狐狸视频

Meet three top students from Toronto high schools who are attending U of T this fall

Michael Acquaviva
Michael Acquaviva is one of six students named a top scholar this year by the Toronto District School Board and one of three who will be attending U of T this fall (photo by Johnny Guatto)

The upcoming fall semester will be unlike any other in the 狐狸视频鈥檚 history due to the shift to virtual learning necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic. But for incoming student Michael Acquaviva the unusual start to his post-secondary journey represents more of an opportunity than a hinderance.

鈥淢y generation will be viewed as the one that lived through a pandemic and that had to adapt to certain changes in the world,鈥 says Acquaviva, who graduated from William Lyon Mackenzie Collegiate Institute and will pursue a degree in engineering science at U of T鈥檚 Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering.

鈥淚 think that ultimately is a strength when it comes to adaptability. It builds resilience.鈥

Acquaviva is one of six students named top scholars this year by the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) 鈥 students who achieved an average of 99 per cent or higher in Grade 12 鈥 and one of three who will be attending U of T this fall.

Not surprisingly, Acquaviva had his pick of universities. But he says there was only ever one choice for him. 

鈥淯 of T has always felt like the right place for me,鈥 he says. 鈥淲hen I went for a campus tour, it just felt like I belong there.鈥

His peers in the engineering science program will include fellow TDSB top scholar Qingyuan Wu, who graduated from Forest Hill Collegiate Institute.

鈥淚 chose U of T because it鈥檚 the best university in Canada and the engineering program is also the best in Canada,鈥 says Wu. 鈥淭he engineering science program appeals to me because it brings both the practical aspect of engineering and the science aspect which is more theoretical, and I think that鈥檚 a perfect mix.鈥

Wu says the shift to online classes and assessments towards the end of Grade 12 emphasized the importance of self-discipline, which will be key for succeeding in university.

鈥淚f you go to school, you have to physically sit there for each class and listen. But for online courses, nobody鈥檚 pushing you,鈥 Wu says. 鈥淪o, what I tried to do to keep myself engaged was to make sure I did [work] every day so I didn鈥檛 get into that bad habit.鈥

Qingyuan Wu, who graduated from Forest Hill Collegiate Institute and will study in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering this fall, says the shift to online learning last spring helped prepare him for university by emphasizing the importance of a disciplined approach to his studies (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Wu is also looking to tap into the energy and enthusiasm of his engineering science peers. That includes proactively looking to forge connections and make friends with classmates by adding them on Instagram.

鈥淎part from me pushing myself, I鈥檒l also try to meet other people in my program and try to study with them online,鈥 Wu says. 鈥淔or me, making friends is a huge thing.鈥

Acquaviva, too, says that interpersonal connections will still be a feature of his fall plans, even if he鈥檒l miss the in-person social interactions of a typical university semester.

鈥淲ith all the technology today, it鈥檚 still possible to build interpersonal connections, whether it鈥檚 through Zoom, Facetime or social media,鈥 he says. 鈥淥f course, I鈥檇 rather have that in-person interaction, so that鈥檚 something I鈥檓 really looking forward to when we eventually go back [to class]. But, for the time being with the pandemic, we have to manage with what we have.鈥

Acquaviva says he was drawn to the engineering science program because it鈥檚 designed to gradually take students from general engineering to a specialization by the third year. 鈥淚鈥檓 really looking forward to all the resources U of T has to offer for engineering students,鈥 he says. 鈥淭hat was a big selling point for me when I was making my decision on which university to go to.鈥

Acquaviva adds that he鈥檚 also open to exploring opportunities in entrepreneurship and business 鈥 which further enhanced the appeal of going to U of T.

鈥淭he business aspect of how you can implement engineering into business is something that appeals to me,鈥 he says. 鈥淚 know U of T has all kinds of resources for that 鈥 there鈥檚 the engineering business major, the Myhal Centre [for Engineering Innovation and Entrepreneurship] ... there鈥檚 also the program in partnership with Rotman where, directly after your engineering degree, you can go for an MBA. So that鈥檚 also something I鈥檓 considering.鈥

Michael Li is another top Toronto student who will be attending U of T in the fall. Li, who graduated from Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute, says he is excited by the prospect of delving into his favourite subject: math.

鈥淚 was really excited to hear about the math clubs at U of T and opportunities to participate in math contests,鈥 says Li, who has enrolled in the math specialist program at the Faculty of Arts & Science.

鈥淭here weren鈥檛 many opportunities in high school because not a lot of people were interested in math, so that鈥檚 something that I鈥檓 really looking forward to in university.鈥

Li says he chose U of T because of its 鈥渋mpressive international reputation in mathematics鈥 and the fact that it鈥檚 home to the Fields Institute for Research in Mathematical Sciences. But he says the warm welcome he received at Fall Campus Day also played a big role.

鈥淚 felt like the U of T community was very welcoming,鈥 he says. 鈥淚 learned a lot about support programs and health and wellness programs 鈥 I felt like they really care about student life and want to help us succeed in university.鈥

Li says he also got a flavour for the array of supports and social activities organized by Trinity College by tuning in to their virtual presentations and Q&A sessions this summer.

鈥淭here was a trivia session where we got into groups and worked together to answer questions. That was really fun because I was able to interact with my peers, who were all very welcoming.鈥

Michael Li, who graduated from Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute, enrolled in the math specialist program in the Faculty of Arts & Science and says he has received a warm welcome from Trinity College (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Li, who wants to become a math researcher and professor in the future, says the last few months of high school 鈥 where classes and assessments were moved online 鈥 helped him realize the importance of taking responsibility and ownership of his work.

鈥淚 think it was a good experience in that I was able to get used to that responsibility and it will help me a lot in university,鈥 he says.

For his part, Acquaviva says that, in addition to that sense of responsibility, a love of learning will likely help him and other incoming U of T students navigate the unusual fall semester.

鈥淚 enjoy learning,鈥 he says.  鈥淚t actually motivates me every day to get out of bed. If you have a passion for learning, I think that鈥檚 the most important thing.鈥

UTC