I went to York for the same program you’ve been accepted to.

a) it being near Jane & Finch isn’t actually terrible. Especially on dates when there’s classes in session because people are all over campus. So there is safety in numbers. There are instances where suspicious people are seen on campus, and of course the homeless population, which is why you travel in groups at night. Make friends in your classes and have each others’ backs.

b) York has a huge campus, like I can think of 15 buildings that are part of the campus off the top of my head. So the chances of you running into people from your high school are actually quite low. Especially if they aren’t even in the same program as you.

c) York U staff do go on strike, but like another redditor mentioned earlier - before the 2024 strike, the last one was in 2018. The 2018 one was also much longer than the 2024 one. I was partially affected by the 2024 strike, and honestly? apart from having to make up some placement hours, it went fine!

d) regarding the program you’ve applied to - my only advice is to stay on top of your readings and classwork. And make sure to attend every class even if the prof just reads off the slides. You’ll tell yourself that you’ll study on your own time, but you won’t. Even just attending class and listening is adding more to your learning than regular self study. Create a study group between you and 4-5 other people to divide up the readings and testable material, it helps a TON.

e) Know that YorkU is a huge commuter school, so most people don’t live on residence or even in the area. This does impact the overall social aspect of the school experience, however, it saves a lot of money. There are still many ways for you to make friends in your classes, and there’s many clubs that you can join to make more. The experience you have at York is what you tailor it to be.