What makes U of T St.George so wanted?

[don_lee103]

From reading few threads regarding UT campus, there is someone whos worried about attending UTSG... what makes St.George so special?

[gzajay]

UofT has a strong academic history and reputable graduate and postgrad programs......undergrad there is nothing special in my opinion.

Being located downtown Toronto is a big draw for out-of-towners who want to experience the city life.

[yao416]

UofT has a strong academic history and reputable graduate and postgrad programs......undergrad there is nothing special in my opinion.

Being located downtown Toronto is a big draw for out-of-towners who want to experience the city life.

Yea,

Its located in DownTown Toronto O_o!

[babaji]

UofT has a strong academic history and reputable graduate and postgrad programs......undergrad there is nothing special in my opinion.

Being located downtown Toronto is a big draw for out-of-towners who want to experience the city life.

Hey, so does that mean that I can get my undergrad somewhere else for cheaper, then come back to UofT to do postgrad programs?

[jeeva86]

Hey, so does that mean that I can get my undergrad somewhere else for cheaper, then come back to UofT to do postgrad programs?

Yup!

[f00kie]

Hey, so does that mean that I can get my undergrad somewhere else for cheaper, then come back to UofT to do postgrad programs?

Why are you planning your education around the cost of the degree? Apart from engineering, U of T doesn't charge too much more than other universities.

[gzajay]

Why are you planning your education around the cost of the degree? Apart from engineering, U of T doesn't charge too much more than other universities.


That's true. Tuition is pretty similar between universities for the majority of programs. Some programs like management and accounting are unregulated and you get smacked with $10,000 tuition bills.

[VivienM]

That's true. Tuition is pretty similar between universities for the majority of programs. Some programs like management and accounting are unregulated and you get smacked with $10,000 tuition bills.

$10K tuition bill? That's cheap! :)

(don't mind me, I have a bill from U of T for $18300 on my desk)

[gzajay]

Wow really?...what program?

[babaji]

Why are you planning your education around the cost of the degree? Apart from engineering, U of T doesn't charge too much more than other universities.

What if engineering's the path I'm pursuing? Ain't I supposed to plan my education around factors such as cost?

[masterballer]

Why are you planning your education around the cost of the degree? Apart from engineering, U of T doesn't charge too much more than other universities.

Its also EASIER to do your undergrad at other places. UTSG is so competitive and they tend to mark way harder than other places.

[f00kie]

What if engineering's the path I'm pursuing? Ain't I supposed to plan my education around factors such as cost?

Err, where did you get this idea from? I hope an [insert university here] grad isn't brainwashing you, just because they're stuck paying their OSAP off when they spend ridiculous amounts of money putting stickers on their Integras. I've been able to pay off 100% of my tuition with summer-earned money without any loans or help from parents (but I do live at home).

While I did say U of T might cost a bit more than York or Ryerson for engineering, I never said its not worth it. Whatever the cost, Waterloo / U of T engineering will always be worth it.

[matkun]

What if engineering's the path I'm pursuing? Ain't I supposed to plan my education around factors such as cost?

If your worried about cost.. then go for Waterloo Engineering co-op.. Canada's top Engineering university and almost 2 years of work done by the time you graduate.. Just say good bye to vacations of more than 1 week (between studying and working) for the next 5 years of your life.

[jeeva86]

What if engineering's the path I'm pursuing? Ain't I supposed to plan my education around factors such as cost?

If you want to do postgrade at ut and undergrad elsewhere, you have to make sure your marks are real high.

The only thing I hate about engineering is the schedule. They don't give a **** if you have 4 finals back to back. This is problem when you're in 3rd year ECE, because you get to choose your courses.

[f00kie]

Its also EASIER to do your undergrad at other places. UTSG is so competitive and they tend to mark way harder than other places.

While I fully agree with this, I'm still wary of thinking that going to an easier school to get a nice average to get into a U of T (type) graduate program is the way to go.

[f00kie]

If your worried about cost.. then go for Waterloo Engineering co-op.. Canada's top Engineering university and almost 2 years of work done by the time you graduate.. Just say good bye to vacations of more than 1 week (between studying and working) for the next 5 years of your life.

U of T also has a 16-month co-op term, which is optional, that will pay plenty to cover your education and then some (if you have the marks, of course).

[babaji]

So, it seems that UofT st george or waterloo's the way to go for engineering. I was planning on going to one of those initially.

thanks

On another note, how is the U of T co-op program? What kind of job opportunities would be open to me as a co-op employee, if I decide to take this path?

[gzajay]

Think about it this way...

if you go for Waterloo co-op, sure you're lose all your summer breaks, but alot of people end up working during the summer anyway -- why not get some really good experience thats related to your course of study??

Everytime I speak to somebody (even some random person) and say I go to Waterloo -- they all say "oh for engineering?"....that tells you the rep of UW eng. (i'm in science/business btw)

[masterballer]

While I fully agree with this, I'm still wary of thinking that going to an easier school to get a nice average to get into a U of T (type) graduate program is the way to go.

I have 2 cousins that are just entering/finishing med school and they both tell me that its not worth it at all to go to U of T or any other harder Universities, they both went to McGill for biology and both wished they went somewhere easier.

I got the same thing talking to a few U of T students that i know, all are failing for getting way lower than they did in HS while people i know from other Universities are doing pretty good.

[masterballer]

Oh and i got into U of T SG campus but i turned them down because i didnt need the extra added pressure and workload...i wanted to attend a university that would be fun as well, hence York :)

[alv077]

Everytime I speak to somebody (even some random person) and say I go to Waterloo -- they all say "oh for engineering?"....that tells you the rep of UW eng. (i'm in science/business btw)

So. True.

I say Accounting and I get a disappointed, "oh..." :|

[babaji]

I have 2 cousins that are just entering/finishing med school and they both tell me that its not worth it at all to go to U of T or any other harder Universities, they both went to McGill for biology and both wished they went somewhere easier.

I got the same thing talking to a few U of T students that i know, all are failing for getting way lower than they did in HS while people i know from other Universities are doing pretty good.

Now are these engineering students or no? If not, then what about engineering?

[masterballer]

Now are these engineering students or no? If not, then what about engineering?

lol good point, these forums are full of Eng students, my comments were geared towards the Science students/programs.

But i also know a few people who went to UTSG for other programs including Eng and Comp Sci and they both have left SG and moved to other Post Sec schools so over all UTSG is just a name, they will bust your ass and in the end you will still have a lower GPA that what you could have had at a easier school.

[jeeva86]

Don't worry for engineering because U of T and UW are pretty much the same. My friend was doing below average at UT first year, then he switched to Ryerson and got > 85 average. That doesn't mean that if you go to Ryerson from year 1 you can easily get the same mark, because it does have to with preparation. U of T will challenge you, but since you are pretty sure you want engineering and you narrowed it down to UT or UW, either of them are good, UW has co-op of 4 month terms, while UT has 12-16 month. Both have their pros and cons. Depending on what type of engineering placements can vary, from the guy with the lowest mark getting a placement to the smartest guy who doesn't get an interview.

[jeeva86]

Of course, you'll get a better mark compared to an easier school. It's all about challenging yourself. How smart can you get if you degraded yourself?

[masterballer]

Of course, you'll get a better mark compared to an easier school. It's all about challenging yourself. How smart can you get if you degraded yourself?


Now i like a fair challenge like the next guy but being smart does not mean a successful future if you arent smart enough to choose the right program/school.

So many people are smart and just go for UTSG just to end up getting average marks while killing themselves with studying, while other choose to go to an easier school (and by this i dont mean an easy ride, it is still hard but it is do-able) and get the most out of the University EXPERIENCE, there is more to university than just Study Study Study, most UTSG students will never get the whole experience from what i have heard and seen (friends, family members...)

[thechampion116]

I currently study life science at St.George and marks do matter to the school, but also the experience. I live in Scarborough, but didn't want to be too far from home ( I can't really afford it), and wanted to be able to a decent distance away so I can enjoy the surroundings. I had either Ryerson or UofT SG to fit bill. I know Ryerson was a lot easier, but the experience from St.George has been very enriching.

I joined a FLC (first year learning community) in my first year. This group took about two hours of my week every other week. It's basically a mentoring program for first years who commute. So I instantly made 20 other friends and classmates that I could go to for help. The group instantly bonded. We had a mentor that was in his 5th year (did 4 years of work at SG, then did his 5th at SC, and he didn't do too well in first year as well). He recently go into Med School at McMaster. We got to do some community work, watch the Raptors, enjoy comedy at Yuk Yuk's, play sports against other FLC's, learn how to get appropriate summer jobs, and other learning experiences.

St. George has a WHOLE LOT of programs. They also have job opportunities, volunteer opportunities for research and research opportunities. Even though I didnt do too well, I still had many favourable options for school. There is also the downtown life. There are so many places to go downtown (ie clubs).

I may not have done well, but I think that was more so based on my work ethic from moving from High school to uni. I didn't make the proper adjustments in my life style.

Thats my little rant. Picking a university should not be only based on marks (they can make or break your future) but if you don't like the school you attend, then I can't see anyone doing well there.

In response to MasterBaller: Many of the students that attend UofT are very very very serious about getting 90's, trust me, I met a whole bunch of them. If your getting info from these types of people, then what you say is true. These types of people don't do anything but study, high marks and all, you need a little more than that to get into grad school, med school, or jobs. You gotta have passion, and a personality. From my mentor his GPA he says was not comparable to the high students trying for med, but at the interview he was the most calm, and collected person. He had the personality, the likeability and wasnt stuck-up (alot of the Asian's at UofT are, not being racist I am asian).

[VivienM]

Wow really?...what program?

Yup, really. And if you were in first year, the bill would be over 20K. (They increase tuition by 4% for existing students, but by 8% for new students)

(This is U of T's J.D. (Law) program, BTW.)

[babaji]

Anyone have co-op experience in regards to the engineering programs?

[masterballer]

I currently study life science at St.George and marks do matter to the school, but also the experience. I live in Scarborough, but didn't want to be too far from home ( I can't really afford it), and wanted to be able to a decent distance away so I can enjoy the surroundings. I had either Ryerson or UofT SG to fit bill. I know Ryerson was a lot easier, but the experience from St.George has been very enriching.

I joined a FLC (first year learning community) in my first year. This group took about two hours of my week every other week. It's basically a mentoring program for first years who commute. So I instantly made 20 other friends and classmates that I could go to for help. The group instantly bonded. We had a mentor that was in his 5th year (did 4 years of work at SG, then did his 5th at SC, and he didn't do too well in first year as well). He recently go into Med School at McMaster. We got to do some community work, watch the Raptors, enjoy comedy at Yuk Yuk's, play sports against other FLC's, learn how to get appropriate summer jobs, and other learning experiences.

St. George has a WHOLE LOT of programs. They also have job opportunities, volunteer opportunities for research and research opportunities. Even though I didnt do too well, I still had many favourable options for school. There is also the downtown life. There are so many places to go downtown (ie clubs).

I may not have done well, but I think that was more so based on my work ethic from moving from High school to uni. I didn't make the proper adjustments in my life style.

Thats my little rant. Picking a university should not be only based on marks (they can make or break your future) but if you don't like the school you attend, then I can't see anyone doing well there.

In response to MasterBaller: Many of the students that attend UofT are very very very serious about getting 90's, trust me, I met a whole bunch of them. If your getting info from these types of people, then what you say is true. These types of people don't do anything but study, high marks and all, you need a little more than that to get into grad school, med school, or jobs. You gotta have passion, and a personality. From my mentor his GPA he says was not comparable to the high students trying for med, but at the interview he was the most calm, and collected person. He had the personality, the likeability and wasnt stuck-up (alot of the Asian's at UofT are, not being racist I am asian).

Yea man, its not just marks. Marks are a part of the whole package you need to get into Med school, Law, Masters program...I agree 100% on you with that.

[skuric]

For applying to grad school, do they recognize that UofT undergrad may be harder than the same undergrad program at another university, and do they adjust your mark accordingly?

[dooly]

For applying to grad school, do they recognize that UofT undergrad may be harder than the same undergrad program at another university, and do they adjust your mark accordingly?

No, marks arent adjusted for any program including med and grad. However for grad school, marks arent too important, it's all about the reference letters. A good set of reference letters will get you into grad school with mediocre marks (sometimes even if you dont make the gpa cutoff). Marks are more strict with med school and other professional schools.

[tritium4ever]

What if engineering's the path I'm pursuing? Ain't I supposed to plan my education around factors such as cost?

While cost is obviously an issue, you shouldn't be planning your education around it. The variation amongst universities (for any given program) is a couple thousand dollars per year at most, which in the long run is insignificant.

Oh and UofT's engineering co-op program has students averaging just under 40K per year. Over the 12-16 month period, you'll make enough to cover tuition for your entire 4 year stay (if you're a domestic student and not an international student).

[jeeva86]

Here are some stats for UT:

http://www.ecf.utoronto.ca/~pey/student/statistics.html

[m4gician]

UofT has a strong academic history and reputable graduate and postgrad programs......undergrad there is nothing special in my opinion.

Being located downtown Toronto is a big draw for out-of-towners who want to experience the city life.

yes, also there is a prestige factor that goes into it. I mean it's a recognizable school around the world. I hate to do this (no I don't) but I mean it's better than York for a degree in general.

But overall, it doesn't matter where you get your degree from, I wish U of T would stop trying to fill the residences by allowing so many students in.

[masterballer]

yes, also there is a prestige factor that goes into it. I mean it's a recognizable school around the world. I hate to do this (no I don't) but I mean it's better than York for a degree in general.

But overall, it doesn't matter where you get your degree from, I wish U of T would stop trying to fill the residences by allowing so many students in.

Eng. maybe, there are programs that is better at York. Also the University experience is better at York by far compared to UofT.

[alv077]

I guess this is a kinda relevant article

http://www.excal.on.ca/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=896&Itemid=83

[goobelygoop]

I guess this is a kinda relevant article

http://www.excal.on.ca/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=896&Itemid=83

OMG that is so old and lame - and it's not an article, more of a drunken rant of sorts.

[rekearb]

whoever said high marks arent important for grad school is wrong, there is a pretty high minimum gpa you need for grad school such as med or dentistry. yes its true that a 98 and 94 may not have that big of a difference but to get into a competitive grad school, you need high 80s or low 90s at least. dont think you can get into a med or dentistry school with 70s or low 80s but awesome extracurricular stuff

[thechampion116]

whoever said high marks arent important for grad school is wrong, there is a pretty high minimum gpa you need for grad school such as med or dentistry. yes its true that a 98 and 94 may not have that big of a difference but to get into a competitive grad school, you need high 80s or low 90s at least. dont think you can get into a med or dentistry school with 70s or low 80s but awesome extracurricular stuff


people with 70's and low 80's have been known to get into med school. you need the complete package. Someone with a lot of vast extracurricular activities and pretty decent marks are just as competitive as those with ONLY high marks. It shows they can balance a tough schedule. They contribute to society, etc.....

[nuberific]

Just wanted to point out the giant number of courses and programs available for choosing =).

I just finished my 1st year of life sciences and let me tell you.. there are a million choices in the Arts and Sciences calendar. Benefits of a big school >;O

[noob777]

Just wanted to point out the giant number of courses and programs available for choosing =).

I just finished my 1st year of life sciences and let me tell you.. there are a million choices in the Arts and Sciences calendar. Benefits of a big school >;O

Not to mention a very flexible schedule.

[HSK]

St.George is the real McCoy. When you say UofT, you think of St.George. The other campuses are not worthy of the UofT brand name. They just arent. Scarborough is considered a joke. Mississauga is not too bad for science.

[N1QUE24]

All I know is.. UTM pwn3d the other 2 campuses in today's Frosh parade.. flat out OWNED.

We led the parade... that has to be a slap in the face to St. George :lol:

[Tereno]

UTM's Com Sci programs are more rigid. Also, certain classes you have to come downtown to take it. Also, be warned that when transferring, they might not even transfer all the credits you earned. My friend got deducted some credits because they were not comparable or something? :confused:

[Tereno]

All I know is.. UTM pwn3d the other 2 campuses in today's Frosh parade.. flat out OWNED.

We led the parade... that has to be a slap in the face to St. George :lol:

Bleh.. you guys ruined our soccer game.

[kt11]

All I know is.. UTM pwn3d the other 2 campuses in today's Frosh parade.. flat out OWNED.

We led the parade... that has to be a slap in the face to St. George :lol:
Too bad UTM is OWNED by the main campus.

[N1QUE24]

which makes it even more sadder that they had UTM leading the parade instead of the 'MAIN CAMPUS' leading it.

:cheesygri

[kt11]

which makes it even more sadder that they had UTM leading the parade instead of the 'MAIN CAMPUS' leading it.

:cheesygri

To make you guys feel proud of yourself.

[N1QUE24]

yeah sorry, that makes no sense.

UTM was leading the parade because were the rowdiest of the three campuses, admit it thanks.. I'm sorry but St. George's cheers were so lame. Us UTMers must have rebuttaled every single one of your school's lame chants..

My favorite chant dedicated solely to the engineers.. "Build a bridge and jump!"

[SamInfinity]

St.George is the real McCoy. When you say UofT, you think of St.George. The other campuses are not worthy of the UofT brand name. They just arent. Scarborough is considered a joke. Mississauga is not too bad for science.

It's funny you mention that, because I don't think the UTM and UTSC people realise that their diplomas will no longer say only University of Toronto as they used to. My friend was in the last year that say University of Toronto despite whichever campus you graduated from. Now they say explicitly UTM.

[kt11]

It's funny you mention that, because I don't think the UTM and UTSC people realise that their diplomas will no longer say only University of Toronto as they used to. My friend was in the last year that say University of Toronto despite whichever campus you graduated from. Now they say explicitly UTM.

LOL, are you sure. I always hear that rumour comes around graduation time...but it never goes through. But if it's true, ahahhahaha. Can't wait to tell* my UTM friends who keep telling me "in the end...it says UofT on the degree".:lol:

[Ma_Jie]

If you don't know why UTSG is better, you'll never know.

- Jie
EAS SPE, 4th year

[HSK]

It's funny you mention that, because I don't think the UTM and UTSC people realise that their diplomas will no longer say only University of Toronto as they used to. My friend was in the last year that say University of Toronto despite whichever campus you graduated from. Now they say explicitly UTM.

NOT having "U of T Scarborough" is the saving grace for Scarborough students.

[SamInfinity]

LOL, are you sure. I always hear that rumour comes around graduation time...but it never goes through. But if it's true, ahahhahaha. Can't wait to tell* my UTM friends who keep telling me "in the end...it says UofT on the degree".:lol:

So I did some googling and found the proof. Basically, before diplomas only said "University of Toronto". There never used to be a distinction of campuses, but now there will be. The diplomas will say UofT @ (insert campus).

Linky here: http://img428.imageshack.us/my.php?image=uoftconvocationletterwithnamer.jpg