Taking 300-level courses in 4th year?

[somebowdy]

So I've been following the 3/5 rule each semester (taking at least 3 courses at or above the current year level), but does this rule also apply to 4th year? If I take 2 4th year courses and 3 3rd year courses in my fourth year, does that disqualify me from a school like Western? Or do 3rd and 4th year courses just collectively count as "upper year courses"?

[biochem4]

2 minutes ago, somebowdy said:

So I've been following the 3/5 rule each semester (taking at least 3 courses at or above the current year level), but does this rule also apply to 4th year? If I take 2 4th year courses and 3 3rd year courses in my fourth year, does that disqualify me from a school like Western? Or do 3rd and 4th year courses just collectively count as "upper year courses"?

doesn’t matter. Majority of your credits must be in 3000/4000 level starting 3rd yr. or if you’re taking extra year(s). You must have 18 credits at least. If you do have them, you’re fine.

[rmorelan]

yeah, it is collective like you say - although right now the math is five 3rd or 4th year courses, no? Is that just for a semester or are they full year courses? 

[somebowdy]

5 hours ago, rmorelan said:

yeah, it is collective like you say - although right now the math is five 3rd or 4th year courses, no? Is that just for a semester or are they full year courses? 

Yeah I'm just referring to the Fall semester. Out of the five courses, 2/5 would 3rd year, 2/5 would be 4th year, and the last one would be a 200-level course. Would that be fine or would i Have to take 3/5 4th year courses?

[rmorelan]

1 hour ago, somebowdy said:

Yeah I'm just referring to the Fall semester. Out of the five courses, 2/5 would 3rd year, 2/5 would be 4th year, and the last one would be a 200-level course. Would that be fine or would i Have to take 3/5 4th year courses?

completely fine - actually technically overkill and would give you a lot of freedom in the second term. 

The 3/5 rule overall for the year, not by semester after all

[somebowdy]

1 hour ago, rmorelan said:

completely fine - actually technically overkill and would give you a lot of freedom in the second term. 

The 3/5 rule overall for the year, not by semester after all

Interesting - how does it work if it's for the year? The courses I'll be taking are mainly one semester and not offered in continuation in the next semester. Ie. not like Biology I and II.

[rmorelan]

5 minutes ago, somebowdy said:

Interesting - how does it work if it's for the year? The courses I'll be taking are mainly one semester and not offered in continuation in the next semester. Ie. not like Biology I and II.

What I mean is if you are taking say 10 standard run of the mill courses in the year then in years 3 and 4 (and beyond I suppose) you need to have 6 at the 3rd year level or above. 

You are doing four courses that are above the 3rd year in the fall it seems. In theory that means you would only need 2 more of them in the Winter to hit the quota. 

Sometimes stuff like that can matter - maybe you see a bunch of 2nd year courses that would boost your GPA in the Winter (or first year ones for that matter). It also means that if you say had to drop one of the senior courses in the fall you can potentially correct things in the Winter (in that case you would need both 6 courses where 3 were 3rd year or above - but if you stacked the deck with 3 easy first year courses than maybe that would be possible). Ha, the idea is to exactly where you might have flexibility you could use to your advantage. 

 

[somebowdy]

36 minutes ago, rmorelan said:

What I mean is if you are taking say 10 standard run of the mill courses in the year then in years 3 and 4 (and beyond I suppose) you need to have 6 at the 3rd year level or above. 

You are doing four courses that are above the 3rd year in the fall it seems. In theory that means you would only need 2 more of them in the Winter to hit the quota. 

Sometimes stuff like that can matter - maybe you see a bunch of 2nd year courses that would boost your GPA in the Winter (or first year ones for that matter). It also means that if you say had to drop one of the senior courses in the fall you can potentially correct things in the Winter (in that case you would need both 6 courses where 3 were 3rd year or above - but if you stacked the deck with 3 easy first year courses than maybe that would be possible). Ha, the idea is to exactly where you might have flexibility you could use to your advantage. 

 

I see what you're saying, and it's actually a relief when I think about it! I just wish I didn't have so many strict degree requirements, otherwise I would totally be up for stacking my schedule with lower-level GPA boosters!

[rmorelan]

2 minutes ago, somebowdy said:

I see what you're saying, and it's actually a relief when I think about it! I just wish I didn't have so many strict degree requirements, otherwise I would totally be up for stacking my schedule with lower-level GPA boosters!

ha, yeah - there are often competing forces. I still think it is useful - I have seen some worst case stuff were someone realizes they aren't going to get the GPA they need and will have to a 5th year (note, that isn't a special year as those are after graduating) - they can still use the 3/5 rule to spread things in response even diluting some harder courses along the way. 

[Bluecan]

On 6/10/2018 at 7:54 PM, rmorelan said:

What I mean is if you are taking say 10 standard run of the mill courses in the year then in years 3 and 4 (and beyond I suppose) you need to have 6 at the 3rd year level or above. 

 You are doing four courses that are above the 3rd year in the fall it seems. In theory that means you would only need 2 more of them in the Winter to hit the quota. 

Sometimes stuff like that can matter - maybe you see a bunch of 2nd year courses that would boost your GPA in the Winter (or first year ones for that matter). It also means that if you say had to drop one of the senior courses in the fall you can potentially correct things in the Winter (in that case you would need both 6 courses where 3 were 3rd year or above - but if you stacked the deck with 3 easy first year courses than maybe that would be possible). Ha, the idea is to exactly where you might have flexibility you could use to your advantage. 

 

Sorry, I may be misunderstanding, but do you mean as long as 6 of your 10 courses are at the 300+ level for a given year, that year is eligible to be used? It doesn't need to be 3/5 each semester to be taken into consideration?  I'm planning my 4th year and I'm only able to take 2/5 courses at the 300-level in the first semester (because a required class I need to graduate is at the 200-level), but would take 4/5 at the 300-level in the second semester. Is this okay? I've been trying to find the answer for ages now, and have even considered taking a 300-level course I don't need and deferring graduation by a semester to remain eligible.

[rmorelan]

1 hour ago, Bluecan said:

Sorry, I may be misunderstanding, but do you mean as long as 6 of your 10 courses are at the 300+ level for a given year, that year is eligible to be used? It doesn't need to be 3/5 each semester to be taken into consideration?  I'm planning my 4th year and I'm only able to take 2/5 courses at the 300-level in the first semester (because a required class I need to graduate is at the 200-level), but would take 4/5 at the 300-level in the second semester. Is this okay? I've been trying to find the answer for ages now, and have even considered taking a 300-level course I don't need and deferring graduation by a semester to remain eligible.

yup that is what I mean

Schools don't think on the semester level - is it almost always on the entire standard year level (Sept-Apr). There actually is a historical reason for this - our system is in part based on the US system (GPA is a US created tool after all), and at most old school style colleges you don't have semester courses. They are one entire year long - which is why on TV if someone is complaining about midterms that is actually someone complaining about the equivalent of our final exams in the fall. It is why our courses are 0.5 credits - rather than 1 credit which would make more sense here.......

[Bluecan]

22 minutes ago, rmorelan said:

yup that is what I mean

Schools don't think on the semester level - is it almost always on the entire standard year level (Sept-Apr). There actually is a historical reason for this - our system is in part based on the US system (GPA is a US created tool after all), and at most old school style colleges you don't have semester courses. They are one entire year long - which is why on TV if someone is complaining about midterms that is actually someone complaining about the equivalent of our final exams in the fall. It is why our courses are 0.5 credits - rather than 1 credit which would make more sense here.......

Well, that's a relief to hear, thank you. Is this universal to all schools in Ontario? My school lists a normal one-semester course as 3 credits and a full-year course (2 semesters) as 6.0. I wish they would include this on Schulich's FAQ or something, would have saved me a lot of trouble. I wonder why they list it as 3/5 instead of 6/10?

[rmorelan]

1 hour ago, Bluecan said:

Well, that's a relief to hear, thank you. Is this universal to all schools in Ontario? My school lists a normal one-semester course as 3 credits and a full-year course (2 semesters) as 6.0. I wish they would include this on Schulich's FAQ or something, would have saved me a lot of trouble. I wonder why they list it as 3/5 instead of 6/10?

they do that because at most places 0.5 credit course is a semester course It is confusing but most people really do only 5.0 credits per year (note they don't say course, they say credit everywhere). A standard degree is only 20 credits. 

and yup it is universal in Ontario (and well for the most part everywhere else as well)