University of Toronto Reviews
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Cindy from Palo Alto, CA
12/01/2011Reviewer is Researching this school. Reviewer has not been to campus.
15 out of 16 people found this review useful. 1 of 10
Categories Comments Great for these types of students This school is good for students who like large classes. If you are the type of person who likes to learn with 200 students in the same class then this is for you.
Will enjoy being here Large campus with a good amount of things too do. Very cold living environment.
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Ashrith from Canada
05/05/2012Reviewer is A current student here.
14 out of 15 people found this review useful. 2 of 10
Categories Comments Campus Safety Great safety on campus, campus police is always patrolling at any time and you can walk around at any time.
Clubs and Activities There are hundreds of clubs here at UofT and you might get the feeling that they are operating behind your back as sometimes, you don't see much happening but in reality, there is a lot of hard work behind each club. It is tempting to sign up for many of these amazing clubs and end up being overwhelmed. My best advise is to stick to one or two clubs which you like the most and give in your contribution.
Great for these types of students U of T is nerd and geek paradise, academic brilliance and astonishing projects are praised and prized at the highest level. Some students are great at studying and have no particular talent and some others have amazing talents which you could not even imagine, as long as you can keep up with the work and you are passionate about what you are studying, you will benefit greatly. I must say though, that U of T is a great place for science and engineering majors but does not excel at other majors so if you intent to be in the medical, science or engineering field, its the way to go!
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus Make sure you attend frosh week, Winterfest, Pub Nights and Godiva week from the engineering department, they're great ways to make friends.
Bang for the buck UofT is a very expensive place, especially for international students who pay around 2.5 times the amount paid by domestic students. Aside from the fees, the bookstore and shops around campus are generally more expensive, although if you just go a little bit further outside campus in China Town, things get a lot cheaper.
What to do for fun In order to have the most fun at U of T, from my 2 years of experience here, I suggest the following: 1. Choose UofT wisely, it is not a place for everybody, it will push you to your limits and beyond and therefore, you will get the best sense of enjoyment once you've gone through the punishment. 2. Don't be shy, go talk to people, go talk to that girl or guy you've been eyeing while eating. People are generally very friendly and are equally looking for an exciting experience just like you are but chances are they are they shy ones so do approach them, it might lead to some great friendship and relationships. 3. Join into parties even though you don't know anybody, introduce yourself and you will be having a good time in no time. 4. Try to keep up with the work, do not leave anything for the last minute, this makes for the least enjoyable experiences you can have.
Food and Dining There are literally hundreds of places to eat at U of T, the campus itself feels like a small town with all its facilities and services. Because of the diversity of the country, there are so many food options to choose from on-campus itself. There are food trucks on the main streets selling fries, hot dogs, poutine, fish etc..., there are Indian snacks, pizza snacks, burger and fast food places, salad bars, Italian places and countless number of Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese and Thai places on campus or very close to campus. I would say that food is in abundance and should be the least of your worries.
Dorm Life Having lived at the New College residence for the past 2 years, I can say that Dorm Life is very convenient and almost makes everything too easy; most residences at U of T come with a meal plan so food is not to worry about. My best friends in life are those I made during my first year in residence and the good times we've had are simply amazing. However, being such an academically focused university, it is very hard to find people out of their rooms looking for friendship or looking for people to interact with, most attendees are nerds and geeks and are nice people but hard to open yourself to and create meaningful relationships. To help with this, the residences adopt a community lifestyle with different Houses for which fun events are organized and also inter-house events for which house points can be earned for performance, teamwork and number of participants for each house. The quiet hours imposed however can impair party times and can be annoying sometimes but once you made some good friends during your first few weeks, the quality of residence, the facilities provided, the cafeteria and events organized makes for a very fun and memorable time. Do not get too distracted though, study hard as well.
Academic Rigor Academic Rigor is the strong point here at U of T, they want the best of the best. It is known for its unnecessarily tough undergraduate programs and while the material that you learn is mostly the same as other universities for accreditation reasons, the midterms and exams are very tough and are often accompanied by grade deflation or inflation practices through a bell-curve. Most of the professors who teach first and second year students are well established researchers and may lack some teaching talent, but upper years are more enjoyable as professors treat you differently and classes get smaller. Nevertheless, be prepared for long class hours, all-nighters, busy weekends, hectic moments, cramming and very little but intense partying.
Tips for prospective students U of T is very different from most other universities; it is definitely not a party school and the tough examinations, marking practices and predetermined averages for each course makes for harsh competition or good collaboration depending on your major. Classes are mostly very large in the first two years and gradually diminish in numbers. U of T expects more from each student compared to other universities, it might seem harsh at first but you will soon realize that it is the closest preparation to real life that you can get in Canada. The engineering and life-sciences programs are one of the toughest and most demanding in North America and professors alongside with the faculty vary the difficulty of final exams or make use of bell-curves to keep the class averages around 68% and therefore it becomes hard to stand out and easy to fall behind very quickly. However, there is great diversity on campus and lots of great food and bar options. When parties do happen, they are most enjoyable and feel very well deserved.
In three sentences More known as 'U of T', it is a very busy place with more than 50,000 students and 200 student clubs and organisations. There is lots to do and it is a very academically demanding place which demands maturity.
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Cullen from Buffalo, NY
03/28/2012Reviewer is A current student here.
7 out of 7 people found this review useful. 3 of 10
Categories Comments What to do for fun The age of majority being 19 makes everything easier than in the US, so enjoy going out to bars and clubs, concerts are always easily accessible and high quality.
Food and Dining Cuisine is awesome around here, tons of Chinese and Indian places, shawarma is a must. Tim Hortons are open 24 hours, and always convenient.
Dorm Life Very nice, the campus is a great space to live, while expensive.
Academic Rigor The workload is tough, and it shows through the shortage of wild parties that aren't constant. This is one of the best in the world, and it's easy to get behind.
Tips for prospective students Find all of the necessary services, laundry, food, bars, restaurants, etc. Learn a little something about as may countries as you can, it will come in handy when meeting the students from all over.
In three sentences This school will change your life by showing you just how many doors there are to be opened. You can study and become involved with anything under the sun here. Other than academics, there is always something to do socially too.
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Upnit from Central Square, NY
05/09/2012Reviewer is A current student here.
4 out of 5 people found this review useful. 4 of 10
Categories Comments Campus Safety The campus is pretty safe. However, students need to remember that it is located in down town, which is somewhat unsafe is specific areas.
Clubs and Activities There are a variety of clubs and activities. Many are interesting to join and a way for students to enjoy their life while studying.
Bang for the buck Fees are constantly rising throughout the years.
What to do for fun Enjoy Toronto life.
Food and Dining I did not buy a meal plan; however, there is much variety around Toronto. Food is generally very easily accessible although dining is not.
Dorm Life I did not live in a dorm.
Academic Rigor It takes much effort to impress most of the professors. The bell curve system also makes it difficult for students to achieve A's.
Tips for prospective students Be realistic and be prepared to tackle many obstacles. Talk to the counsellors regarding your future aspirations and ways to succeed.
In three sentences It prepares you for the future with intensive skill developing and testing techniques. Nonetheless, the grading system also discourages many students to abandon their career choices. Overall, one needs to be guided well before entering this school.
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Crystal from Canada
12/07/2012Reviewer is A current student here.
1 out of 1 people found this review useful. 5 of 10
Categories Comments Campus Safety The university is safe, there is a campus police that you could go to when there is trouble.
Greek Life The university is famous for its multiculturality.
Clubs and Activities Lots of extracurriculuars, includes both academic and social ones.
Great for these types of students Hardworking, studious.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus You will often see deers on campus. This is really cool. People do stop by just to take a photo of the deers.
Bang for the buck Tuition might me expensive but it's worth it.
What to do for fun The university has various events hosted by clubs/societies mostly every week. There is also a Pub where you and your friends could hang out.
Food and Dining The university offers wide selection of dining, includes cuisines from various cultures, so you won't miss out.
Dorm Life Dorm life is good, you get to meet new people. It is also more convenient,
Academic Rigor It takes a lot of hardwork to succeed.
Tips for prospective students If you like a university conductive to learning and research, University of Toronto has it.
In three sentences University of Toronto provides a good learning environment. There are lots of research opportunities/volunteer opportunities on campus. The university is also active in terms of extracurricular activities.
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Jennifer from Canada
06/12/2013Reviewer is A current student here.
1 out of 1 people found this review useful. 6 of 10
Categories Comments Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus There is a forest in the center of all of the buildings - there are families of deer who live here and you can often see them running around with their babies.
Bang for the buck The academic rigour will over-prepare you for the future and make you a great candidate for a future career.
What to do for fun Lots of pub nights for those who are 19+, in addition there are over 100 academic and leisure groups for all interests (i.e. dance club, electronic music club, criminology club etc). The groups hold bowling nights, dances, semi formals etc.
Food and Dining Lots of choices! Booster juice, many Tim Hortons, Starbucks, Second Cup, Pizza Pizza, international food court.
Tips for prospective students Ensure that you keep up with your readings and your notes. Falling behind will just make everything more difficult.
In three sentences I love the rigour of the academics here. The opportunities that U of T provides academically is astounding. Everyone is very helpful in your goal to succeed.
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Ophelia from Canada
12/05/2012Reviewer is A current student here.
0 out of 1 people found this review useful. 7 of 10
Categories Comments What to do for fun Listening to music, chatting with friends.
Food and Dining Food is quite good.
Dorm Life Not living in dorm.
Tips for prospective students Study hard and not to regret.
In three sentences It's the place that I'm going to spend my four years university lives.
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Sheila from Canada
12/26/2012Reviewer is A current student here.
8 of 10
Categories Comments What to do for fun If you are living on residence, make sure you go to the different events to meet more people. If not, there are still many events hosted for the general students. Also, the city is beautiful so go explore it!
Food and Dining Food on campus can be a little repetitive but it isn't horrible.
Dorm Life I have the pleasure of being blessed with three wonderful roommates and have met many wonderful people living on residence.
Academic Rigor It was a little unsettling to get into the routine of a university student, but make sure to study not only the material given but also the applications of the knowledge to difficult questions.
Tips for prospective students Be prepared for a very competitive academic atmosphere, but at the same time, try to be more involved within the university community by joining clubs and volunteering.
In three sentences It is a beautiful campus with great opportunities in both academics and extra-curricular activities. The libraries all extremely resourceful and all the staff are welcoming and willing to help. All in all, it is a great pleasure to attend this university.
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Jonathan from Glenwood, MD
05/02/2013Reviewer is Researching this school. Reviewer has not been to campus.
9 of 10
Categories Comments In three sentences Toronto is an amazing place to be. The campus is very beautiful and everyone their is very freindly. Hopefully i will attend their in the near future.
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Jalini from Canada
06/12/2013Reviewer is A current student here.
10 of 10
Categories Comments Campus Safety I feel incredibly safe on campus since it's in a small neighbourhood.
Greek Life Not a lot of fraternities or sororities to be honest.
Clubs and Activities Dances, parties, bar night, football, and let's not forget my favourite, Quidditch.
Great for these types of students Anyone looked for a laid back university life and wants to be in a multi-cultural and accepting environment.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus The best location is the dance room, you can watch anyone break dance while you lounge around with your friends.
Bang for the buck Not certain what that means, but I assume it would be average.
What to do for fun Clubs, shisha, and movies.
Food and Dining We have our occasional fast food places, not the best.
Dorm Life Parties, great dorm mates, and just a fun time.
Academic Rigor Not too hard, pretty relaxed environment.
Tips for prospective students Make sure you have a clear idea of the field you want to get into. Join as many clubs as possible. Volunteer like crazy!
In three sentences The campus is quiet, small, and easy to get around to. Everyone is friendly and the people are incredibly multi-cultural and open-minded. Classes never feel like they are too hard, many courses feel fair.
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