I decided to go to grad school last Thursday. Classes began on Monday. How'd I manage that??
First of all, I had been encouraged by good friend (who is also a librarian) to consider Library-Media studies more seriously. She and I had discussed it in the past, though I had never really spent much time researching which universities offered Library-Media graduate studies. I began looking at our state schools just to see what was available. I also looked at one program--entirely online--that was out-of-state because I had a friend who was enrolled in it.
What really propelled me to start this semester instead of later was free tuition! I found out that one university had received a special grant to extend their library-media studies to the western part of our state (a.k.a "the boondocks"). The grant covers nine hours of graduate tuition! Awesome! The catch: students must come stay on-campus for three weeks during the summer term to take those 9 hours. On the upside, that's nine hours completed in three weeks...nine FREE hours I might add. Also, room, board and transportation are taken care of through the grant. Sweet! The downside, of course, is that I will have to be away from my family for three weeks. I will come home on the weekends, but I will be missing a lot of their summer activities and put extra strain on the husband who will have to juggle work and kids all on his own. Also, the campus is quite a drive--3 to 4 hours away--so there will be no quick trips home mid-week for anything. I keep telling myself that three weeks away from the family is a small price to pay in order to be on my kids' school schedules for the next 12 years of their lives.
When I actually started thinking, "I should do this....like, right now!" I had two pretty big hurdles: deadlines for enrollment were looming & I hadn't taken the GRE. Actually, the university that I am now enrolled in had started classes the day I called to talk to someone about the program. Talk about last-minute!
So, I quickly made the decision to give this a shot. I'm actually glad that there was a small window of opportunity to make that decision, otherwise I might have agonized over it for days. I started typing up applications, faxing unofficial transcripts, requesting official transcripts, e-mailing a trillion people for information, etc. Though I had once been an undergrad student at this particular university, it had been so long that I actually had to reapply for admission. That ended up holding things up a bit, but we finally got everything completed....yesterday (four school days after starting the process). I wasn't actually enrolled when I attended my first class. In fact, I paced the floor all day waiting impatiently to hear word whether or not I should drive to my ITV (interactive television) class. I had to leave by 3:30 to get there in time, and I finally heard back from the university somewhere around 2:30.
Luckily--VERY luckily--for me, this particular program didn't require the GRE for admission. God bless 'em.
I put out the admissions and enrollment fires, now I'm tending to the teacher certification fires! I'm getting a lot of different answers about whether or not I have to be certified before or after I complete the program and how I will go about certification. So now, I'm making tons of phone calls and e-mails to that end.
Maybe I should just be a firefighter instead!
Showing posts with label enrollment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label enrollment. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
What I Love About College (& Will Miss the Most)
Lately, the classroom conversations have been about one thing: enrollment and the upcoming spring semester.
"Did you get into that class?"
"Do you like that professor? Is he hard?"
"Will this class meet the requirement for my major?"
etc...etc....
It's making me get all sentimental and emotional. Okay, maybe I haven't shed any tears, but it does feel odd not to be enrolling. It is weird to see all the requirements "zero-ed" out on my degree requirement checklist. It feels strange to know that all the students and professors that I have come to know and enjoy will no longer be a part of my life come mid-December.
If I were to pull a "David Letterman" and make a top ten list of things I will miss most about university life, it would probably be...
10. Discounts. I don't get to take advantage of them quite enough, but it's a great feeling to be able to get into a theatre production for free or save a buck at the movie theatre simply by whipping out a college I.D.
9. Ham & Cheese Sandwiches at the Market. I'm probably the only one on campus that likes these (I mean, it's only ham, cheese, and rye bread), but I do! Maybe it's not-so-much the food as the much needed break between class.
8. Wearing my "Good" Clothes. I've been a stay-at-home mom for ten years and my uniform of choice has often been "whatever's comfortable." Jeans and tees or hoodies are staples in my closet. Sure, I don these for campus life too, but I'm more motivated to put on my "cute clothes" when I'm hanging out with a bunch of 19 & 20-year-old girls for some reason. If I continue working from home, I may just continue the tradition of wearing my "good" clothes, just for kicks and self-esteem...maybe.
7. Listening to Morning Edition on NPR. I used to only relate NPR to those totally hilarious skits on Saturday Night Live, but now I am a total addict. It makes the drive to school so much shorter and allows me to get caught up on important news in what I feel is less biased and definitely less stressful than watching broadcast news. I mean, come on...how could you get upset about plummeting market conditions while Mozart is playing softly in the background? I totally accept my new found state of nerdness.
6. Interesting Conversation. Most people in my household aren't really interested in journalism or issues therein. So, if I want to have any interesting conversations or debates about the field, I must meet-up with like minded people. Granted, not all college students get on fire for stimulating conversation, but some do.
5. Grades. Yes, grades. Being the over-achiever that I am, I have taken great pride in the fact that I would have had a perfect 4.0 GPA since going back to school had it not been for one measly "B" (darn you, Biology!!!). Sure, I have some real issues with perfectionism that I need to tackle, but I ask you: what feels better than getting a good grade? It's like a subliminal pat on the back!
4. Red Bull Energy Drinks. Now that I'm not going to be trying to cram homework, motherhood, and a "real" job into 24 little hours, I should be able to refrain myself from indulging in so much Red Bull. At one point, I could have just hooked up an IV of the stuff for simplicity's sake.
3. Leaving my Home. I primarily work from home and it's likely that I will continue to do so after graduation. Sometimes, the walls feel as if they are caving in on me and the only thing that makes me feel better is getting out of the house...even if it's for a short walk to the mailbox. I really like how my school schedule mandates that I get out for some fresh air and actual human contact regularly.
2. The Commute. Actually, I look forward to skipping the 120 mile round-trip daily excursion, but I'm not being entirely contradictory. While I hate trying to stay awake for a long drive home after an exhausting day at school, I really enjoy taking in the scenery along the way. The mornings are an especially beautiful time when the sun is just peeking through and wildlife is wandering about. I'll miss watching the clouds and the multi-colored sky.
1. Students. I really love my classmates and have developed some friendships along the way. I mean, how could I not love them when they say things like, "you don't look 31" or "I thought you were like 24 and just had kids when you were really young," etc... They tell me their troubles & I sympathize remembering when I, too, had "been there, done that." We share stress and misery and occasionally food in an effort to rid ourselves of the former. We also have a lot of fun together, joking, sharing goofy YouTube videos, chit-chatting about our favorite television series, etc. It's safe to say, of all the things I will miss about college life, I will definitely miss the laughter I've shared with my classmates.
"Did you get into that class?"
"Do you like that professor? Is he hard?"
"Will this class meet the requirement for my major?"
etc...etc....
It's making me get all sentimental and emotional. Okay, maybe I haven't shed any tears, but it does feel odd not to be enrolling. It is weird to see all the requirements "zero-ed" out on my degree requirement checklist. It feels strange to know that all the students and professors that I have come to know and enjoy will no longer be a part of my life come mid-December.
If I were to pull a "David Letterman" and make a top ten list of things I will miss most about university life, it would probably be...
10. Discounts. I don't get to take advantage of them quite enough, but it's a great feeling to be able to get into a theatre production for free or save a buck at the movie theatre simply by whipping out a college I.D.
9. Ham & Cheese Sandwiches at the Market. I'm probably the only one on campus that likes these (I mean, it's only ham, cheese, and rye bread), but I do! Maybe it's not-so-much the food as the much needed break between class.
8. Wearing my "Good" Clothes. I've been a stay-at-home mom for ten years and my uniform of choice has often been "whatever's comfortable." Jeans and tees or hoodies are staples in my closet. Sure, I don these for campus life too, but I'm more motivated to put on my "cute clothes" when I'm hanging out with a bunch of 19 & 20-year-old girls for some reason. If I continue working from home, I may just continue the tradition of wearing my "good" clothes, just for kicks and self-esteem...maybe.
7. Listening to Morning Edition on NPR. I used to only relate NPR to those totally hilarious skits on Saturday Night Live, but now I am a total addict. It makes the drive to school so much shorter and allows me to get caught up on important news in what I feel is less biased and definitely less stressful than watching broadcast news. I mean, come on...how could you get upset about plummeting market conditions while Mozart is playing softly in the background? I totally accept my new found state of nerdness.
6. Interesting Conversation. Most people in my household aren't really interested in journalism or issues therein. So, if I want to have any interesting conversations or debates about the field, I must meet-up with like minded people. Granted, not all college students get on fire for stimulating conversation, but some do.
5. Grades. Yes, grades. Being the over-achiever that I am, I have taken great pride in the fact that I would have had a perfect 4.0 GPA since going back to school had it not been for one measly "B" (darn you, Biology!!!). Sure, I have some real issues with perfectionism that I need to tackle, but I ask you: what feels better than getting a good grade? It's like a subliminal pat on the back!
4. Red Bull Energy Drinks. Now that I'm not going to be trying to cram homework, motherhood, and a "real" job into 24 little hours, I should be able to refrain myself from indulging in so much Red Bull. At one point, I could have just hooked up an IV of the stuff for simplicity's sake.
3. Leaving my Home. I primarily work from home and it's likely that I will continue to do so after graduation. Sometimes, the walls feel as if they are caving in on me and the only thing that makes me feel better is getting out of the house...even if it's for a short walk to the mailbox. I really like how my school schedule mandates that I get out for some fresh air and actual human contact regularly.
2. The Commute. Actually, I look forward to skipping the 120 mile round-trip daily excursion, but I'm not being entirely contradictory. While I hate trying to stay awake for a long drive home after an exhausting day at school, I really enjoy taking in the scenery along the way. The mornings are an especially beautiful time when the sun is just peeking through and wildlife is wandering about. I'll miss watching the clouds and the multi-colored sky.
1. Students. I really love my classmates and have developed some friendships along the way. I mean, how could I not love them when they say things like, "you don't look 31" or "I thought you were like 24 and just had kids when you were really young," etc... They tell me their troubles & I sympathize remembering when I, too, had "been there, done that." We share stress and misery and occasionally food in an effort to rid ourselves of the former. We also have a lot of fun together, joking, sharing goofy YouTube videos, chit-chatting about our favorite television series, etc. It's safe to say, of all the things I will miss about college life, I will definitely miss the laughter I've shared with my classmates.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
The Great Summer School Debate
My spring semester will be officially be wrapped up in two more days. You know what that means? I'll say "good-bye" to homework, writing papers and research and say "hello" to lazy summer afternoons by the pool, sleeping late with my kids and relaxing in a lawn chair.
Well....maybe.
I've actually decided to consider summer school. At the beginning of the spring semester, I planned to take several classes this summer so that I could graduate in December. But I talked myself out of it, saying that I didn't want to miss all the summer activities that I'm usually involved in (youth camps, mission trips) and I wanted to be able to hang out with my kids instead of my computer. Plus, it wasn't like I had a job waiting on me when I graduated. As the semester wore on, I found myself looking forward to a break.
However, I started recalculating the hours I had left plus the monetary savings that I could gain by skipping the spring 2009 semester. I discovered that I might be able to complete a full 11 hours this summer through a combination of testing out of a class (it only costs $10!), taking two internet classes and one "hybrid" class (a hybrid class is a combo of independent study & classroom teaching). Taking these classes would not interfere with the summer activities I already have planned (as long as I have internet access when I travel). I also discovered that I could save $1000 or more by skipping the spring semester in favor of the summer/fall combo The savings would come from tuition that will increase for fall/spring (but not summer), gas savings and food savings (I usually eat out when I'm at school). That makes summer school a pretty good investment overall.
I still have to visit with my advisor and make sure this is going to work the way I think it should. I'll be honest: this is not going to be easy. It requires me to work throughout the summer, take a short break (I'm headed to the beach in August, thankfully), then hit the books again...this time, with 18 hours in my schedule. So, if I do go forward with this plan, I'm going to have to keep my eye on the prize. I think I should put sticky-notes on my bathroom mirror, computer monitor, fridge and any other frequently-used flat surface that says "Just Do It"...you know, Michael Jordan style. :)
Well....maybe.
I've actually decided to consider summer school. At the beginning of the spring semester, I planned to take several classes this summer so that I could graduate in December. But I talked myself out of it, saying that I didn't want to miss all the summer activities that I'm usually involved in (youth camps, mission trips) and I wanted to be able to hang out with my kids instead of my computer. Plus, it wasn't like I had a job waiting on me when I graduated. As the semester wore on, I found myself looking forward to a break.
However, I started recalculating the hours I had left plus the monetary savings that I could gain by skipping the spring 2009 semester. I discovered that I might be able to complete a full 11 hours this summer through a combination of testing out of a class (it only costs $10!), taking two internet classes and one "hybrid" class (a hybrid class is a combo of independent study & classroom teaching). Taking these classes would not interfere with the summer activities I already have planned (as long as I have internet access when I travel). I also discovered that I could save $1000 or more by skipping the spring semester in favor of the summer/fall combo The savings would come from tuition that will increase for fall/spring (but not summer), gas savings and food savings (I usually eat out when I'm at school). That makes summer school a pretty good investment overall.
I still have to visit with my advisor and make sure this is going to work the way I think it should. I'll be honest: this is not going to be easy. It requires me to work throughout the summer, take a short break (I'm headed to the beach in August, thankfully), then hit the books again...this time, with 18 hours in my schedule. So, if I do go forward with this plan, I'm going to have to keep my eye on the prize. I think I should put sticky-notes on my bathroom mirror, computer monitor, fridge and any other frequently-used flat surface that says "Just Do It"...you know, Michael Jordan style. :)
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