magicmazzie Posted May 10, 2007 Report Share Posted May 10, 2007 Well, I got into both (for undergrad)... where do you think I should go? Here are my pros and cons: UofT pros: reputation, great program, great research opps, beautiful old buildings with ivy cons: more expensive York pros: great program, got an entrance scholarship, many people I know are there already, great environment cons: none really York has more strong pros, and no cons. I'm worried that if I do go to York, I'll always regret not going to UofT. I mean, their acceptance package was soooo beautiful. It was a folder with all these glossy pictures and everything. Edit: Thank you so much everyone for your support. I lookd back at some old threads, and they were helpful too. I decided to go to York. I have made that request on OUAC, however, I still have time to change my mind, in case I do decide I want to go to UofT. (The deadline is May 28th). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzie Posted May 10, 2007 Report Share Posted May 10, 2007 why not visit them both? see where you'll feel more "at home". Acceptance packages are obviously designed to entice prospectivie students. They definitely won't show bad pictures. It's better to be there and get a feel of both universities yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freebird Posted May 10, 2007 Report Share Posted May 10, 2007 "pros: reputation, great program, great research opps, beautiful old buildings with ivy" Reputation- Essentially negligible for any practical purposes. Research- You can apply for research at any university. Your grades are the ultimate determinant of this. Beautiful buildings- Well this is obviously subjective, but it will be novel for a month at most, then you'll hardly care. I say go to York. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Law Posted May 10, 2007 Report Share Posted May 10, 2007 Go and try to get a feel for the school/program at the school, that might help you decide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBJ1 Posted May 10, 2007 Report Share Posted May 10, 2007 Someone posted in another topic that when York GPA's are converted to OMSAS scale, an A worth 3.8, whereas an A from other universities including Toronto is equal to 3.9. Anyway, just something interesting that I thought I'd bring up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momo Posted May 10, 2007 Report Share Posted May 10, 2007 Hi guys, I went to York and posted that...if you go to the OMSAS website GPA conversion you will see what I mean...a York A is worth 3.8, whereas a York A+ is a 4.0, all other schools have A worth 3.9... so after 4 years of working my butt off to get an A average I still can only pull a 3.8, no matter what...now, I think that if you go somewhere that you LOVE you can get those A+'s no problem, and I really really Liked York as a school, but if you KNOW that you want medicine, which whether or not we like, does look at your GPA, it might hurt you... although with many many schools changing their systems to focus more on non-academic points it might not matter...I am just saying, weigh pros and cons including this detail...To be honest, I would not have gone to York if I knew that, GOOD LUCK!! this is a really hard choice and all the power to you for thinking about it ahead of time! P.S. Picking a school can be really really tough, especially when what you want as a career might change in the future... based on your pros (especially the scholarship!) York sounds ideal for you (beautiful ivy buildings and glossy ads don't matter that much), and I didn't mean to come off as negative. I just think that this competitive pool and crazy GPAs have been a real hurdle for me, coming from York, so please remember that many Ontario school will only take your best two years (and you can probably get those A+'s no problem:), and there is the MCAT to consider, and extracurriculars which might be more fun if you are in an environment you are comfortable with (i.e. York). Although in the end it comes down to your own persistence, I realize at 30, that unfortunately many schools, etc. look at the basics like numbers to choose you from a pool of very qualified individuals, and it can be hard (but not impossible, after all I am still here:), to get where you want to be (and I ASSUMED it was medicine, since you posted here). Go get 'em! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magicmazzie Posted May 10, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2007 GOOD LUCK!! this is a really hard choice and all the power to you for thinking about it ahead of time! Thank you for being so encouraging. I loved York too, when I went there for the open houses and stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishy81 Posted May 10, 2007 Report Share Posted May 10, 2007 UofT is a great school, if you make the best of it - LOTS of resources, money to start school clubs and such, LOTS of different clubs to get involved with I didn't go to York, so I'm biased, but the general impression that I get is that it's easier to get higher marks at York. UofT does create a competitive environment, and you'll meet jerks who'll try to sabotage your assignment and etc, but I think you can find those at every school. Take home - I'd recommend UofT IF you're willing to make things for yourself. Otherwise, it's just harder to get good grades and it's not worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momo Posted May 10, 2007 Report Share Posted May 10, 2007 Hey Fishy81, I am NOT trying to start a debate I swear, but I went to both UofT and York for my undergrad degree, and I don't think that it's necessarily true that things are easier at York...I found some courses really tough at York, and some courses really easy at UofT... however, you are right in that the perception is that York is easier, because it's a liberal arts school... perhaps that's why the scale is lower...but you know what? I wish someone told me that ahead of time, before I went to York so I could make my decision knowing that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BurningAspiration Posted May 10, 2007 Report Share Posted May 10, 2007 I was wondering the exact same thing, and I have decided to go to York. If you are planning to go to York, what major are you going to pursue? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Law Posted May 10, 2007 Report Share Posted May 10, 2007 The perfect solution: come to UWO. jkjk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dante Posted May 10, 2007 Report Share Posted May 10, 2007 I went to UofT, never seriously considered York because it seemed to be on the receiving end of many "stupid university" jokes. Like others have said above, reputation is (or should be) utterly meaningless. Where you are happy is your best choice. If you got into UofT, i would say go for it... if you're planning on med school, the price difference won't be something that matters after 4 years of 20k tuition per year. UofT however is probably going to be a lot harder than York... it's up to you: do you want a challenge? (one that could possibly hurt you in the end?) or do you want the (potentially) easier way out? UofT left me with a pretty good experience overall... i thoroughly enjoyed it, but i still felt that there was something missing... can't quite put my finger on it... If you're worried about what med. schools will think... they won't. they see a number, plain and simple... whether that number comes from York, or UofT is of no significance (or at least that's what they claim... and after going through the majority of the admissions cycle, i believe them). Good luck!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dante Posted May 10, 2007 Report Share Posted May 10, 2007 UofT does create a competitive environment, and you'll meet jerks who'll try to sabotage your assignment and etc, but I think you can find those at every school. you know i've heard these stories about jerks and downright nasty people at UofT, and after going through 4 years here, i totally do not buy it. Sure, there are a lot of people that are really socially inept or just scared ****less to talk to you. But each and every person i have run into and made friends with (or even just casual acquaintances) have been really nice people. Nobody has ever tried to sabatoge me, and while there have been some that just couldn't carry their weight or tried to ride coat tails (expected anywhere), there have been many that were willing to help out people they had never spoken with before (myself being one of them). Don't let this b/s rumor about UofT get to you... it's just not true (or i've been really lucky to come across dozens of really nice and friendly peers). EDIT: wooo that's cool the forum automatically sensors the word $hit with stars!! hahahaha! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madz25 Posted May 10, 2007 Report Share Posted May 10, 2007 This topic was also brought up in the past. It may be of help to use the search function to look up old threads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magicmazzie Posted May 10, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2007 If you are planning to go to York, what major are you going to pursue? Psychology. I've been a little worried about my degree program also (at UofT it would also be Psychology)... The vast majority of schools I've researched say that they don't care what your undergrad is in. I love Psychology, and I've heard it's best to go with what you love, as you will have the best chance to get the best marks you can get. However, there are people who do really hardcore programs, like Biochemistry, Biophysics, other stuff like that....I don't think I can compete with them. My little sister today told me that maybe medicine is not cut out for me, and I felt pretty sad...but it'll be a long time anyways until I actually apply to medical school (three or four years), so I guess there's no use in pulling hair out and such. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magicmazzie Posted May 10, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2007 Good luck!! Thanks so much Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishy81 Posted May 10, 2007 Report Share Posted May 10, 2007 you know i've heard these stories about jerks and downright nasty people at UofT, and after going through 4 years here, i totally do not buy it. Sure, there are a lot of people that are really socially inept or just scared ****less to talk to you. But each and every person i have run into and made friends with (or even just casual acquaintances) have been really nice people. Nobody has ever tried to sabatoge me, and while there have been some that just couldn't carry their weight or tried to ride coat tails (expected anywhere), there have been many that were willing to help out people they had never spoken with before (myself being one of them). Don't let this b/s rumor about UofT get to you... it's just not true (or i've been really lucky to come across dozens of really nice and friendly peers). EDIT: wooo that's cool the forum automatically sensors the word $hit with stars!! hahahaha! I myself was never sabotaged. Rather, I organized study groups and found the ppl in my program to be a helpful, friendly bunch, though very keen. So my "statement" comes from other ppl's stories. Interesting thing is that such stories were also heard from my graduate school friends who had come from other schools. Pre-med students have such a bad rep among certain graduate students, because grad students themselves or their friends were sabotaged by vicious pre-meds. Some grad students also had TAing experiences and were irritated by some pre-meds (depending who you ask) unreasonably asking for more marks So, whereever you do your undergrad, don't become one of those vicious pre-meds! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magicmazzie Posted May 10, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2007 pre-meds Question: what is a pre-med? Is a pre-med anyone interested in becoming a doctor? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clkt Posted May 10, 2007 Report Share Posted May 10, 2007 Question: what is a pre-med? Is a pre-med anyone interested in becoming a doctor? yeah, ie 99% of your first year life sci class damn, I hate Hate HATE that term. I hate the stereotypes associated with it. Hated it since the first class on the first day of first year. </rant> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChicoMaki Posted May 10, 2007 Report Share Posted May 10, 2007 A Competitive atmosphere exists whenever people are competing for a limited # of spots. Even in my program, which aims to eleviate that atmosphere, still has many people who won't share notes if someone was sick or set up group meetings at a time when one person can't make it :S. My old physics teacher told me of he sknew of people ripping pages out of books/journals that were on hold in the library for certain classes. (this was back in the late 70s, early 80s). I'm sure it has changed for the better. I can only say that from the OP described, that York seems to be a better option. I hate to say it but you'll do better if you enjoy what you're learning and studying. Being at Mac, I can't comment on the difficulty levels of the two schools, but a good friend of mine told me (from UfT) that his chem prof had to write a formal letter to the Dean explaining why the class average of the first test was so high. That avg. was 71%!!! I highly doubt that such a situation would arise @ York. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PHANTOMPHOENIX Posted May 10, 2007 Report Share Posted May 10, 2007 a good friend of mine told me (from UfT) that his chem prof had to write a formal letter to the Dean explaining why the class average of the first test was so high. That avg. was 71%!!! I highly doubt that such a situation would arise @ York. It actually happens at every school. Most schools have certain expectations for marks, especially those classes in the first couple of years, and profs need to explain why their averages don't correspond to expectations. I know from friends of mine who have been TAs at York that explaining why marks are higher than normal is a regular task. One prof apparently took an informal survey of her class as she wanted to claim that the average was high because there were a lot of upper year students in her class. That was a 2nd year Psych class and the average was just over 70%. I know from a prof who is a family friend and was on tenure track at York, that he purposely made sure the final was hard to drop the marks into the "expected" range. It is less paper work and headaches to just make sure ur class falls in the expected range. This is why semi-retired profs are usually the best....they can tell the faculty to go to stick it where the sun don't shine and not care. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madz25 Posted May 10, 2007 Report Share Posted May 10, 2007 yeah, ie 99% of your first year life sci classdamn, I hate Hate HATE that term. I hate the stereotypes associated with it. Hated it since the first class on the first day of first year. </rant> I completely agree. I hate it too. "Pre-med" sounds like you're assuming that you WILL get into med, which unfortunately is not the case for most "pre-meds." I think its more of an American term anyway. I prefer the term "med hopeful." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smurfette Posted May 10, 2007 Report Share Posted May 10, 2007 Hey! I go to UBC which is typically considered a "competitive" school with lots of premeds and lots of supposedly "competitive" people who will sabatoge others and refuse to share notes. And sure...I've met a couple not so nice people. But they usually make themselves pretty clear that they're pre-med gunners and that they won't let anything get in their way. Don't deal with them. Most of the people I know are nice people - some of them are interested in medicine (or are in medicine), some of them are not. No matter where you go, there will be nice people and not-so-nice people. You're not going to be able to live in a sheltered little world of only friends and family for the rest of your life. You're just going to have to be mature about it - ignore the people that aren't nice and make friends with the ones that are. I don't care how smart you are or how good-looking your are or how... etc. - I'm not going to spend time with you or bother to make friends with you beyond a basic aquaintance if you're not a nice person. I met a few horrible people and I spent a bit of time worrying about them and feeling terrible when I got "back-stabbed" by them (not surprisingly). On retrospect, I wish I just hadn't cared. There are enough nice people in the world to have friends. BTW, same thing goes for boyfriends/girlfriends. Don't bother with someone who doesn't treat you nicely and with respect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magicmazzie Posted May 10, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2007 Don't bother with someone who doesn't treat you nicely and with respect. Well said. thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magicmazzie Posted May 10, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2007 I prefer the term "med hopeful." Me too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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