McMaster Question. URGENT !!!

[implosion]

Hey, Does any one know for admission at McMasters for engineering if they accept repeated courses ?
my guidance counselors are fully booked so i didn't get a chance to talk to them, on there website i couldn't find anything and in the book i got at the fair it doesn't say anything. i'm thinking of going into the computer field of engineering (not quiet sure). right now my marks are Math: 72 Physics: 72 Chemistry: 77 ...(I have no idea why i'm doing so bad[i just blank out on tests for some reason, nervous, time restraint]) tomorrow is the last day to drop a course without it appearing on the transcript and i was thinking of dropping it tomorrow. and then taking it next semester, but then not taking computer engineering.. ?? does anyone know how waterloo or mcmaster or toronto feels about dropping courses and its on your transcript ??

[Tony]

Applications to programs like Engineering typically come with some sort of "additional information form" document, where you get a chance to explain or comment on your dropped/repeated/summer-school courses.

As cool as highschool CompEng might be, it's not a required course for the application.

[implosion]

yeah. i know about the "AIF" .. but what would i say.. i repeated it because i didn't do good on it the first time around ?.. if i drop it before it goes on my trascript then i got nothing to show.. and for computer engineering, i know its not a prerequisite but i think it would be something to help me figure if computer engineering is for me also.. with all these engineering programs... they say they want calc. math, chem, physics.. etc. do they just look at those marks for my average ?. or would they also incorperate a high 90s my computer programming class to really boost my average ?

[Tony]

"wanted to ensure good understanding of the subject"? You have some time to figure that one out.

Your application average consists of your best 6 courses that include all the required courses. Though when your application is reviewed (as is likely the case for Engineering), grades from English, and perhaps Calculus are given more weight. That is to say, a solid English mark will do you more good than a high 90 in programming (considering the rest of the courses are in 70s, your programming grade isn't very representative; although it will likely be included in the overall application average).

[endless]

i just applied last night to some uni's and took a look at the AIF that us comp sci and engineers must do (for waterloo). it does not ask for dropped courses, but asks about repeated ones. it also gives a spot to explain yourself for the repeat courses, and from what i've learned, repeats are held against you a bit for most universities.

[implosion]

1. people who voted on the poll.. if you want, could you explain why you think which one is better. it'd be appreciated.

endless: when you say a bit, is that more major or minor. and woudl you know by how much ?.. i know waterloo takes 1% off your average for each repeated course. but like i said, right now i'm getting Adv. Func. 72, chemistry, 77, physics, 70 ... which means unless i get above 90% on everything and amazing on the exam.. i doubt i will reach the mid 80 average. so now i am looking into mcmaster(80 - 82) and toronto (low/mid 80s).. haha i really wish waterloo had a general first year.

i know toronto only looks at your first attempt, but i'm not sure about mcmaster... there site / book doesn't say anything.

but yeah... today i either made an okay or worst decision (and its been bugging the hell out of me)... it ended up that i didn't drop the course... not quite sure on how its gonna work out... a rep. of waterloo said if we have a very good AIF it could bump our average by 5%.... do you guys know what universities look for in the AIF (or similar) because that would help me alot.. my grades aren't that great, but i teach beginner guitar privately and do peer tutoring after school few times a week for an hour (mostly to get CS hours, =] ).

Edit: i just read over again that McMaster wants: Calculus, Chemistry, Physics, English .
right now i'm taking Chemistry, Physics, English, Calculus, advanced Functions, Computer Engineering, Computer science
lets say my top are my 2 computer courses, science, calculus, english.. and i'm like 100% sure that my computer marks will be in the high 80s, low 90s ... so does that mean that they wouldn't look at my advanced function marks meaning my average would be higher ??

[endless]

well, i'm about as overwhelmed by all this as you are. i applied to Carlton as my backup because it's like 75% or something. You could look at Laurier, they don't count the prerequisites in your marks unless they are infact in your top marks. In my opinion you made the right choice, it's not impossible to get those up to 80, and if you are just above 80% im guessing you/we have a good chance at getting in to waterloo for the regular if not co op.

for mcmaster, i can't really help you, i only have one science (physics) and they want two sciences so i wasnt too interested in that program.

the way i've been taking this year is forgetting about any % limitation (ex. 80's) and just doing my best; being the most prepared for tests that i can be.

[endless]

oops, sorry.
i now realize you are looking at engineering, whereas i'm looking into majoring in computer science. so keep that in mind while reading my responses.

[implosion]

haha yeah. i just checked Einfo.. and there were no engineering stuff for laurier. and carlton is wierd.. it said like Bachelor of Arts combined with computer science =S what the heck ??
but honestly, i don't even know exactly what engineerings do... when i hear engineer i think.. building stuff... lol
but yeah. i agree endless, it is really overwhelming.. but obv. we are gonna try our best right ?.. but its good to keep in mind if your not getting up to that certain % that you won't make it in.
also, i really want to make it into the co-op one... with co-op i'll get some experience, hook ups as well as pay for my tuition and possibly have a job offer for when i graduate.

[endless]

yea totally agree with the co op. ill have to wait and see for my offers, but i chose Carlton as a backup because it has a really good co op program like Waterloo, but a lot easier to get into.

and yes, there is always some percent that you strive for, and its always in the back of your head, or sometimes front and center haha.

i hope you can find everything you are looking for. You should check out myBlueprint.ca, although i think i got something from my school that allowed me on there. if you can get on, it's a good way to organize your potential programs and get lots of information.

[implosion]

yeah co-op is GOOD, lol but sometimes is harder to get into.
yeah the whole % thing bugs me, our teacher posts our marks onto gradebookwizard (online program) and i check my marks frequently... kinda paranoid ?
yeah our guidance counselors showed us that site too. I've got all my stuff on there but its getting the mark i need... my math teacher goes away to all these work shops just before tests and then screws us all over so we can't ask her questions during our review periods.

Another question. how much physics is there in first year... is there review from last year or are we heading on, because i was talking to my physics teacher and apparently we skipped a ton of stuff because the class as a whole wasn't moving fast enough and we're behind on the time line for the materials. (eg. skipped centripetal force on banked curves).

As well, does anyone know how accurate the range of marks for Einfo are.. eg. mcmaster engineering says 80 - 82. but my friend was saying you need like 3/4% higher than that to get in... and like I've researched that mcmaster doesn't take into account your adv. function mark, i can put in my 2 higher computer marks that i predict (hopefully) that can bring my mark upto ~82%

Aswell good luck to you too endless, it is a tough decision... kinda makes you wish there still was a gr. 13 (well i think anyways)

[endless]

haha, well i'm actually back for what would be gr. 13 because i was in a program last year that was the entire first semester; disabling me from taking adv. functions, which in turn disabled me from taking calc. so i'm back for the maths basically.

about the accuracy of the grades; i've been told from some of the university presentations that the percents are based on the previous years average acceptance, make of that what you will.

[changturkey]

Man, your sciences aren't going to cut it.

[implosion]

yeah.. i just got 95% on my math test... so now my marks are
Chem: 77
Adv. Functions: 77
Physics: 70 ~ though it should go up since i did good a lab and 1 test

yeah i know my science marks aren't the greatest.. but i know my chem mark i can bring into the 80s easily and physics maybe high 70s. or so what my physics teacher told me, said 80s wouldn't be impossible but not likely if i maintain my mark range... id have to get a lot higher on my tests etc.

if i make a proposal to waterloo / toronto / mcmaster that i'll redo one of my lowest marks during summer school between end of highschool before of university would they accept it or not likely ? Waterloo takes 1% off the average, mcmaster takes the best attempt and toronto hasn't said anything.. just says that 1st attempt best resembles our ability ?

Finally has anyone have any feedback / news about the mcmaster engineering, from my poll i see that UofT is better, but 1 for McMaster.... also would it be worth taking up one of my slots for waterloo with my marks.. or would it be a waste ? considering my marks..

[changturkey]

Doesn't really matter for engineering, all three are good. Go to the one you like the most. Keep everything above a 75, preferably an 80. I am at an 80 avg right now myself, but I am not even going to bother applying to UT/UW Eng. . Not sure if I am kicking myself but w/e.