The University of Toronto is undoubtedly among the best of the universities worldwide. Though it is a big name dropper among many Canadian universities, and often referred to as the “Harvard” of Canada, the reasons behind the frequent jaws dropping when speaking of the university are not always commendable. This is particularly known among high school senior students going onto their first-year of university.
U of T is arguable one of the most intellectually challenging and academic-driven post-secondary institutions. Needless to say, only the best of the best are teaching the student body, which inevitably results in the university’s highly-set standards and expectations for their students. Unfortunately, it is also known for having students stumble their way through university as they attempt to transition from ordinary students to academic champions in whatever field of study they should please.
However, these contradictory sides of the university leave many high school students anxious and uncertain of whether or not they can commit and successfully transition in the larger community that is U of T. But, prior to their journey of self-doubt and insecurity with regard to their university selection, they question the validity of the stereotypes associated with the university. Ultimately, they wonder why everyone claims that U of T makes it difficult for its students to be successful, and yet they fail to explain how it succeeds in doing so.
That being said, the undergraduate experience at this institution is definitely going to be a very challenging and emotional roller coaster ride, but it’s best to accept it before coming into the university so that you aren’t too shocked to pick up on the tricks to success.
Whether you are high school student entering university next year, or simply a current U of T student who’s still unaware of the tricks to academically advance yourself, regardless of your student status, read closely and pay good attention as the secrets to success unravel themselves.
The following are examples of things people don’t tell you about the academics of university life:
• Foreign Languages: If you’re into language courses, it’s going to be the hardest for you to make the academic transition, but not because the content gets harder, but because you have to learn to focus on the easily overlooked details of various concepts. Unlike high school, language courses in university pay more attention to details than the overall content of the written text. High schools mark you easier because of the accumulative content you’re being tested on, so making 20 grammatical errors would make you lose 10 points; as long as you demonstrate a general understanding of the overall class material, you’re good for the 80, put some effort in and you’re guaranteed the 90. Not to mention, if you do poorly on one test, it’s not necessarily too bad because you still have 4 more tests for the remainder of the term, let alone the whole year. Whereas in university you have one or two assignments that may account for more than half of the year’s class work. While the tests are shorter with clear instructions, the professors tend to mark much harder. This is not to say that they mark unreasonably, instead it means that high school was too easy on us and now we are having difficulty acknowledging and fixing the errors we’ve always been making because we’ve lived in a bubble where these error have never been addressed.
• Test Formats: Multiple choice tests are, despite common belief, extremely difficult to master. What happened to the days when you used to study an hour before the test and still do really well? Well, back then you had to choose between 3 obviously wrong options and the sole right one. But it is in university when you really learn the concept behind “choosing the best option.” Too often, “your best choice” is not the right choice, which is normal since the tests are usually based on 5-10 chapters.
• Buying Books Strategically: Upon entering university, you may take some of your friends’ advice. This is very true when it comes to selecting and dropping courses. Every year, by word of mouth, all entering students are encouraged to wait two weeks into the course until they buy their course books. I’m writing this to discourage you of such a thing. Unless you are bored out of your mind or you are not required to take said course, two weeks is not enough for you to realize whether you want to keep or drop the class. You are more likely to stay in the class than do anything otherwise. So you might as well buy your books and consider selling them back if there is a one percent chance of you dropping the class. The reason being, that university classes genuinely start on the first day. Often times, your professors will ask you to start doing the course readings and if you keep waiting until you decide on stating or leaving the class, you will be left behind and it will be hard to catch up to the class should you decide to stay. Not to mention, there will be a lot of time constraints and homework built-up, and you simply won’t have the time to look for good deals on books and sometimes you may even encounter great difficulty in finding the required books in time.
• Be a Smart Reader: By no means should you read EVERYTHING. You won’t be able to make it in time for the test, nor will you have the motivation to do so. Start practicing how to skim through text and pick out the most important information out of the entire text. Even if you don’t do well on the first few tests, try your best to strengthen your reading skills because it continues to be important throughout your undergraduate years.
• Develop Good Habits: You have to put in the effort and work hard from the very beginning. Do not make the false assumption that you can attain low marks on the first couple of assignments and then be able to miraculously raise those marks up later on in the year. Do not under any conditions allow yourself to give up and give into procrastination. If you set your work ethic standards at a high pedestal, your level of procrastination won’t harm you too much, but if you give in from the very beginning it will be extremely hard to pull your marks up after first year. To prevent having to put in double the effort for the rest of your undergraduate years while living under the stress and anxiety of having to raise your marks, just start developing a habit of working hard, asking good questions, being productive, and taking effective notes. Most importantly, do not lose confidence in your academic abilities and strive for self-improvement on a regular basis.
U of T has worked hard to maintain an education system and curriculum that builds ordinary students into hardworking, independent and innovative individuals. This reputable university has not easily gained nor maintained its reputation. With that said, U of T is a challenge and is only suitable for students who can accept and overcome a challenge. If you are accepted into U of T or if you are current a student at the university, you should accept that you have been judged by the university as an individual with the capability to endure the hardships attached to all that comprises the university experience. So don’t let others frighten you with their stories and false advice. Take the opportunity and challenge yourself. Compete with the best and grow into the best that you can be!
U of T has its difficulties, but you’ll find that making the proper adjustments to one’s academic habits and enhancing one’s existing skills can almost complete fade away these typical scares. It is not impossible to succeed in this university. Though it is simple to make quick judgments and label it as an overly intense and hard university, it is best to judge it with an open mind and work on making a smooth transition. The only way to do that is by pointing out the differences between high school and university and quickly making the necessary adjustments needed in order to make the complete transition into adulthood and living the university life.
Often times, the people we confide in unintentionally cloud our judgements by projecting their personal bad experiences and fears onto us. A simple statement like “It’s just very hard,” can leave a great impact on one’s decision making when choosing between universities, but if you want to know the details, stay tuned for part two of this article with more secrets to be shared!
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