I received a letter from my college pertaining to being approved for financial aid, or Federal Pell Grant, for the 2008-2009 school year. The award total is $2222.00, separated by the 3 semesters of Fall, Spring, and Summer. Keep in mind, my income from 2007 was less than $15000, with actual salary of 11 and change. What does it all mean? Well, considering my tuition is $42 per credit, along with an average book cost between $75-100 per course, I'm able to take a full-time schedule of 12 hours and would only have to pick up around $200 out of pocket per semester. The crucial aspect of maintaining financial aid, as stated in the letter, is succeeding in the classes themselves. There are factors involved in how much of the money can be used per semester. Since I'll only be taking 9 or 10 hours next Spring, I'm limited to use 75% of the award, as opposed to 100% if I was going full time (12+).
The math works well, as I have more flexibility in seeking employment to offset my cost of living (rent, food), with just $600 a year going to college. In other words, I can reduce the hours I'm working to concentrate on studies, or create room for more credit hours. I've committed to my current position as it pays well for a part-time job, and my morning work hours leave the entire afternoon and evening for attending college. Down the road, I could acquire another job that would only need to bring in 700 to 800 dollars a month in take-home pay. If that job pays just $8 an hour, then I would only need to work 22-25 hours a week to pay the bills.
In late January, I'll submit the complete actual cost layout in how much of the aid covers my tuition and books for Spring 2009, and if it is beneficial to take a full course to receive a higher ratio of aid. Regardless, another important threshold has been reached in my burgeoning college experience, help with paying for it!
Friday, December 12, 2008
Monday, December 8, 2008
Registration Day
December 8th was the given last day to register for Spring 2009 classes at my college. In truth, there is a late registration period available in early January. However, I didn't want to risk missing out on my selection of courses. I perused the college catalog for a 20 minute period tonight, hoping to streamline my schedule with all classes on the same day. I selected three in total, all meeting on Tuesdays and Thursdays. They are as follows:
History 121 - 2:00-3:15 pm
English 111 - 4:00-5:15 pm
Psychol 150 - 5:45-7:00 pm
You see, in this setup, my day is filled in an academic mindset. There is enough time in between classes to recuperate, and perhaps prepare last second for the upcoming class. My work schedule is 7:30-12:30 every morning, Monday through Friday. At least with this semester, there is plenty of study time available on the 3 off school days, and the entire weekend as well. Again, we're starting out with a total of 9 credit hours to slowly work up to full 15 hour status in a methodical manner. You have to walk before you run, especially if you're preparing for a marathon, so to speak.
Back to the registering process, it was quite simple. I phoned the college hot line, and followed the automated prompts asking for course numbers. After confirming my 3 classes, I used a credit card for payment. The total cost for 9 credits came out to $418. Remember, my financial aid application is still in review, so its still possible to be reimbursed down the line once the aid is approved. I'll remark on that once its becomes available in a few weeks.
The first day of class is January 12, 2009. That's only 34 days away. I've waited 11 years to go full steam, so these next 5 weeks will be a matter of revving up my engines. Happy Registration Day!
History 121 - 2:00-3:15 pm
English 111 - 4:00-5:15 pm
Psychol 150 - 5:45-7:00 pm
You see, in this setup, my day is filled in an academic mindset. There is enough time in between classes to recuperate, and perhaps prepare last second for the upcoming class. My work schedule is 7:30-12:30 every morning, Monday through Friday. At least with this semester, there is plenty of study time available on the 3 off school days, and the entire weekend as well. Again, we're starting out with a total of 9 credit hours to slowly work up to full 15 hour status in a methodical manner. You have to walk before you run, especially if you're preparing for a marathon, so to speak.
Back to the registering process, it was quite simple. I phoned the college hot line, and followed the automated prompts asking for course numbers. After confirming my 3 classes, I used a credit card for payment. The total cost for 9 credits came out to $418. Remember, my financial aid application is still in review, so its still possible to be reimbursed down the line once the aid is approved. I'll remark on that once its becomes available in a few weeks.
The first day of class is January 12, 2009. That's only 34 days away. I've waited 11 years to go full steam, so these next 5 weeks will be a matter of revving up my engines. Happy Registration Day!
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Let's begin with the details
When beginning the seemingly monumentous task of taking on college courses after an 11 year absence from formal schooling, its critical to get off on the right foot. So let's chronicle the initial steps needed to begin the process:
FINANCIAL AID
Due to my being in and out of the work force, combined with not having a well paid position for any amount of time, my income was less than 15 thousand dollars for the tax year 2007. I felt I was in a good position to get some aid for schooling. I filled out on-line the FAFSA website application, which was surprisingly simple to complete. In fact, the very next day I received confirmation of acceptance via an email. In essence, it was up to the college in question to pick up the ball regarding how much aid would be doled out to me. There was a score given, EFC, that I inferred to be how the college calculated my liability. I did neglect to do this part of the process in a timely fashion, for it's been 2 weeks and my college has not completed my application on their end. Lesson is - file for financial aid as soon as you receive your w2 tax forms during the start of the calendar year.
ORIENTATION
The local community college provided an orientation, which lasted an hour. During this very helpful meeting, the steps to enroll in college were outlined succinctly by an adviser. I took a tour of the campus given by current students. The people at a community college tend to be of a mature age versus a traditional four year college, and this paves a nice bridge for people such as ourselves who are in the same age bracket.
ASSESSMENT TEST
There's been such a long layoff from academic pursuits, that your knowledge needs fine tuning. Taking a test at this stage can pinpoint exactly how much tuning you need to get up to college level speed. In my case, I had taken two college entrance tests before - the first was in 2002, and the 2nd 5 years later. I had done well in the reading and writing portions in both tests, but as with most folks, my math was sub par. I mean there's only so much algebraic related tasks one incurs during their work lives after school, and by so much I mean virtually none. I know on this segment of my academic record, math and science, I will need to work vigorously in and out of the classroom to triumph. Anyway, the two tests you can take are either the community college based COMPASS placement test, or the traditional SAT/ACT versions. I took both, and they're actually similar outside of how you complete them. The COMPASS test is on a computer, while the SAT is on paper. They were both timed tests, and included essay writing. The SAT essay had me vexed, as I couldn't formulate an appropriately educated response to my question, which was in essence "materialism - good or bad?".
ADVISING
Once your scores are tabulated, you have to see the college adviser to get guidance on the road you want to take. By that I mean what kind of degree you're seeking. My adviser provided me two plans of study - one for an Associate in Arts (AA), and the other for an Associate in Science (AS). Looking over the courses listings, the biggest difference is that the AS requires a heavier course load in math and natural science. 14 versus 34 to be exact. You can be the judge on which degree is the more rigorous, but as for me the AA looked more appealing. The adviser was pressed for time, so I was given another quick refresher on how to register for classes, and to do it promptly as the course selections dwindled as time went by. I must say that the Plan of Study is very helpful in getting an overview of what lies ahead. It simply breaks down which exact classes will need to be completed and how essentially every student out there must take these same core subjects to attain a degree.
Lets sum up here. Starting college via the community college route provides a neat and tidy structure to later on complete a four year bachelor's degree. My college has an agreement with the state's university system in transferring the courses as a block. This should be the case with most people in the US. The plan is to complete an associates degree at the two year school, and finishing the second half at a four year university. To do that, there is a total of 64 credits that must be attained. That's roughly 20-22 courses. Let's do the math. We'd have to take 5 classes each Fall and Spring semester to meet our goal within two years. However, summer classes can afford us the opportunity to tweak those number of classes if need be. Given the flexibility of the courses offered either in-class or on-line, short term or full term, there is ample time to finish the 64 credit block in no more than 2 and 1/2 years on a full time basis. That is exactly the schedule I'm setting myself up for. 5 full semesters plus 2 summer terms. The first semester will be part time, as a way to easing my transitioning from a full-time adult worker to a full time class taking, food rationing, bare necessities, college lifestyle. The devil is in the details.
FINANCIAL AID
Due to my being in and out of the work force, combined with not having a well paid position for any amount of time, my income was less than 15 thousand dollars for the tax year 2007. I felt I was in a good position to get some aid for schooling. I filled out on-line the FAFSA website application, which was surprisingly simple to complete. In fact, the very next day I received confirmation of acceptance via an email. In essence, it was up to the college in question to pick up the ball regarding how much aid would be doled out to me. There was a score given, EFC, that I inferred to be how the college calculated my liability. I did neglect to do this part of the process in a timely fashion, for it's been 2 weeks and my college has not completed my application on their end. Lesson is - file for financial aid as soon as you receive your w2 tax forms during the start of the calendar year.
ORIENTATION
The local community college provided an orientation, which lasted an hour. During this very helpful meeting, the steps to enroll in college were outlined succinctly by an adviser. I took a tour of the campus given by current students. The people at a community college tend to be of a mature age versus a traditional four year college, and this paves a nice bridge for people such as ourselves who are in the same age bracket.
ASSESSMENT TEST
There's been such a long layoff from academic pursuits, that your knowledge needs fine tuning. Taking a test at this stage can pinpoint exactly how much tuning you need to get up to college level speed. In my case, I had taken two college entrance tests before - the first was in 2002, and the 2nd 5 years later. I had done well in the reading and writing portions in both tests, but as with most folks, my math was sub par. I mean there's only so much algebraic related tasks one incurs during their work lives after school, and by so much I mean virtually none. I know on this segment of my academic record, math and science, I will need to work vigorously in and out of the classroom to triumph. Anyway, the two tests you can take are either the community college based COMPASS placement test, or the traditional SAT/ACT versions. I took both, and they're actually similar outside of how you complete them. The COMPASS test is on a computer, while the SAT is on paper. They were both timed tests, and included essay writing. The SAT essay had me vexed, as I couldn't formulate an appropriately educated response to my question, which was in essence "materialism - good or bad?".
ADVISING
Once your scores are tabulated, you have to see the college adviser to get guidance on the road you want to take. By that I mean what kind of degree you're seeking. My adviser provided me two plans of study - one for an Associate in Arts (AA), and the other for an Associate in Science (AS). Looking over the courses listings, the biggest difference is that the AS requires a heavier course load in math and natural science. 14 versus 34 to be exact. You can be the judge on which degree is the more rigorous, but as for me the AA looked more appealing. The adviser was pressed for time, so I was given another quick refresher on how to register for classes, and to do it promptly as the course selections dwindled as time went by. I must say that the Plan of Study is very helpful in getting an overview of what lies ahead. It simply breaks down which exact classes will need to be completed and how essentially every student out there must take these same core subjects to attain a degree.
Lets sum up here. Starting college via the community college route provides a neat and tidy structure to later on complete a four year bachelor's degree. My college has an agreement with the state's university system in transferring the courses as a block. This should be the case with most people in the US. The plan is to complete an associates degree at the two year school, and finishing the second half at a four year university. To do that, there is a total of 64 credits that must be attained. That's roughly 20-22 courses. Let's do the math. We'd have to take 5 classes each Fall and Spring semester to meet our goal within two years. However, summer classes can afford us the opportunity to tweak those number of classes if need be. Given the flexibility of the courses offered either in-class or on-line, short term or full term, there is ample time to finish the 64 credit block in no more than 2 and 1/2 years on a full time basis. That is exactly the schedule I'm setting myself up for. 5 full semesters plus 2 summer terms. The first semester will be part time, as a way to easing my transitioning from a full-time adult worker to a full time class taking, food rationing, bare necessities, college lifestyle. The devil is in the details.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
11 years later....
How many times have you been at work, looked around, and wondered, "what am I doing here? Is this really what I was hoping to do on a daily basis in my adult years? How did I end up in this rut to begin with?" If you're like me, then those thoughts occur every time you see someone get promoted, or see some hot shot coming in fresh from the learning gates. You see, there really are pegs out there in the real world, and like it or not, we are all destined to be latched to one. The question is, then, how high or low on the totem pole will we be attached to.
That, in an elongated nutshell, is what has prompted me to reevaluate my academic goals at this watershed age in a person's life. I feel middle age begins at age 35, so given that, I've set out to acquire a baccalaureate degree before I hit that esteemed age. For those of you scoring at him, that would be before the fall of 2013. I will be using this web page to chronicle my progression, not so much for self-fulfillment, but to display for others who may want to wander down the same track what a real-life process looks like. Those guides you pick up at the store can only tell so much.
I'd like to provide a synopsis of my academic background heretofore for context. I was an exceptional student all the way up to my 9th grade year in high school, consistently scoring high on aptitude tests, and earning spots in "aim high" or honors courses. Then I became distracted by sports, mainly watching them instead of participating in them. A level of apathy towards education began to set in - highlighted by my purposely withdrawing from all-honors courses my first year in high school, due to feeling I was somehow being burdened with the more rigid classes. Suffice it to say, my high school career ended a semester late, with my diploma displaying a banner from a night high school. The date on it was December 11, 1997.
I actually did enroll in two college courses that first semester of Spring 1998, but due to working full time at a Diamond Shamrock, along with my continual lackadaisical attitude towards school, I was withdrawn from one of the classes, and dropped the other one myself. That made me 0 for 2. Fast forward 4 years to the summer of 2002, and again I signed up for two classes at the community college. Just like the previous run, I was battling having to deal with a 40 hr/week job, and having to get around the city on a bus to meet my class times. I dropped my English class after only 2 days, and my non-credit Algebra class was going well until a month into it, the professor's words completely dazed me. I literally walked out of the class at that point. I did manage to get in one test, the only one so far. Make that 0 for 4 in my studies. So there you have it, my complete post-high school record in all it's stupendous futility.
So you're asking yourself, given my track record, how will I overcome the previous entanglements and lethargy this time around? Well, I think we can all agree that decreasing workload time is a start. I'll be putting in 25 hours a week maximum to employment. And lastly, the name of this blog perfectly underlines the urgency of my mission. I mean once you're on the wrong side of 30, you really don't have any more good chances to resume getting that college degree. So follow along with me via this web page, and you can see real world steps in getting through university as a non-traditional student. I'll be briefing ya'll throughout.
That, in an elongated nutshell, is what has prompted me to reevaluate my academic goals at this watershed age in a person's life. I feel middle age begins at age 35, so given that, I've set out to acquire a baccalaureate degree before I hit that esteemed age. For those of you scoring at him, that would be before the fall of 2013. I will be using this web page to chronicle my progression, not so much for self-fulfillment, but to display for others who may want to wander down the same track what a real-life process looks like. Those guides you pick up at the store can only tell so much.
I'd like to provide a synopsis of my academic background heretofore for context. I was an exceptional student all the way up to my 9th grade year in high school, consistently scoring high on aptitude tests, and earning spots in "aim high" or honors courses. Then I became distracted by sports, mainly watching them instead of participating in them. A level of apathy towards education began to set in - highlighted by my purposely withdrawing from all-honors courses my first year in high school, due to feeling I was somehow being burdened with the more rigid classes. Suffice it to say, my high school career ended a semester late, with my diploma displaying a banner from a night high school. The date on it was December 11, 1997.
I actually did enroll in two college courses that first semester of Spring 1998, but due to working full time at a Diamond Shamrock, along with my continual lackadaisical attitude towards school, I was withdrawn from one of the classes, and dropped the other one myself. That made me 0 for 2. Fast forward 4 years to the summer of 2002, and again I signed up for two classes at the community college. Just like the previous run, I was battling having to deal with a 40 hr/week job, and having to get around the city on a bus to meet my class times. I dropped my English class after only 2 days, and my non-credit Algebra class was going well until a month into it, the professor's words completely dazed me. I literally walked out of the class at that point. I did manage to get in one test, the only one so far. Make that 0 for 4 in my studies. So there you have it, my complete post-high school record in all it's stupendous futility.
So you're asking yourself, given my track record, how will I overcome the previous entanglements and lethargy this time around? Well, I think we can all agree that decreasing workload time is a start. I'll be putting in 25 hours a week maximum to employment. And lastly, the name of this blog perfectly underlines the urgency of my mission. I mean once you're on the wrong side of 30, you really don't have any more good chances to resume getting that college degree. So follow along with me via this web page, and you can see real world steps in getting through university as a non-traditional student. I'll be briefing ya'll throughout.
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