CGPA, a semester each of differential and integral calculus, and two semesters of bio, chem, and/or physics (with labs).

    at mcmaster, it only says that you need to complete at least 2 full years there, aka 10 “full credits” in order to receive a degree there. they also have some prereqs outlined, so check out their website.

    to transfer downtown, they just look at your CGPA. if you know what specific subject POSt you want to enroll in, i would check out their requirements too.

    i really encourage going to see an academic advisor or registrar in order to map out your specific case. they’ll be able to give you more personalized and nuanced information too.

    i hope that was helpful. can’t believe you got me on the mcgill and mcmaster websites, good job.

    best of luck!

    Product Hunt confused silicon valley jared go figure GIF

    xoxo,

    aska

     

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  • GPA

    give up your social life now

    May 24, 2017

    Is it possible to graduate with a 3.5 in fourth year if I have only a 2.0 in first?

    ———————————————

    hello,

    let me just preface this by saying that i don’t know how to do math. i also hate math. a lot.

    my unofficial, unverified calculations tell me that: (assuming you took 5.0 FCE’s in first year and achieved a 2.0 CGPA) you would need to have a 4.0 average for your next 15.0 FCE’s in order to graduate with a 3.5.

    be prepared to work your butt off. it’s gon’ be hard but i believe in you!

    i think it would be a good idea to track your progress with this handy “unofficial” GPA calculator brought to you by UTSC. at the registrar’s office, we generally direct students to this link if they have questions about their GPA. you can try plunking in your grades to see what you have to get to achieve a 3.5 GPA.

    best of luck!

    peace and love,

    aska

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  • admissions,  CR/NCR,  grad school,  late withdrawal,  OISE

    make your biggies small

    May 24, 2017

    Hi, How bad is getting a 1.0 LWD and 0.5 NCR (both courses not related to the program I’ll be applying to and future career) in first year? I’m seriously considering applying to uoft’s grad school (masters of teaching). And what can I do to improve my chances in getting accepted into grad school during the three years I have left of undergrad? Thank you so much.

    ———————————————

    hello!

    i would say that it’s not really a big deal! you are allowed to withdraw from up to 3.0 FCE’s and CR/NCR up to 2.0 FCE’s throughout your undergrad as safety nets. especially since you’re only in first year and neither courses are related to your future program, it really is no biggie.

    as for getting into grad school, you need more than just good grades. i would suggest doing extra-curriculars that are related to teaching, like volunteering at elementary schools or working with children. i’d also suggest doing stuff with the profs in the programs that relate to what you wanna do- they can write you reference letters and really help you out when it’s time to apply for grad school.

    good luck!!

    xoxo,

    aska

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  • arts & sciences,  degree requirements,  graduation

    yay career advancement!

    May 24, 2017

    Hi Aska!

    I have 2 questions for you:

    1. If I take a Y course in the summer, and only that 1.0 course, I’m eligible for work-study during the summer, right? The wording is a little confusing to me.

    2. I know you’re able to finish up your 20 FCE in three years and be eligible for November graduation, but if you finish a semester early, would you be considered “graduated”/will you receive your degree? I was thinking of graduating a semester early (can’t do it in 3 years) so I could possibly start working earlier but a lot of “real job” places insist on you having your degree before they employ you. So I’m trying to figure out if that plan is even possible!

    Thanks, Aska!

    ———————————————

    hello!

    1. yes! you’re eligible for work-study during the summer. according to the uoft website, you must be enrolled in at least 1.0FCE— which you are.
    2. sadly, you aren’t considered “graduated” until the actual ceremony. however, you can go to the artsci registrar and request a letter confirming your graduation.

    i hope that was helpful. good luck on your career journey!

    xoxo,

    aska

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  • admissions,  applying for U of T,  degree requirements,  international relations,  one programs,  trinity college

    you could be pitbull

    May 23, 2017

    Hi Aska!

    I was wondering if you know how many students are accepted into the international relations program each year. I’m worried that if I don’t make it into a One program during first year I won’t have a good shot of being accepted into IR for second year.

    Thanks very much!!!

    ———————————————

    hey,

    bad news, kid.

    so, unfortunately, departments don’t allow us access to information on how many students get accepted into the program each year. it’s just not something undergraduate departments tend to release to the public. you can always try contacting the department directly if the question is really bugging you!

    because international relations is a type 3 program, we can assume that the program enrolment is quite limited and “finite”. in addition to submitting a separate application, remember that you’ll need to take the courses listed here and meet the minimum grade requirements in order to even be considered.

    if you don’t get into a One program, it’s not a huge deal. they indicate that you have the option of taking HIS103Y1Y or HIS102Y1Y instead of VicOne or TrinOne. don’t worry about getting screwed over by limited enrolment/ application deadlines!

    this could be you in a year!:

    don’t sweat it too much. just work hard and make sure your grades meet or exceed the minimum requirement. if you don’t get into the IR program in second year, you can always try again in third year!

    good luck, my friend!

    international peace and love,

    aska

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  • campus,  clubs,  extracurricular,  international relations,  polisci,  residence,  St. George,  student groups,  Toronto,  UTSU

    long time reader, first time asker

    May 23, 2017

    Hello Aska!

    First – You are utterly brilliant!
    I will be applying to UofT this fall, and scrolling through your blog has
    saved me many a panic attack! Within this wall of flesh, there is a soul
    that counts thee its creditor.

    P.S. I went through the tags before writing this (true fan here) so don’t
    worry – this doesn’t have ‘another college question’…..(or does it…..?).

    1. Oh all seeing eye, how do you know everything that’s happening at UofT’s
    massive campus? What are some of the best ways to keep on top of student
    events, displays, Disney serenades, aska fan-fests, food trucks etc? (Most
    importantly – food trucks!).

    2. Slightly beyond UofT – which are the best natural sites to explore in
    and around Toronto – hikes, trails, hidden Narnias perhaps?

    3. Innis is one of the only apartment style residences on campus, and as
    far as I can see this style of residence (and Innis in general) seems
    perfect. But, as an Innis insider, what are some of the disadvantages of
    apartment style living?

    4. I have been looking through the PolSci and International Relations
    department pages, and although I found a massive list of internships
    offered to PolSci students, I could not find a similar list for
    International Relations. Does PolSci generally have more available
    internship and exchange opportunities in general?

    Finally, I feel like I am compelled by tradition to put this question here,
    if only as a symbol:
    ‘Innis or UC?”

    May the odds and even be ever in your favor.
    Thanks!

    ———————————————

    hello!

    thank you so much! i am always humbled and delighted to meet a fan like yourself.

    since you’ve asked me a five-part question, here’s a five-part answer:

    1. first, you could check out the student life website. they have a lot of stuff on events, displays, clubs, anything you may desire! if that isn’t enough, you can also check on facebook- lots of clubs and societies post when they’re hosting events (and whether or not there’ll be free food). you could also check out hart house (they always have a bunch of stuff going on), the utsu (university of toronto student’s union), your college’s student society, and the clubs fair during orientation week.
    2. there’s lots of nature-y stuff to do in and around toronto. so much so, that i’ll just redirect you to this. in all seriousness though, there are a lot of places to go hiking in toronto, check out this article.
    3. it all has to do with your personal preferences. however, you’ll have to think a lot about things like food (innis doesn’t have a dining hall, but you could still get a meal plan) and cleaning (you’ll have to look after a kitchen and a bathroom and a common area AS WELL AS your own room).
    4. i don’t know if there are MORE internships for polisci students as opposed to international relations students… it just looks like the IR department’s student experience page hasn’t been updated as recently as the polisci department’s. you could get in contact with the IR department and they’d probably have way more information than me, a humble not-IR student.
    5. innis or uc?

     

    xoxo,

    aska

     

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  • computer science,  fees,  summer,  UTM

    math fun with fees

    May 19, 2017

    Hi there,

    I’m a 4th year computer science major student in UTM, and I plan to take more than 2 credits this summer, but the fee schedule only have the tuition amount for at most 2.0 credits(like here http://www.fees.utoronto.ca/Assets/Student+Accounts+Digital+Assets/20165+Summer/20165+UTM+Intnl.pdf), what do I pay if I want to study for, let’s say 3 credits this summer?

    Thanks!

    ———————————————

    hello,

    first of all, i’m assuming you’re an international student, since you linked the international student fees page in your question. if you are, in fact, a domestic student, please look at this link.

    the reason why it doesn’t show any fees over 2.0 credits is because anything over 2.0 credits would be considered a course overload…

    …meaning that if you wanted to do, lets say 1.5 FCE’s in one semester (3 classes per term to reach a total of 3.0 FCE’s for the whole summer), you would need special permission from your registrar’s office. if you have already been approved for this, you will just need to look at the table you provided me and do a little math.

    to break down your academic fees, the PDF you attached indicates on the first page that all summer courses are charged per-course. in the table you’ll see that every 0.5 FCE costs $4,682.00, meaning that if you were to take 3.0 FCE’s, you’d have to multiply this value by 6, giving you $28,092.

    since you are a full time student, you would be paying full time incidental fees ($688.96) and then UHIP fees ($204.00) in addition to your academic fees.

    the math: $28,092 + $688.96 + $204.00 = $28,984.96.

    meaning that your fee totals (not counting any outstanding fees you might owe) will be $28,984.96. damn that’s a whole lotta dough.

    make sense?

    if you are ever unsure about fees, you can contact your registrar’s office and they will be able to breakdown your fees for you!

    hope this helped!

    P.S. I HATE MATH, SO IF I MADE A MISTAKE PLS DON’T KILL ME

    peace and love,

    aska

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