URGENT: my non-science credits...calc and stats don't count

[Guest ezrock]

hi everyone.

 

I just went through the academic calendar at UWO and found out that the school doesn't consider stats and calculus classes as non-sciences. At Guelph, where I just finished my honours undergrad, stats and calculus are both in the department of Mathematics and Statistics but apparently its the UWO descriptions that count.

 

I have emailed Darla to see if they will make any type of exception, but I doubt they will do that (although I am hoping they will). I can signup for 2 classes at athabasca if i need to (and i'm willing to do this), but I'd have to apply by monday to be able to start on July 1st which would make it hard to finish by the 20th or whenever I have to absolutely have those conditions finished by.

 

Do any of the mods know if western has made exceptions like this in the past? I'm kind of freaking out because I wouldn't want something like different departmental descriptions of courses to cause me to not get my acceptance honoured. If anyone can help me out with any information, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks,

 

-Ian

[Guest hizo1]

i know it's easy to freak out about little things like a humanities course here and there (we've all been there). I wish i had known this at the time: the admissions/admin people here are really flexible and understanding once you get that admissions offer. at the very worst you'll have to take the correspondence course throughout the fall and winter (pretty sure there's no way around that). but i guarantee they won't rescind your offer. get in touch with them, do what they say, and don't sweat another drop.

[Guest ezrock]

thanks hizo1. that makes me feel better! still wouldn't mind this being confirmed by a mod if possible.

 

-Ian

[Guest aneliz]

ezrock...

 

Stats and Calculus are always counted as science... never have they been 'non-science'. They are counted as science at Guelph too. They are offered by the Dept. of Mathematics and Statistics... which is a component of the College of Physical and Engineering Science.

 

That said, if you have a Guelph degree, you MUST have done at least a couple of 'non-science' courses... you must have taken first year psych or history, or something right? I am sure that there have got to be a few 'non-science' courses hiding in your transcript.

 

However, if there aren't... you are going to have to scramble to get those athabasca credits done. UWO will not make exceptions... they used to send out a list of the pre-reqs with your interview offer, and on it, it would say 'it is the responsibility of the applicant to make sure that they meet all the pre-requisite course requirements. Any uncertainty should be clarified with the office well before the deadline. Not knowing what the requirements are or failure to confirm that your course meets a requirement will not be grounds for appeal.'

[Guest ezrock]

hi Aneliz. thanks for this reply.

 

I really didn't realize that they were both considered sciences. not sure why but I have always thought calc and stats were not science classes. Guess I learned something today!

 

i have 2 psychologies, an english, and a geography. the english and geography cover the two essay classes needed. I would just need two additional non-science credits (two half year courses).

 

I think I may register at Athabasca tomorrow (the 7th) so that I can at least tell UWO that I am registered and working as fast as possible to have that condition cleared up by the August deadline. I'm sure its entirely possible to get two courses done in a month's time if I really work at it. I am assuming any two other psychologies would be considered non-science also?

 

Thanks,

 

-Ian

[Guest ezrock]

hi aneliz again. just making sure that anthropology and sociologies would be okay too for 'non science' courses. at the athabasca site they are both listed as social sciences. thanks,

 

-Ian

[Guest Talon01]

Throughout your whole undergrad you only took 90% science courses?

[Guest ezrock]

yeah pretty much. had 4 social sciences and the rest had to be almost all upper level sciences once I was past second year. I didn't have a lot of room to play around with elective courses.

 

-Ian

[Guest ezrock]

okay i called Darla and figured I would let anyone know in case they are in the same boat as me. You (me) are allowed to take any missing courses through distance education at athabasca university. then, when you pass the course(s) you can just get athabasca to send a transcript to UWO to show you have the courses.

 

Thanks again for the advice, Aneliz. take care,

 

-Ian

[Guest yda]

hi ezrock... when did Darla say that you had to have your humanities course completed by? The 20th of August? The 31 of August? September?

Thanks and good luck to you.

[Guest UWOMED2005]

Aneliz has already made my point about registering for summer classes.

 

If Athabasca doesn't work out, many universities offer summer school. That's an option as well for a credit!

 

This WON'T bugger your chances of sitting through (hour after hour) of class in DS1002 in the fall. Unless you let it!

 

I had a few classmates take summer classes the summer before med school. . . it totally can be done!

[Guest TimmyMax]

Hey,

 

UWO has a central list of courses that can satisfy the non-science and essay components of the pre-reqs, and neither calculus nor stats are on it, nor will they ever be.

Stuff like anthropology, english, sociology, psychology and stuff along those lines are probably good, while stuff like math and physics are definitely not.

Don't forget that you have all summer to FINISH these outstanding pre-reqs and a place like Athabasca sounds pretty good for starters.

 

Best of luck!

Timmy

[Guest ezrock]

i registered for an anthropology and a sociology through athabasca today. i can get the material in the (hopefully) next week but the course doesnt start until july 1st. they take 3 weeks to get a grade finalized AFTER I write the exam. so I pretty much need to write the exam around the third week of july if i want the transcript to be at UWO by the 20th of August. i don't mind doing the two courses in three weeks but it'll be a lot of work definitely worth it in the end

 

thanks for all the help everyone!

 

-Ian :rollin

[Guest TimmyMax]

Hey,

 

Yeah, medicine @ UWO is definitely worth three weeks of busting your hump, but bear in mind that at this point, all you need is a pass- the classic P=MD definitely applies!

 

Best of luck!

Timmy

[Guest ezrock]

haha yeah. Trust me, I won't forget that!

 

-Ian

[Guest ezrock]

hey yda. i tried repling before but forgot to put my password in, so i lost the post and didn't have time to re-write it.

 

anyways, darla didn't say an exact date, but the letter of acceptance said that they absolutely need to be done by the 20th and transcripts received by UWO by that date. i'm going to give Athabasca an extra week to come up with my grades just to be sure. i'll have to then take both courses in only 3 weeks, but as TimmyMax pointed out, i really only need to pass them to keep my spot. not looking for stellar marks in them, but an 80's mark would be good

 

I have to go to bed now! Need to be at work in 8 or 9 hours so i can make up some of the time i lost today by going in late so i could figure out the whole athabasca thing.

 

-Ian

[Guest Elaine I]

Hi Ian,

 

Rest assurred that most people at Athabasca are very accomodating and helpful with specific requirements you may have. I am one course away from a degree there, and other than one exception, have had tutors that have been willing to bend over backwards to help me meet timing requirements. I have completed courses in under a week, and have also had tutors prioritize marking my assignments/exams knowing that I needed to complete the courses in so little time. (In my case it was to ensure that I had a minimum of 5.0 courses done by the end of April, some of which I didn't start until April 1...)

 

A couple of suggestions to help speed things up...

1. Choose your courses carefully. It sounds like you've already done so, but if not, and you want some advice on courses that can be completed quickly, please let me know.

 

2. Request your exams NOW. You do not have to wait until the course date to register for exams. Nor do you have to pick specific exam dates. You can always write exams before the date you initially state (but not after). Therefore, request your exams be sent now by picking a date much later than you plan on writing. Then, when you are ready to write, they will already have arrived.

 

3. Consider challenging the courses. This option usually decreases the number of assignments, yet the courses appear identical on your transcript. (An added bonus is that they are cheaper.)

 

4. Contact your tutor and explain that you have very strict deadlines, and ask for priority marking to help meet these.

 

5. Start the course work immediately upon receipt of your packages. Except for online courses, you can start right away, and even complete your assignments before the start date. You just cannot submit them or write the exams. However, you technically can submit all assignments and write all exams on the first day of the course.

 

Hope that helps. Best wishes to you (and congrats on the acceptance!).

 

Elaine

[Guest yda]

Hi ezrock...

I emailed admissions people at UWO Friday to ask about the date that the prereqs have to be completed by. They emailed back today and told me August 31.

I don't have anything on my acceptance letter that says anything about August 20...

So maybe check again.

Good luck, yda

[Guest flainechiu]

Hi,

 

When I talked to Athabasca today they told me that after I wrote the final exam, it could take up to 6 weeks to process the exam and release my mark, so in order for me to guarentee that Western receieved my marks by August 31 I would essentially have to write the exam by mid-July even though I haven't registered in the course yet. Does anybody else have this problem? I don't know if I'll be able to finish two half-courses in that little time. Thanks in advance.

[Guest ezrock]

hi Elaine.

 

Okay that's great. I'll request an exam as soon as they are showing up on the "My Au" thing. They're not there yet as I only registered for them a few days ago.

 

I'll start everything as soon as i get the package and i'll email the tutor to let them know.

 

flainechiu, they told me three weeks and i'll give them 4 or 5 just to be sure.

 

k have to go. thanks again,

 

-Ian