Frequently Asked Questions
i) How do I add or drop a course?
ii) How is Pre-enrolment different from Enrolment?
iii) What happens if I repeat a passed course?
iv) Can I take a course for a third time?
v) How do I take a course at any other university during the summer or a work term?
vi) What are the important dates regarding course selection that I need to be aware of each term?
2) Program/Plan
i) How do I switch my science program/plan?
ii) How do I switch from regular to co-op?
iii) How do I transfer to Science from another faculty?
iv) How do I transfer from Science into another faculty?
v) How do I declare or change my specialization?
3) Academic Standing/Petitions
i) What does "Academic Standing" mean and where do I find mine?
v) How do I appeal grades or other academic decisions?
vi) How do I withdraw from a term?
vii) What is ELPE and do I have to take this exam?
i) How do I find a personal tutor if I'm having trouble in a course?
ii) I'm interested in tutoring high school and/or uWaterloo Science courses. How do I go about this?
iii) How do I find out more about international exchanges?
v) How do I find out about Pharmacy?
vi) How do I find out about Optometry?
5) Work/Research Opportunities
i) How do I get an on-campus, part time job?
ii) Why should I get involved in research?
iii) How do I get connected to a professor?
iv) Where can I find a professor to work with?
v) What does this research involve?
vi) What work will I be doing in this research?
vii) How do I go about asking for a letter of reference?
6) Final Exam Preparation Information
i) What happens if I am very ill during the exam period?
ii) What happens after I miss an exam?
iii) When can I expect to see my grades?
iv) What are some Tips and Tricks for writing exams?
1) Course Selection
i) How do I add or drop a course?
Courses may be added and dropped using QUEST. To add a course, ensure that the course fits your schedule and that it has space available. Space availability in all courses can be seen on the Schedule of Classes.
If a course is full, you must get signed in by the professor or lab instructor with an Override Form, provided they are willing and able to expand the course. If the course is in conflict with another, you must get the signature of the professor whose class you plan to miss, if the professor is in agreement.
Note: be sure to check the calendar for deadlines for adding and dropping courses.
ii) How is Pre-enrolment different from Enrolment?
Pre-enrolment for a given term takes place about six months before the term starts and allows students to select the courses they are interested in studying. Pre-enrolment takes place for one week, and does not have specific appointment times. For Fall, pre-enrollment is in February; for Winter it's in June; and for Spring, it's in October. There are no class times, rooms or instructors listed, just the available courses for that term. Selecting your courses in advance allows us to plan ahead, and ultimately benefits you as we can better forecast the course demand and sometimes expand enrollment space to accommodate more students. This process informs the next one - actual enrollment, where you receive an actual timetable with your selected courses.
HINT - If you don't use pre-enrolment we have no way of knowing the demand we may ultimately have for courses, and this could result in you not getting into popular courses, or in some cases, courses not being offered in the first place. Doing pre-enrolment only takes about 10 minutes!
Enrolment takes place about two months before the term starts and is the time, during your enrolment appointment, when you can add or drop courses that you pre-enrolled into, and adjust your schedule as space in courses permits. By this point, though, it is unlikely that we can add more sections for courses to accommodate late enrolment requests, and you could find yourself having to choose alternate courses.
iii) What happens if I repeat a passed course?
Some students want to repeat passed courses to try and raise the mark, often because they need a higher mark for application to a professional program. If a student repeats a passed course, both courses remain on the transcript but the second grade is not included in any averages and there is no further credit.
iv) Can I take a course for a third time?
A course may not be taken for a third time without approval. Students must petition to take a course for a third time whether or not it is a core course for their program. The petition form must be submitted to the Science Undergraduate office, and, if approved, will outline the which course must be taken to fill the missing credit in the degree, as the third attempt at a course will not count for credit and will not be included in the GPA, unless a student fails the third attempt. In this case, the failed grade will count in the GPA.
v) How do I take a course at any other university during the summer or a work term?
Taking UW courses during a summer or work term, or online as opposed to on campus are the same as any other course, however students may take a course at another institution. This requires a Letter of Permission Form. Normally, courses done on an Letter of Permission cannot be those that are core to a plan. A Letter of Permission course is treated as a transfer credit and the grade does not count in any UW average. A grade of 60% must be attained in order to transfer the course to UW. Note that letters of permission are not normally granted to students in conditional standing or on academic probation.
vi) What are the important dates regarding course selection that I need to be aware of each term?
There is a list of important dates that outline each term's dates for for adding/swapping courses, WD drop deadlines, WF drop deadlines, fee due dates, and many more helpful dates.
2) Program/Plan
i) How do I switch my science program/plan?
This is usually done in March, near the end of the academic year. Plan changes will not be considered before completion of the first year. However, co-op students moving from one plan to another can request a plan modification prior to enrollment for their next term. You will need to fill out a Plan Modification Form prior to enrollment for your next term. Before doing this you should consult with an academic advisor for the plan you want to transfer to in order to make sure that you are eligible. If there is any doubt of your eligibility for a transfer, you are strongly advised to NOT submit a Plan Modification Form. Decisions are usually made once term grades are available. If approved, the Registrar's Office will then change your plan on QUEST. You can then choose your courses during your enrollment appointment. You won't see that your plan has been changed until you add your first course on QUEST.
ii) How do I switch from regular to co-op?
You must complete and submit a Plan Modification Form to the Science Undergraduate Office. If you're a first year student, decisions will be made in June after grades become available. You must have chosen a major that has a co-op program. Admission to co-op is dependant on your academic performance and the availability of space in your requested co-op program.
iii) How do I transfer to Science from another faculty?
Most students wanting to transfer into the Faculty of Science come from Engineering or Mathematics, and to a lesser degree, from Arts, ES or AHS. Typically these students have decided that their original programs were unsuitable, either due to a failed term (usually 1A) or their interests have changed.
If you are considering a transfer into the Faculty of Science, there are a number of steps you must complete. They are as follows:
- You will need to convince your Engineering, Mathematics, ENV, AHS or Arts (hereinafter referred to as your "current faculty" or "current program") faculty advisor to enroll you in a non-degree term in your current faculty. If this happens, you effectively had determined that you are no longer, nor will ever be again, a student in that faculty at Waterloo. Your current faculty effectively holds your enrollment at Waterloo as a non-degree student while you prepare to meet the conditions for entry into Science. Note that if you are in co-op, there may co-op obligations you should be aware of - make sure you discuss this with your advisor in your current faculty.
- During your non-degree term in your current faculty, you must carry a full (5) course load for that term, taking a minimum of two science courses (first year + any related labs). You are advised to consult with the Associate Dean of Science, Undergraduate Studies, or the Academic Services Admissions Officer in Science on your course selection. They will need to approve your course selection.
- Credit transfers for courses you took as a student in your current faculty are possible. We will only consider courses in which you obtained 60% or better, AND which can be used in your Science program, either as core or electives. That means that there may be courses you passed that may not be used towards meeting the program requirements in Science.
Engineering courses which have Science equivalents will be transferred automatically if your grade is 60% or better (e.g., CHE 102 = CHEM 123; PHYS 115 = PHYS 121; PHYS 125 = PHYS 122), but if your grade is in the 50-59% range, transfers will be considered on an individual basis. If this is the case, you should consult with either the Associate Dean of Science, Undergraduate Studies, or the Academic Services Admissions Officer on your course selection. Note that Science requires first year labs, so related labs will have to be completed in the next available term. - For courses you take during your non-degree term in your current faculty, you must obtain a minimum term average of 60%, with no failures AND you must obtain a minimum of 60% average in your Science courses. If you meet the above conditions, we will accept you into the Honours Science (regular) program. If these conditions are not met, there will be no further consideration of possible entry into Science.
- If you are applying to Science after failing twice in your current faculty (for example, you repeated 1A a second time, failed and were required to withdraw), and you are able to convince your advisor to allow you to enrol in an additional non-degree term, the conditions outlined above in point 4 apply with the exception that you must now obtain a minimum of 70% in each of your Science courses.
- A Plan Modification/Internal Transfer Form for a non-degree term will need to be filled in, including course selection, and taken to be approved by an advisor in the Science Undergraduate Office. This form is then brought back to your current faculty advisor for processing.
- You will need to complete a second Plan Modification form requesting the program/plan that you wish to transfer to in Science. This form should be submitted at least one month before the beginning of the term of transfer. It should be submitted to the Science Undergraduate Office, with an explanation of why the transfer is being requested. Once grades are available a decision will be made.
iv) How do I transfer from Science into another faculty?
If you're considering transferring from Science into another Faculty, it's in your best interest to speak with an academic advisor from the new faculty. They can advise you regarding how to transfer, which courses to choose that will count for transfer assessment, and when you can expect an answer to your request. To begin the process, you will need to complete a Plan Modification/Internal Transfer Form and file this request for your next term with the new faculty. A decision will be made once your current term grades are available. You will then be notified of the decision and can proceed, if approved, to chose your courses during your enrollment appointment.
Transfer to Arts:
Please see the Arts Undergraduate Transfer Policy for more information.
We highly recommend discussing your course selection with the advisors in the Faculty of Arts. Contact the Arts Undergraduate Office (ext 35870) or stop by the AUO, in PAS 2439.
Transfer requests to the Faculty of Arts must be submitted at least two months prior to the term in which you wish to enrol. (i.e. Oct. 31 for Winter admission; Feb. 28 for Spring and June 30 for Fall). A brief half to one page statement explaining why you believe you have encountered academic difficulty in your Science program and why you believe you will be successful academically in an Arts program must be included with the Plan Modification/Internal transfer form. Normally, decisions are made in the first week of the requested term.
v) How do I declare or change my specialization?
Students in plans that have a variety of specializations (e.g., Science and Business - Biology Specialization; or Honours Biology - Animal Physiology Specialization) and those wishing to change their specialization or option should use a Plan Modification Form. These changes can be done anytime and can be approved immediately.
This can be done at anytime using a Plan modification Form. Before submitting the form, you will need to receive approval from an academic advisor in the department in which the minor is being taken. Typically, a minor requires ten courses in that department, with different requirements in the level or type of course. See the Undergraduate Calendar for the minor plan in that department.
3) Academic Standing/Petitions
i) What does "Academic Standing" mean and where do I find mine?
Each term an "Academic Standing" is assigned to your transcript. This is based on your program/plan and the averages you received, both cumulative (all terms) and in the current term.
It is your responsibility to know what your academic standing means. You can find it by going on to your QUEST account to "Academics" and to "View Unofficial Transcript" to find your academic standing and term average. Also under "Academics" be sure to go to "View My Grades" to find your term average and your cumulative overall average (CAV). Your Major Average (MAV) is also very important, but is not displayed on QUEST. This average refers to the grades for courses in your "Major", and that average must also be maintained at a certain level, depending on your program/plan. Contact current@science.uwaterloo.ca if you have questions about any of your averages - make sure you understand them. At the end of each term your Academic Standing will be available once term marks become official. See the Important Dates for each term for when this is available.
ii) What does it mean if my academic standing is "Conditional" (e.g."Conditional standing - must raise overall average")?
Normally students are allowed to be in "conditional standing" for one term during their undergraduate program. The reason a student might be in this standing is because one or more of their required averages is below the minimum as stated in the undergraduate calendar. Conditional standing is normally the result if a required average falls no more than 1.5% below the required average(s). Any average(s) that fall more than 1.5 below the minimum may result in a student being moved to a different program for which they do have the appropriate average(s). For example, a student in Honours Science must maintain an overall and a Science average of 60%. Should one or both of these averages fall below 58.5% they could be moved in to General Science, which requires a minimum overall and a minimum Science average of 55%. However, students in Conditional Standing who raise their average(s) to the appropriate level in the next academic term, will have the Conditional Standing removed and will again be in "satisfactory, or better standing". If a student is moved to a different program and then raises their average(s) to the appropriate level, in the next term or two they can file a Plan Modification form to move back into their original program. In most cases this will be possible. However, because some programs have limited enrolment and/or students may be too far along in their academic career to be reconsidered for co-op we cannot guarantee readmission to the original program. Please contact current@science.uwaterloo.ca or (519) 888-4567, Ext. 35244 if you have any questions.
iii) What happens if the standards to continue in your current program are not met or if you are was "Required to Withdraw"?
Students who are unsuccessful at attaining any of the minimum averages required for their current program may be moved into another program, for which they qualify, for example, Honours Science or General Science. In many cases, students may continue taking courses which shadow their original program until they raise their averages to the required level and then may file a Plan Modification Form to return to their original program. In other cases, this may not be possible, particularly if you no longer are eligible to take certain courses, for example the Science and Business workshop courses, which are only available to students in that program. Note that a student who is moved from a co-op plan into a regular plan is not guaranteed that he or she can return to a co-op plan even if the average requirements are met.
Students who fail three or more courses in one term may be Required to Withdraw, even if their averages are above the required minimum. The minimum averages can be found in the Undergraduate Calendar (found within the individual departmental links). Note: The cumulative average is calculated using all courses ever taken (passed or failed), and the Major average is calculated using all Major courses (e.g., Honours Science student - all "science" courses taken or Honours Biology - all Biology courses taken, etc.). Any questions about course grades earned should be directed to the instructor of the course.
Why were you unsuccessful?
After the completion of first year, students are advised to consider the appropriateness of their current program with respect to the difficulty of the courses and how prepared they are to succeed in more advanced courses that build from the first year curriculum.
Possible reasons why you may not have been successful could include:
- Your High School background did not prepare you
- You were not prepared for the structure and freedom of University
- You did not attend lectures or found it difficult to learn from lectures
- You did not manage your time effectively
- You did not know where to turn for help
- Your Study Skills were not sufficient to allow you to keep up to the fast pace of your courses
- You tried to memorize instead of learning concepts
- Your notes were incomplete
- You did not enjoy your courses (wrong choice of Major)
If you had personal or medical concerns you may wish to speak with a Counsellor at Counselling Services. You may call (519) 888-4567, Ext. 2655 for an appointment. Also, the University offers workshops for students to develop appropriate study habits and note taking. If you have not taken advantage of these workshops you may wish to consider enrolling so that you are prepared for your future studies.
What happens next if I'm "Required to Withdraw"?
The Registrar's Office will send you an email informing you that you have been required to withdraw and give you a set of options. Knowing your options is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. If you do not understand them please contact Pam Van Allen or Gwen Graper. Misunderstanding or ignoring this email will jeopardize any possible future enrolments.
You must ensure that the email address listed in QUEST is functional, or you could miss important communications. These communications are sent, each term, as soon as marks are official (see List of Important Dates).
If you received a "Required to Withdraw" decision, there will usually be two options available to you
1. Do you still want a BSc from Science at UW?
If your answer is "yes", you must stay out of school for the two next terms and then apply for re-admission. Re-admission will be into the Three-Year General Science program in "Conditional" Standing.
The normal conditions are as follows:
- In your first five course attempts or two terms, whichever comes first, you must maintain a 55% cumulative GPA and a 55% Science average.
- You must do a minimum of two approved Science lecture courses, plus any related labs where applicable, each term.
If, during your conditional term, you raise your averages to the appropriate level, we could possibly return you to an Honours program.
2. Do you want to change to a program/plan that is not in the Faculty of Science?
If you want to prepare to enter another program at UW that has no Sciences or Math requirements (usually Arts), you can do so by filing an Application for Re-admission or a Plan Modification to enrol as a non-degree Science student. Courses should be selected before or during enrolment appointments for the term. See the List of Important Dates referred to earlier.
Transfer to Arts: Please see FAQ "How do I transfer from Science to Another Faculty?"
iv) How do I make up for a missed assignment/mid-term/final exam due to illness or other extenuating circumstances?
You will need to get a Health practitioner (doctor, hospital, clinic, emergency room, or equivalent) to verify your illness using University of Waterloo's officialVerification of Illness Form. Other doctor's/clinics/hospital or similar notes will not be accepted. If you do not have UW's Verification of Illness form with you at the time you are seen by the Health practitioner, you will need to go back and have them complete and sign the form to include the severity of the illness and the duration. This official verification is necessary before any action can be taken.
For other extenuating circumstances that are not illness related, for which the Verification of Illness form is not appropriate, official documented proof that something has occurred will be required (plane tickets, court documents, death certificates, counsellor letters for example).
Next, you need to contact the course(s) instructor(s) to discuss what needs to be completed and timelines in order to finish the course material. Then submit your documentation to the Science Undergraduate Office within one week of the occurrence. Your documents must be submitted in person by you and no one else. If you cannot be in the office within one week, a copy of the document should be submitted by fax or mail, until the original can be brought in for verification.
The value of legitimately missed mid-terms or assignments can sometimes be reconfigured into the formula used to calculate the final grade in a course. However, a missed final exam resulting from serious illness, often results in an INC (Incomplete). When this happens, a student will write the final examination the next time the course is offered, which in some cases, may be as far into the future as one year. Although rare, alternate arrangements can sometimes be worked out with course instructors if they are willing. If an INC is not completed within two terms it turns automatically into an FTC, which is a failure and averaged as 32%. For exams that are written a year later, the course instructor will need to inform the Registrar Office to have the INC automatically change to FTC in 3 terms, rather than 2 terms, if the course is not completed beforehand. Please note that only serious illness that incapacitates a student or circumstances deemed extenuating by the instructor, will be grounds for missing a final exam and receiving an INC.
v) How do I appeal grades or other academic decisions?
Grade appeals should first be done informally with the instructor and appealed only when the informal process does not result in a solution. You will need to complete and submit a Notice of Reassessment Challenge (Form 70C) as described in Policy 70 (Student Petitions and Grievances), which is then considered by a Faculty Committee. Academic decisions can only be petitioned when extenuating circumstances or medically documented situations warrant (see Policy 70 "Student Petitions and Grievances").
vi) How do I withdraw from a term?
QUEST will not allow you to drop all of your courses. If you want to completely withdraw from a term you must complete an Undergraduate Notice of Withdrawal Form.
vii) What is ELPE and do I have to take this exam?
ELPE stands for English Language Proficiency Exam and is a graduation requirement for all Science students, regardless of their English high school grades or backgrounds. All students must take this exam prior to the end of their second year or they may impact their ability to enroll in future courses.
Science students write the ELPE in December or April at the end of the fall and winter terms, respectively, one day prior to the start of regular exams. Please visit the ELPE website for exam dates, exam procedures, sample essays, examples of common errors, and more.
Strategy sessions are available prior to each exam to help you prepare for ELPE. Dates and times are listed on the ELPE website. Options for students that do not pass the ELPE are also outlined on the website.
4) Academic Opportunities
i) How do I find a personal tutor if I'm having trouble in a course?
The Science Undergraduate office maintains an informal list of tutors for many of the first and some second year courses. Contact current@science.uwaterloo.ca or drop by the Science Undergraduate office in ESC 253 and they can provide you with contact information for the tutors on the list. The list of Science tutors includes students who acheived a grade of 80% or better in the courses that they are willing to tutor and have agreed to share their expertise in these courses.
Tutoring in Residence also offers tutors for several first year courses. You don't need to be a student in residence to take part, and it is free for all UW students. To see if your course is offered for tutoring, and where the meetings are, look at the schedule on the Tutoring in Residence site. Meetings are normally on a drop-in basis.
ii) I'm interested in tutoring high school and/or UW Science courses. How do I go about this?
Visit the Science Undergraduate Office in ESC 253 to complete a release form authorizing the release of your name and email to students seeking tutors, up until the date specified by you on the release form.
iii) How do I find out more about international exchanges?
We enthusiastically encourage academic exchanges abroad, where you can study in a foreign country for up to one year while working towards your degree at the University of Waterloo. The University of Waterloo has exchange agreements with numerous universities in locations such as Australia, Tanzania, France, Germany, and Hong Kong. Everything you need to know, including eligibility, financing, how to apply and a list of partner institutions, is available here.
iv) How do I find out about different professional health schools such as medicine, dentistry, chiropractic, etc...?
You should consult each professional school you intend to apply to for specific admission requirements. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have all of the appropriate admission requirements. These can often be found on the universities' individual websites. Our Faculty of Science website has links to our School of Pharmacy and School of Optometry, where you will find admission requirement information. The Centre for Career Action on campus also carries reference books containing admission requirements to professional programs around the world. The OUAC website lists requirements to various professional programs within Ontario.
v) How do I find out about Pharmacy?
For more information about prerequisite courses, admission requirements, and the application process:
- Visit the School of Pharmacy's website.
- Contact the Director of Admissions: kpotvin@scimail.uwaterloo.ca, 519-888-4416
- Attend a Pharmacy Information Session - happens during Fall Open House
vi) How do I find out about Optometry?
You will need a minimum of three years of university level science studies before applying to Waterloo's four-year Doctor of Optometry program. You should be aware that admission decisions to the program are not based on grades alone. The non-academic parts of the application process are very important and are given equal consideration.
For more information about prerequisite courses, admission requirements, and the application process...
- Visit the School of Optometry's website.
- Pick up an Optometry Admissions Handbook for the Science Undergraduate Office
- Attend an Optometry Information Session - details will be available early in the term
- Contact the Optometry Admissions Office at mamodeo@uwaterloo.ca, ext. 32782
5) Work/Research Opportunities
i) How do I get an on-campus, part time job?
There are more than 1,200 part-time jobs available on campus each year. The Centre for Career Action is a great place to begin your search -- they have job postings, workshops, and one on one appointments to support your employment search. You can also approach individual professors about work opportunities as a lab or field researcher. They often have research opportunities available in the lab or in the field.
ii) Why get involved in research?
If you are planning on, or even just thinking about, applying to a masters program or any type of graduate school, then two things you will undoubtedly need are reference letters and research experience. Working in a university laboratory can provide you with both: you will be able to meet professors who will then know you well enough to write you a reference letter, you will gain experience in basic laboratory techniques and, if you are lucky, you could potentially get your name on a research paper.
iii) How to get connected to a professor?
A fair majority of your science teachers have laboratories, and the lecture hall is a great way to introduce yourself to your professor. Ask and answer questions regularly and see the professor after class or during office hours to ensure that he or she recognizes you. Your professors see hundreds of students every day, so you must make an impression if you want to work with them. When you feel you have developed a reputation with the professor, you can approach them and ask about working with them or one of their graduate students.
iv) Where can I find a professor to work with?
The university department websites can tell you which professors are actively doing research by looking at their recent publications.
v) What does this research involve?
Professors are not looking for students who come and go as they please and who don’t show up for unexplained reasons. Working in a laboratory is a commitment and if you cannot make that commitment then it is a waste of valuable time and resources for you to be trained. Be prepared to commit multiple hours a week and to have regular hours so that the graduate student who you are working for can provide work for you.
vi) What work will I be doing in this research?
The research you work on may not be ground-breaking and most undergraduate students will likely be preparing cultures/samples, setting up experiments and maintenance, but every student must start somewhere and this will give you experience with basic techniques and procedures that will come in handy in your future.
While research and references letters are a must for most science graduate programs, if you work in a laboratory solely for this reason, the experience won’t be beneficial to either you or the professor. Take your time when looking through the research that professors are currently working on. Try and find work that interests you and that is suitable for your program. And when you are in the lab, make the most of your time. Ask questions, follow procedures and take notes.
vii) How do I go about asking for a letter of reference?
This can always be an awkward question to ask your supervisor, but they recognize that you need it to further your academics! Here is some great advice for asking for a letter of reference.
6) Final Exam Preparation Information
i) What happens if I am very ill during the exam period?
If students miss an exam due to significant illness they will need to contact the instructor of the course as soon as possible, and before the exam, if possible. Documentation is required. Students must bring a Verification of Illness form, when seeing a doctor. After the doctor has completed the form, it must be brought to the Science Undergraduate Office – ESC 253 – for registration and additional instructions.
Students who see a doctor at an off campus or walk-in clinic must bring this form to the appointment. Doctor’s notes and forms created by the off campus or walk-in clinic are typically not accepted by the university.
Exams are not automatically deferred and instructors will make the final decision as to whether or not a deferral is warranted, and this normally depends on the degree of incapacitation.
Should a student become ill during the writing of an exam, he/she will need to inform a proctor. From there, students will need to go to Health Services, and obtain medical documentation. The above instructions still apply. If a student is ill but decides to write an exam, the grade obtained will stand.
ii) What happens after I miss an exam?
If an instructor defers an exam for a student, he/she will receive an INC grade for the course, meaning incomplete course work, no grade assigned. The student is responsible for making arrangements with the instructor to write the exam the next time the course is taught, during the next exam period, or at another agreed-upon time.
After eight months, if a student has not written the final exam, the INC grade is automatically changed to an FTC grade, failed to complete, counted as a 32.
iii) When can I expect to see my grades?
Final examination results and final grades will not be posted until after the final examination period has ended. Once the exam period has ended, grades will begin to appear on Quest under the “Grades” tab within “My Academics”. Instructors are required to submit final grades for specific courses 7 days from the date of the final examination. Grades for courses that do not have a final examination or have a final examination not written within the examination period are expected to appear 14 days after the start of the examination period. These are guidelines, and the timelines are sometimes exceeded.
Grades become official and academic standings are released on the 15th business day of the next term. If you believe there is an error in your grade, please follow-up with your instructor immediately. Do not wait. It is good to be familiar with the important dates for each term.
iv) What are some Tips and Tricks for writing exams?
- Complete a practice exam in the same type of environment you would if you were writing a real exam. No textbook, no cellphone, no computer, no music, and the same time constraints.
- Get a good night’s sleep before you write the exam. Staying up all night and cramming will hinder your ability to write the exam since you’ll be tired.
- Remember to eat! It’s important to eat a good meal before the exam since you’ll need the energy.
- Bring the following with you:
o Your watcard
o A few pens
o A few pencils
o A pencil sharpener and eraser
o A bottle of water
o A calculator (if required or allowed)
o A sweater
- Be sure to go to the washroom before the exam. It is often a hassle to go to the washroom during your exam and you can easily lose your train of thought.
- You are required to stay for at least 1 hour of the exam period. If you finish before 1 hour has passed, just sit at the desk quietly as there will still be people among you writing.
- When you receive the exam, look it over once before you begin writing. This will give you an idea as to where you will need to spend the most time.
- Answer the questions you know first and fill in the rest as you go. This will ensure that you get the marks for questions you know instead of being stuck on a question you don’t know the answer to for a long period of time.
Last reviewed: January 10, 2012
Content maintained by: Stephen Woods.
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