Future/present U Of T Students - Housing Question

[cashmere]

Anyone who is currently renting downtown or looking to rent for this upcoming school year have any advice? Any ideas of the best websites or whatever to use? It's a little overwhelming haha. I'm trying to do this in the most economically friendly way possible I don't want to spend thousands a month. 

[MazzyMaz]

I understand that you don't want to commute - it sucks. I was doing it from outside the GTA until mid-October, and I caved. However, I'd say at least 1/3 of our class commutes from uptown, Scarborough, Etobicoke, even a few from the Mississauga area.  U of T has a housing website that you can look at if you haven't already. But it will be hard to find something "cheap". My suggestion is to just find something along the subway line and you'll be fine.

[PThopeful99]

I understand that you don't want to commute - it sucks. I was doing it from outside the GTA until mid-October, and I caved. However, I'd say at least 1/3 of our class commutes from uptown, Scarborough, Etobicoke, even a few from the Mississauga area.  U of T has a housing website that you can look at if you haven't already. But it will be hard to find something "cheap". My suggestion is to just find something along the subway line and you'll be fine.

Thank you for this info. I'm in a similar situation as the OP as I live on the border of Vaughan and Toronto. I timed it, and the commute is 1.5 hours in rush hour. 

 

When do classes typically start around? I just want to know when I'd have to leave my house if I decided to stay at home and commute.

[cashmere]

I understand that you don't want to commute - it sucks. I was doing it from outside the GTA until mid-October, and I caved. However, I'd say at least 1/3 of our class commutes from uptown, Scarborough, Etobicoke, even a few from the Mississauga area.  U of T has a housing website that you can look at if you haven't already. But it will be hard to find something "cheap". My suggestion is to just find something along the subway line and you'll be fine.

Thanks for the help. I cant access the housing website until I have my login information to I have yet to check it out. 

[makingfetchhappen]

I always found that finding a shared space in Toronto was easier doing it backwards, so to speak.

 

Instead of looking for a room, I found a place and then filled it. Ya, it's a risk, but it is actually easier if you are looking with higher standards. If you are looking for a room that is $500 a month, there are lots. If you are looking to live in a really nice place that you maybe need to pay $1,000 a month for your part of the rent, there are not many places.

If you find a nice 2 or 3 bedroom place that you could rent and then look for room mates, that might work better. Posting on social media usually helps you find people through friends. Craigslist is not a completely bad option either. I lived with a girl for over a year who I met on Craigslist. I'm a lawyer and she is a teacher. 

Also, it's a great idea to have an open house when you need to fill a room. You get to have lots of people come visit and then you can meet them and get a sense of whether they are okay in a very convenient setting. Rents the place quicker too. 

[michmich17]

Thank you for this info. I'm in a similar situation as the OP as I live on the border of Vaughan and Toronto. I timed it, and the commute is 1.5 hours in rush hour. 

 

When do classes typically start around? I just want to know when I'd have to leave my house if I decided to stay at home and commute.

From what I remember from talking to people at the CAP exam, the current students said classes usually start at 8 or 9 am.

 

My sister currently commutes to U of T from Vaughan. It takes her a little over an hour, 1.5 tops, with one bus (~40 mins to finch) and the subway (~20-30 mins). It sucks to commute but it'll definitely save you a lot of money. Maybe try it out and if it's really hard you can always find a place later - that's what I'm doing anyway!

[cashmere]

If any OT/PT students are looking to live downtown feel free to message me. I'd rather live with OT/PT students than strangers.

[MazzyMaz]

Thank you for this info. I'm in a similar situation as the OP as I live on the border of Vaughan and Toronto. I timed it, and the commute is 1.5 hours in rush hour. 

 

When do classes typically start around? I just want to know when I'd have to leave my house if I decided to stay at home and commute.

 

Start times vary - any time between 8 and 10 am. We have a few people commuting from Vaughan - the furthest right now is from Stoughville :s lol. Some people started living down here but moved home to save money, some people started out at home and are moving downtown to save time. It's really hard to know what the best decision is. Commuting usually saves money, but it does get exhausting. It really depends on the type of person you are, and if you're good at maintaining some sort of school-life balance. I was commuting from Stoney Creek (Hamilton area) so by the time I got home I was too exhausted to do anything.

 

Feel free to PM me with any more ?s about U of T - that goes for anyone!

[tiger]

I would strongly recommend avoiding commuting, it is just not an option with this program - expect to be in class from at least 8.45 until ??? with multiple labs and group exercises after class. On top of it, you need to study hours per day. Also, I found that people who commuted were excluded from the "student body", when it comes to group studying, parties and so on.

[tiger]

The thing is, it does not matter if you live in a million or 2 million dollars house in the surburbs. If you are commuting on a daily basis, they look at you, as if you are some weirdo and you can't afford to live downtown. Most of the students have no work experience or savings, but very high egos and a Mac. It is hard to commute.

[MazzyMaz]

The thing is, it does not matter if you live in a million or 2 million dollars house in the surburbs. If you are commuting on a daily basis, they look at you, as if you are some weirdo and you can't afford to live downtown. Most of the students have no work experience or savings, but very high egos and a Mac. It is hard to commute.

The only thing that is true about your statement is that it is hard to commute. I'm not sure where you got this perspective from, but no one looks at commuters as weirdos that can't afford to live downtown. What a horrible attitude to have. If that were true, there would be a serious divide in our class. Our peers are quite understanding and supportive of each other. In my opinion, it would be odd for students to act the way you are describing given the nature of the career that we are all pursuing. I suppose it's possible, but in the last ~10 months I have not experienced, heard of or witnessed this behaviour.

 

The 1/3 of the class that commute are not excluded from any social activities. It really comes down to time management, personal responsibilities (e.g. spouses, children, work) and the effort you put into being involved. Of course it's easier in some ways if you live downtown, but many people don't and they are making it work. I'm not sure what you're talking about regarding the "multiple labs and group exercises after class" - everything is built into a schedule. Labs and group exercise happen within the schedule. There are occasional study sessions that you can drop in on to fine-tune practical skills, but that's completely optional and they are held 3-4 days per week. It's very flexible. There are also mock practical exams once per term that happen outside of class hours, but the 2nd year students accommodate for commuters by giving them the earliest time slots. Also, group studying is at your own discretion. Many people like to study individually or with a few friends. In fact, very few people decide to stay on campus to study after class. It's really not as bad as you are making it out to be, Tiger.

 

***Commuting IS an option with this program***. Like I've mentioned in my previous posts, it's a tough road, but it's doable. Don't let people make you think that it's impossible because it's not. It really depends on you as an individual and your unique situation.

[tiger]

 

***Commuting IS an option with this program***. Like I've mentioned in my previous posts, it's a tough road, but it's doable. Don't let people make you think that it's impossible because it's not. It really depends on you as an individual and your unique situation.

It really comes down to time management, personal responsibilities (e.g. spouses, children, work)

Would you mind telling me how many students in your program have spouses and children? I had 1 in my class. The professor told this woman the program was not for people with families.

[tiger]

There are occasional study sessions that you can drop in on to fine-tune practical skills, but that's completely optional and they are held 3-4 days per week. It's very flexible.

 

 

Mazzy, do not you think 3-4 days out of 5 workdays is substantial? Also, these "occasional" sessions to "fine-tune" skills were the make or brake element for my class, for reasons that potential applicants would not be happy to find out.

[makingfetchhappen]

Would you mind telling me how many students in your program have spouses or children? I had 1 in my class. The professor told this woman the program was not for people with families.

 

He told this woman that it is not for "people" with families. 

 

I bet you anything he only says this to women. 

[tiger]

He told this woman that it is not for "people" with families. 

 

I bet you anything he only says this to women. 

He, he, you won! Sadly, it was a "she". It was the culture of the department. We have a long way to go as an academic society and the way gets only longer and darker when you have the wrong people pointing the direction.

[MazzyMaz]

 

There are occasional study sessions that you can drop in on to fine-tune practical skills, but that's completely optional and they are held 3-4 days per week. It's very flexible.

 

 

Mazzy, do not you think 3-4 days out of 5 workdays is substantial? Also, these "occasional" sessions to "fine-tune" skills were the make or brake element for my class, for reasons that potential applicants would not be happy to find out.

 

Hi Tiger,

 

I was referring to the peer facilitation sessions (second year students holding study sessions for first year students). What I meant was that you are either assigned to a specific day or you choose a specific day (I can't remember), but they are AVAILABLE 3-4 days per week. I didn't mean that students stay back a few hours 3-4 days a week - sorry for the confusion. People normally go once per week on their assigned day, but the option is there to drop in on a different day, like when an exam is coming up. Sure you can go to all the study sessions, but it would be redundant and frankly I don't know of anyone that does that. Hope that makes sense. But I agree, if it was mandatory 3-4 days per week, that would be a substantial amount of time.

 

I personally think practicing in general will make or break students - if you wait until 1 week before the exam to start practicing, you may find yourself in a tough spot. Everyone is invited to sign up for these sessions but I don't think peer facilitation is a make or break element in my class. From my experience, it really comes down to a combination of practicing with peers, paying attention in labs/lectures, asking questions and getting instructors to observe your technique when possible. The point I was trying to make was that these sessions are flexible for commuters because they get a preference to be in a group that starts earlier, and you also don't necessarily have to attend the group to which you were assigned/selected. But in the end, it's optional. Sometimes I go, sometimes I choose to practice in a small group of people. Whatever works! It's unfortunate that it was a make or break element in your class, but every class is different. My advice to any incoming students reading this: PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE!!

 

To answer your other question, I believe ~3 people are married, one is getting married and one has a child. It's tough if you have a family, especially if you commute. The point I was trying to make was that everyone is coming from a different walk of life and has different things that they need to deal with other than school. This program is incredibly demanding, but many people with obligations outside of school are making it work - including commuters and people living locally. There is nothing wrong with commuting, but it's not for everyone.

 

I hope I answered all of your questions.

 

What class were you in if you don't mind me asking?

[tiger]

Thanks for the long answers MazzyMaz. I know the program well and I was just trying to be honest to future students. It is quite a personal question to discuss which class I was in, but if you like a proof I was in the program, I can tell you that I remember some Anatomy exams scheduled at 7.30 am in January, as well as all labs starting from 7.30 or 8 am, which was terrible in the winter. MSK was poorly thaught as a course, asking student to develop the half of the curriculum in the form of presentations.

The program was not very welcoming to people "froam a different walk in life" and the profile of the average student is - single, 21 y.o. average age in my class, limited to no work or volunteer experience, lives on campus. From what I have heard, things are pretty much the same now. Even the professors will tell you that this responds to the average U of T PT student's profile.

I am in a different career now, as the PT job market and income potential did not suit me (in my opinion they are far from ideal, but you would often hear PT students discussing how they would make 100k straight out of school in their own clinic). Of, course, the later is mission impossible. Any way, good luck to you and to anybody else who lands this program!

[MazzyMaz]

No problem, Tiger. I understand where you are coming from. Everyone will have a different view of the program. I agree that the group presentations making up a chunk (I wouldn't say half but perhaps things have changed) of the curriculum isn't entirely ideal, however I think the point is to identify clinical patterns. Don't get me wrong, I hated sitting through them! In my opinion, I'd rather have my peers giving me the basics about conditions and things that I can actually use in practice than a guest lecturer droning on about how to perform 10 different knee surgeries. Plus, that is just the first part of MSK - it's a ton of information and it's very overwhelming but I'm happy with what I've learned at this point, and we still have advanced MSK next year.

 

Again, I respectfully disagree re: your comment about the program not being welcoming to people from a different walk of life. In my class, the average profile is 24 years old, in a relationship, has experience and possibly commutes. However this doesn't mean anything. There's nothing stopping a 22 year old student in a relationship that commutes from befriending a single 33 year old that lives downtown. I'm not really sure what experience has to do with the relationships that you form with your peers, if that's what you're trying to get across. In fact, I was a marker for the CAP and I'd be impressed if people passed without having experience :s I'm sorry if you or people you know had a bad experience with your class and did not feel welcomed. All I can say to future students is that my year and the year above me is not like that at all.

 

I agree with you re: outrageous income claims. The only way you can make 100k straight out of school (or close to it) is if you take the jobs in the middle of nowhere, like the Yukon or some tiny town in California. If that's what some people want, all the power to you! The reality is that many new grads end up working multiple part time jobs in the beginning. The odds of you owning your own clinic right out of school are slim to none - it involves a ton of money, a large and reliable client base, staffing, etc. From what I hear, the typical income for a new grad is in the low 70s if you work full time in a hospital (which is almost impossible to get since most hospital jobs right now are part-time or contract).

 

Anyway, best of luck to you Tiger in your new career.

[tiger]

Thanks MazzyMaz. We can still respectfully disagree on some points, but it does not really matter.

 

Hospital jobs are rare to come by even part time. The full time starting salary in ON is low 60s not low 70s. High 70s is the top pay scale for full time experienced PTs. You can check my stats in the latest OPA magazine edition. And this is much better than most private clinics.

I did not go into the field because of good income potential. But, from what I see so far, while working in a different role (more on the medical side) you get paid for what you do clinical wise. Nobody will pay a PT 200K salary to walk 7 patients a day, 3 of which were just transferred to a chair. Nurses can do that if they have the time without the extra pay.

 

Private practice is more stressful, but again the difficult cases and cases that require accurate diagnosis will go to an MD. PTs do mostly low acuity maintenance therapy, even in private practice. Once you start working, you will recognize your practice limitations and why PTs are called "allied" health in acute settings.

 

And, honestly, if you think about the fact that the program is only 2 yrs long, what you learn during this time is a wealth of knowledge and a lot of useful clinical skills. Unfortunatelly, not enough to function similarly to an MD or NP, who each spend more years in school and in practice cumulatively (such as residency or employment), prior to graduating  from their programs.

 

I hate to say it, but a chunk of my former PT class had never stepped in a hospital or even outpatient clinic prior to commencing school. I found this wrong. Experience should be an entrance requirement, especially if you are going to be out of your program in less than 2 yrs. Even PAs, who are not regulated have an experience entrance requirement.

 

Working in any clinical setting, you will learn that nothing can substitute clinical experience, which is why the pay scales are based on experience as well. I do not mean to discourage you, but the MSK course provides a very basic introduction to the field. As, to the CAP, I congratulate those, who pass the CAP without any prior clinical experience. The sad truth is that patients do not benefit from how you did on CAP or on essays, that you are required to write too often throughout the program.

 

I did not enjoy the PT program very much.  I felt a lack of opportunities to build on systematic clinical knowledge, which in my opinion is the only way to practice safely and autonomously.