So you thought you could get out of writing essays by going into EngSci. This is simply not true. But! In the words of Sparknotes: relax, you're here!

Part I. Basics

Do you know what an elective is?

http://www.undergrad.engineering.utoronto.ca/information/calendar.htm

Check the calendar for your year and/or option. How many electives are you permitted to take? Full or half year? Are they HSS (Humanities and Social Sciences – a specific list of courses is given), CS (Complementary Studies – any course under a given list of subject headings), or Technical Electives (courses relevant to your field and which must be approved by the Engineering Science Division)?

Read the official website.

http://www.undergrad.engineering.utoronto.ca/information/calendar/electi...

Includes definitions of all the elective types + course lists.

List some potential selections.

Be open-minded. Start out with a reasonably large list. Things happen, so you may require backups.

Part II. Know Your Course!

Check your friendly neighborhood NScientia course reviews!

It's what we're here for.

Check the Arts & Sciences Calendar.

http://www.artsandscience.utoronto.ca/ofr/calendar/

Chances are, this course is offered by Arts & Science. Read their official course descriptions. Note any prerequisites.

Check the ASSU Anti-Calendar.

http://assu.sa.utoronto.ca/anticalendar.php

Artsies can be useful! ASSU publishes an anti-calendar that offers helpful insights on courses and professors after every school year. Click on the most recent, pick the association that represents your course code (e.g., ENG220 – click English) and try not to cringe at the pink-ness of it all. Pay attention to retake % (% of class who indicated they would take the course again if given the chance) and Difficulty if you’re in a hurry. Take all with a grain of salt. After all, you’ve filled in course evaluations too.

Skim old exams.

http://eres.library.utoronto.ca/

If you’re going to take this course, you’re going to write its exam. Nothing will give you a better idea of what the course is about than looking at what you’re going to be asked for. But don’t freak out if you can’t do the exam in your head in ten minutes…that would defeat the purpose. If the prof changed – ha, you’re on your own.

Don’t forget exams.skule.ca, of course.

Apparently, there’s this website now.

http://birdcourses.org/university.php?university=13

If you’re looking for a bird course. Some entries are questionable.

Take a look at Rate My Professors.

http://www.ratemyprofessors.com/

Obviously, Nscientia is not responsible for comments on external websites. Proceed with caution.

Try the U of T Livejournal Community.

http://community.livejournal.com/utoronto/

Is this course hard? Searching through the archive can turn up just what you’re looking for.

Google the course and professor.

Why not?

Part III. Scheduling

Deal with ROSI.

If you check your Utormail, you’ll probably find out the date when you are formally allowed to add courses on ROSI. This will start at 6:00 AM. Possibly sharp. You will be tired. Set your alarm. We suggest signing in well before 6:00 AM and keeping your session active by randomly clicking things. If you get signed out, it’s possible you won’t get back in for a while.

Prepare for unparalleled server lag and error messages. Get those courses and make sure they fit!

Become paralysed by mind-numbing indecision.

Maybe you’ve got conflicts all over the place. Or they just all sound so good. It might be a good idea to enrol in as many as you possibly can, sit in the classes for the first week, and then drop whatever you can’t stand.

Be patient with the add and drop process on Blackboard. It takes forever to reflect changes.

In the meantime, you probably don’t even know where to go because your conflicts don’t show room numbers. Check the A&S and Engineering timetables.

Part IV. Misc.

Test your courses on AU Tracker

http://engsci.utoronto.ca

So assuming you want to graduate, download the tracker from the EngSci website and fill in your courses. Make sure you meet accreditation requirements.

No luck? Get help.

Get professional help. No, seriously. Email your EngSci year counsellor. Drop by the Division office. Bribe an upper year. Be proactive! Strive to excel and you shall reap the benefits – and so will your gpa.

Trust* us.

*Nscientia is not responsible for completely misguided trust.