u of c rez? yes or no?

[Ranchlander]

I wish I'd done rez too, but saving about 10 grand a year is just too hard to pass up. 3/4's of the people I'd meet there I would never see again after school anyway. Really the ONLY benefit of rez is that you meet new people. You've just got to decide how important that is for you..

[Sparks]

Res is a blast - I'd absolutely reccommend it. Just keep in mind the fact that (among other things) you're going to be doing a lot of drinking, and that will affect your wallet big-time, and maybe also your marks. IIRC, in my first semester, I probably spent about $2500 on alcohol/partying/etc. Not fun to pay off, especially on top of all of the other costs of school, but definitely worth it.

I'd also reccommend you consider going elsewhere. I didn't have the best experience at the U of C personally, especially as an Arts student. If you're taking engineering or business, go for it. But, usually, there didn't seem to be much going on at the U of C, it's a commuter school, and it's relatively small. They don't have much funding, and therefore focus really strongly on only a few particular areas. If you also live in Calgary, what are you doing? University is a great opportunity to get away from home for a bit.

I'd take a look at places like UBC, maybe UVic (if you want a smaller school), and U of A. There aren't a lot of positive things I can say about Edmonton, but the U of A is definitely one of them. It's an excellent school. Having been to U of C, U of A, and Mount Royal, I can tell you that in my opinion, the U of A is far and above the best. Great res, great atmosphere, excellent profs (not a million sessionals like at U of C), lots of great research going on, lots of student groups that people actually participate in, good location (right by whyte ave, one train stop from downtown), etc.

I'm sure there are a tonne of good schools east of Alberta as well, but I really don't know much about them.

[MonsieurFish]

you guys are making my decision most difficult. i was hoping youd all say its not that great and there would be an easy decision, unfortunately sounds like res is a blast, and ive heard its the best years of your life. i just dont know where im gonna get 7k a year if i decide to do it, and if it's worth that much.

btw: to guy above, i am gonna do engineering and apparently u of c is very good for that.

[fanforever1986]

I lived on my own last year, living in res this year. Res is great for social life and horrible for school marks. There's got to be an off campus res somewhere, that'd be a good mix.

[fanforever1986]

Originally Posted by MonsieurFish

you guys are making my decision most difficult. i was hoping youd all say its not that great and there would be an easy decision, unfortunately sounds like res is a blast, and ive heard its the best years of your life. i just dont know where im gonna get 7k a year if i decide to do it, and if it's worth that much.

btw: to guy above, i am gonna do engineering and apparently u of c is very good for that.

Is it actually 7g's to live in dorm room at UofC? I'm staying for around out on the coast and i thought that was steep.

[CaramonLS]

Originally Posted by MonsieurFish

you guys are making my decision most difficult. i was hoping youd all say its not that great and there would be an easy decision, unfortunately sounds like res is a blast, and ive heard its the best years of your life. i just dont know where im gonna get 7k a year if i decide to do it, and if it's worth that much.

btw: to guy above, i am gonna do engineering and apparently u of c is very good for that.

Don't do rez then. You'll be on academic probation by years end, especially in a pretty intense subject like Engineering.

It's a great time, but you gotta use quite a bit of restraint, which is hard for a lot of guys fresh outta HS in Rez.

[Kjesse]

Rez was one of the best things about going to university. In undergrad, I was on 3rd Kan, then 4th Kan, then for 3rd year lived in a condo with friends I met from rez. 4th year, I moved into Olympus.

Met a lot of people, had a blast, kept the grades decent, was relatively inexpensive.

Finished my undergrad in 1994, most things I remember about university (and the class stuff you forget quickly) involve the good times in rez.

[AFireInside]

I'm just finishing off my degree(s)... Been at U of C for the past 5.5 years.. Lived in res first year.. It was pretty good. If you aren't from Calgary and don't know a lot of people, live in res. Simple. I lived on 4R my first year, and in one of the campus apartments my second year. I don't recommend the apartments, but trad was pretty good.

[MonsieurFish]

alright... on a bit of a side note, do university grades matter as long as you pass? is a 99 much differnet than a 60?

[Kjesse]

Originally Posted by MonsieurFish

alright... on a bit of a side note, do university grades matter as long as you pass? is a 99 much differnet than a 60?

Depends what you intend to do with your degree.

[CaramonLS]

Originally Posted by MonsieurFish

alright... on a bit of a side note, do university grades matter as long as you pass? is a 99 much differnet than a 60?

Cs get degrees.

Students will be placed on academic probation if they have achieved a grade point average of 1.70 or greater but less than 2.00 on all courses taken since their previous review.

Satisfactory standing means having achieved a grade point average of at least 2.00 on all courses taken since the student's admission or previous review. Students will be permitted a maximum of one probationary period while registered as undergraduate students at the University of Calgary. Students will be required to withdraw rather than be placed on probation for a second time. Students placed on probation as a criterion of admission will not have this period counted in the total permitted. Probationary periods that have occurred in excess of five years previous will not be counted.

[Ranchlander]

Originally Posted by MonsieurFish

alright... on a bit of a side note, do university grades matter as long as you pass? is a 99 much differnet than a 60?

I've found that grades didn't mean all that much the first 2 years, but the last 2 are pretty important. Especially for things like co-ops/internships, volunteering, masters, and getting a job when you get out. Your grades are the measuring stick for everything the last 2 years.

[Jake]

Not sure about engineering, but for Biosci you need at least a C- in all courses to be allowed into a major program.

[Sparks]

Don't do rez then. You'll be on academic probation by years end, especially in a pretty intense subject like Engineering.

That's a really good point. Most of our engineers didn't make it to second year, if I remember right.

[Kybosh]

The only thing that I'll suggest that I wish someone had told me is that grades are more important than you might think. If you ever find yourself in a position for graduate studies or anything like that, the scholarship competitions are insanely competitive. Also, the stuff about the last two years only being important is pretty much a lie. With that being said, it is still possible to do very well while staying in res. You just have to know when to say no and buckle down.

[REDVAN]

Yeah the geer dropout/transfer ratio is pretty big.

You can get any grades you want just so long as your GPA is above 2.00.

Marks don't matter is what people say, but I am having trouble finding a summer job with decent albeit mediocre (B to B+ average) marks.

And I am still against REZ. Yes, saving time in your commute is good. Yes, making friends is good. But as has been pointed out, you won't have more than 1 of those friends in 10 years. And that is the same as if you live at home with mommy and daddy. If the choice is between a car and moving out, choose the car. If the choice is between moving out and having to pay it yourself, or living at home, then choose living at home.

All that being said- if you are a social animal and can't get along with your family, or live on the outskirts (ie/ Okotoks, Airdrie, Bragg Creek etc) then move to rez for crying out loud!

[MonsieurFish]

Originally Posted by fotze

First year engineering will kick your ass. I remember the first major test I got 9.5 out of 20. I had never even been close to failing anything before and got a 97% in Math 31. The 9.5/20 was better than the class average though. I remember seeing grown men cry after exams. A buddy of mine had a .6 GPA after his first year and was punted and he worked hard. He did manage to finish engineering 8 years later with pretty good marks....from U of A.

..... whyyyyyy.... thank you

[Red Mile Style]

Originally Posted by AFireInside

I'm just finishing off my degree(s)... Been at U of C for the past 5.5 years.. Lived in res first year.. It was pretty good. If you aren't from Calgary and don't know a lot of people, live in res. Simple. I lived on 4R my first year, and in one of the campus apartments my second year. I don't recommend the apartments, but trad was pretty good.

Holy crap, 5.5 years ago was my first year and I was on 6R....

YOU WERE ON 4R?!?!?!?

You were the only floor in rez history that actually had to hire a permanent security guard to live there because you guys were so out of control!!! All I remember is you guys pulling the pay-phone out of the wall and plugging in a regular phone and making all these out of control calls to crazy places... ripping off bathroom doors.

Ha ha ha, I got into my fair share of shanangans in rez too, but not nearly as hardcore as your floor.

[MonsieurFish]

Originally Posted by fotze

I wish smeone told me that, I was totally unprepared.

Also, you will also see absolute aliens in engineering. Nerds like you will have never seen in your high school, you are in the major leagues now. Poorly grown moustaches, females that barey are, the blubber, bedhead, body odour and pants pulled up to high.

oh god dude you're making me regret this decision. however i was in ib math so i had to do a fairly decent amount of work in that to succeed. and to think that right now i cant stand some of my classes because of the amounts of aliens....

[Winsor_Pilates]

Originally Posted by MonsieurFish

alright... on a bit of a side note, do university grades matter as long as you pass? is a 99 much differnet than a 60?

I'd say yes just to be safe.
They don't matter for everything, but you should aim high to leave more doors open to you later.
I'm in my last year now, and I wish I had cared more about doing well, and not just getting it done.

Now I'm thinking of doing a few different things and they all require high grades.
1-might do a double major with bcomm now (more school and I'll need atleast a 3.0 to get in, likely around 3.5)
2-grad school-need a 3.0
3-MBA down the road and will need a 3.0

I'm not sure about engineering, but you may end up needing good grades down the road and regretting that you screwed around your first 2 years.