^title.
I want to go to grad school, but I have heard that UofT is a GPA killer. Is it difficult to do well in the Math & Physics Specialist program? If so, are there any tips I can use to lighten the load (how not to overload myself with courses, when I should start studying before each test, etc).
Also, as a general question, is it useful to find a study partner?
The standard course load is 5 courses per term. If you take a lighter course load, you won’t graduate on time. Grad schools will also see your transcript and will ding you if you didn’t take 5 courses per term.
If you keep up with the course material, e.g. go over your course notes after every class, do practice problems etc, you can do well. If you keep to study habits that might have worked well in high school such as studying for a test a couple of hours the night before, you won’t do well.
Generally, the average GPA at U of T is between 2.7-3.0. Grad schools (I’m talking about masters or PhD programs) expect a GPA of 3.5 or higher. They also look at the rigor of your program, so U of T will have an edge in that regard compared to most other Ontario universities. Med schools and law schools will expect a lot higher GPA, but they don’t necessarily look at the rigor of your program.
Yes, it’s definitely useful to have a study partner.
Usually how much free time would I have with a standard load? I would prioritize my academics above all else, but I also want to be able to have time to work out/join clubs.
First year courses in math & physics have 20-25 hours of class meeting time per week. The standard expected workload is 2 hours outside of class per hour in class. 168 hours minus 75 hours for work minus 56 hours for sleep = 37 hours/week for eating and free time.
You’ll have time to work out and join clubs. There’s a nice new fitness center (Goldring Centre) at Bloor and Devonshire. https://kpe.utoronto.ca/sports-and-rec
Do the 20-25 hours include classes outside the requirements for the specialist program?
To graduate on time, you’ll need to take 5 courses per semester. In first year, each course will have 4-5 hours of meeting time, including lectures, tutorials and labs, which is were I got 20-25 hours/week from. Science courses might be 6 hours.