UT Program Rigor requirement

[Guest akinf]

This has been bothering me lately; on the admissions website, UT described that the rigor of the program will also be looked at. They recommend at least 60% correspond with the year. How is this done? I assume, when you are in third year, they expect most of your courses to read 300-level. However, I have an issue, I am currently going into 3rd year Biochem at my university (Manitoba) and I have 8 course REQUIRMENTS from chemistry all at the 200-level. I took 4 last year, and I am taking the other 4 this year. For biochem students it is done this way because if you don't, then you are looking at more than a full course load (significantly more) or you'd push other courses behind that would force your degree to five years or result in taking summer courses. The rest of my courses will essentially be 300-level, however, I am having scheduling issues with my upper-level sociology courses. If I can't resolve it, I would be forced to take a 200-level course. I've spoken with my student advisor about this, and I have tried contacting the Faculty of Medicine with no success (do people actually work there?). I am just trying to get an idea of how critical this is, I am taking another 400-level course in Immunology next year so I don't know if that will almost counter the extra 200-level? I am just worrying here. Do I need to, or am I fine? I'll show you the schedule I have planned and tell me if it is ok; this is temporary because I still have to resolve scheduling issues (all my courses only have 1 section).

 

Term 1

 

Phys Chem 1 2280**

Chem of Main Group Elements 2380**

Molecular Biology 3410

Cell and Membrane Biochemistry 3460**

 

 

Term 2

 

Phys Chem 2 2290**

Analytical Chem 2470**

Immunology 4010

Regulations of Biochemical Processes 3450**

Sociology of Mental Illness 3xxx

Sociology of Health Care Systems 3xxx (I can't remember the code)

 

All of the courses with double asteriks (**) are all requirements for biochemistry students.

 

Feed back is really appreciated, I am applying to med. this year.

 

Even though this looks like I make the 60%, please keep in mind the scheduling problems I have with the sociology courses. They are both in the same term (i am only interested in those two) and it would mean taking a light first term, and a hellish second term. It doesn't make sense to me.

[Guest Maelswarm]

Hey, if your courses are what's suggested in your program's calendar (i.e. that's just how your program is set up at UofM), then I wouldn't be too worried about it. If, however, this is how you yourself had set up your courses (and went against the recommended course schedules) then it might be a problem.

 

Taking higher level courses at a lower year and doing well in them is a plus. Doing poorly in lower-year courses isn't so hot.

 

But from what you've described, it looks like you had no choice in the matter, and it may just take a phone call from you to explain it to UT Admissions.

[Guest akinf]

This isn't the recommended course program, but the recommended program doesn't consider other requirements outside the faculty aside from english. So since I am going into medicine, it doesn't account for social sciences and other humanities courses. But this is the way it is done by the students at my school. So I essentially had no choice in the matter. I guess calling the faculty would help; the student advisor I talked to this about said they would be able to send a letter confirming this fact if I needed it.

 

Would it be best to call UT asking if this is ok, because I worry if I just call, that information may get lost before it find its way to the correct person.

[Guest Maelswarm]

If you call UT, ask for Leslie Taylor, since she can give you the official answer.

 

Most schools only require one credit of soc or hum, though. If you don't have space during the school year, you can take them during the summers.

[Guest peachy]

I don't have any inside information about how admissions works, but my guess is that the "rigor" requirement is just so that they can have an official excuse to weed people out who are clearly just taking bird courses to get higher grades. The kind of people who take calculus for life science, followed by calculus for business, followed by calculus for computer science, because that way they can take the same course three times and pad their transcript with A's. If what you are doing is reasonable and has a goal and is necessary for your degree then I really doubt that you have to worry!

[Guest scrubbed]

My take is that your courseload should be okay. I think that main thing they wish to prevent, as peachy said, is people taking multiple courses of the same topic, or taking a series of unrelated first-year courses, for example--coherence of the program also is evaluated as well.

 

Best wishes with those courses!

[Guest akinf]

Thanks to everyone who replied. I revistied the UT Fac. Med. site and read in the FAQ that for those in my situation it is no problem. The site states

 

 

14) Will my application be affected if less than 60% of my course load corresponds with my year of study? Will it even be considered?

 

Having less than 60% of the courses correspond to the year of study will not invalidate the application. The main requirement of the Admissions Office is that a candidate is fulfilling their degree requirements. Although no preference is given to program of study, a student’s choices within their given program may be used as an evaluation factor. Examples of aspects examined may be one or all of the following (as applicable):

 

· Progression from lower level of courses to more advanced ones

 

· Progression from a general course of study to a more specialized one

 

· Pursuing an interest in a field of study outside the chosen major

 

If a candidate falls below the 60% guideline due to the degree requirements of their particular program they will not be penalized in the admissions process.

 

So I have decided to take a 200-level Philosophy course in Ethics and Society instead of the Sociology of Mental Illness (conflicted with my schedule anyway). This course works really well with my schedule and really ties into my interest in Sociology, just from a different perspective.

[Guest dayne67]

I took first year premed courses during during my fourth year of undegrad. There was no way around it because I needed the Life Science and chemistry credits to apply to med school. So, I ended up taking first year biology, psychology, chemistry, and social science courses at UofT Scarborough.

 

My actual undegraduate degree was engineering - which I finished during my fifth year of undergrad.

 

The whole year seems to really stick out because of the first year courses, but I needed those courses and there was no way to take engineering courses and Arts & Science courses simultaneously.

[Guest akinf]

Did you do that this year, or did you do that an still got into UT?

[Guest dayne67]

I graduated last year. And I haven't gotten into med school yet.

 

But I am going to include a one page letter of intent this year to justify my reasons for taking these courses.