10 years later

A few weeks ago, I posted about a weird scheduling problem. I got a postcard in the mail telling me that I didn’t have the prerequisites for a certain class. Only, I tested into the class so it should be no problem.

I went to the registrars office a few weeks ago and they told me that I was enrolled, no problem. Well, I login to look at my schedule today and had been booted from the class. Luckily, while at the registrar’s office I got the name and number for the woman in charge of the department so hopefully, I can get back in.

I really don’t want to rearrange my schedule especially since my girlfriend was able to arrange her schedule around mine so we’d both be on campus for roughly the same hours. Time to make some phone calls.

I’m happy to report, I’ll have company when I go back to school this spring. My girlfriend has enrolled in classes toward her second bachelor’s degree.

She is majoring in secondary education this go around. We’ll be at separate campuses, but they’re right across the street from each other, making the commute and meet-ups for breaks easier. She also managed to schedule all of her classes on Tuesday and Thursday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Although, she’s already been a big help, I feel better knowing I won’t be the only one cramming for exams and staying up all night to write papers.

Now, we just wait until January 12, the day we both start. My nerves and excitement are both growing.

Well, my car is officially dead. Blown engine.

I have some doubts about starting school now. I was thinking maybe I should work harder to find a better paying job so I could buy something reliable and am worried about the mountain of piling debt. Sure, I’m getting financial aid, but this won’t make me rich and won’t leave a bunch of rooms for emergencies and to start working on future goals.

My girlfriend tells me something like the car will always come up. To get through school, I’ll constantly be battling since I’m not a trust fund baby.

But, the lack of car situation certainly poses a huge hurdle. I live 40 minutes from campus and now have about 6 weeks to find money to find some old junker and hope it doesn’t break down in a week.

Is she right, should I battle through this huge obstacle, or put off going to school another semester?

I promised myself when I started this blog to never neglect it and have to write an “I’m sorry, I’ve been busy post.” Well, I am sorry, and I have been busy.

I promised to update about my class schedule problem. I got a weird post card in the mail that I didn’t have the prerequisite for the class I registered when I had indeed tested into it.

I decided to swing by the campus Thursday evening because I was going to be in the area and didn’t get any answers. I was told to go to the director of the departments office and she wasn’t in, so I need to call today.

I also tried to get my student ID and was told that the “operator” was broken. Basically, the security guard working at the student ID test was a lazy asshole.

Now for the I’m sorry I’ve been busy excuse. My car broke down on the side of interstate, and I’ve been seeing red for days. Car problems give me a nervous breakdown. I think the water pump is broken, and if I had the right tools, I could fix it. Since my campus is 40 minutes away, I need to get this figured out soon. Grrr, off to wallow in self put for awhile…

I knew registering for classes was too easy. I met with my adviser for about 20 minutes last month, found everything I wanted to take open, and was able to create my dream schedule. I’ll be in class from 9 to 5 every Tuesday and Thursday next spring.

When I got a post card in the mail telling me I couldn’t take one of my classes, I shouldn’t have been shocked. I posted about the horror stories I’ve heard about the red tape and hoops you have to jump through in higher education. 

The post card said I didn’t have the correct prerequisites to take the course. However, since the class is basic public speaking, I can’t imagine how that could be true.

I would rather take care of this in person to be sure everything’s cleared up, and I need to get my student ID, so I’m heading to campus to see what I can do.

I’ll post an update about how it goes.

A main goal of my blog is get advice and support from others who returned to school as adults? Did you too push back your education? If so, I’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment so we can share tips and horror stories.

I don’t want to disclude non-adult students. I’d love to get feedback from students who pursued a traditional path and those who didn’t seek higher education.  I’m sure once I start school, I’ll see not every student is 18 and talking about the newest reality television show on MTV, but right now I’m feeling lonely in my pursuit.

A few days ago, I posted about Barack Obama’s stance and voting record on higher education.

With my classes not starting until Janurary, I have some time to reflect on higher education in general and since I’m still in a political mood, thought I’d take a glance at what happened in higher education under George Bush.

• Tuition and fees increased an average of 35 percent nation wide at four-year schools.
• Bush promised to increase the Pell Grant in his 2000 campaign to $5,100, but it was Barack Obama who introduced the bill to increase it in 2005.

And now, some fun:

George W. Bush quotes about higher education.

“We’re going to have the best educated American people in the world.”

“Quite frankly, teachers are the only profession that teach our children..”

“You teach a child to read, and he or her will be able to pass a literacy test.’‘

“Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning?”

“Laura and I really don’t realize how bright our children is sometimes until we get an objective analysis.”

My girlfriend warned me. Don’t tell her this, but she was right. The amount of hoops you have to jump through, red tape you have to cross in order to get anything accomplished in the university system is a pain. She repeatedly warned me the bureaucracy would be the most difficult aspect of school. Not the classes. Not the exams. Not studying.

I don’t even start classes until January, and just getting registered has been a delight.

A list of some of my hurdles:

• I still don’t have my student ID because the camera was broken when I went to get it.
• My FASFA, or Federal Application for Student Financial Aid, had to be resent and then when I asked the financial aid office while I wasn’t getting my aid, three different people had me send in three different forms. Luckily, I think I have it all figured out.
• Just today, I received a postcard about one of the classes for which I’d registered. Seems I didn’t have the necessary prereq. Of course, my counselor never mentioned this when we made my schedule together.

Anyone have similar experiences dealing with bureaucracy in school?

One plus to delaying seeking higher education for 10 years, most of my peers have “been there, done that.”

I wrote about how much help my girlfriend was when I needed to fill out my FASFA, or financial aid application. She’s been invaluable in helping me schedule classes, and negotiate the entire starting school process.

I’m trying to just use this to my advantage and not spend time feeling sorry for myself for getting on board so late. It’s a learning process to put aside my feelings of being inferior and just using my friends as a resource.

That was a big motivator behind starting this blog, I hope to learn from all of you too. I’ve already received comments from a couple of other people who started school late, and am glad I’m getting an online support system.

I must preface this post by saying I voted for and support Barack Obama. But, I’m not drinking the kool-aid, and while I remain optimistic and hopeful about how he’ll lead this country, I decided to take a look at his campaign promises for higher education to keep tabs on his progress throughout his tenure.

On the official Barack Obama and Joe Biden campaign site, his promises and record on higher education are outlined.

Here’s what Obama promises-

• To create the “great American opportunity tax cut.” Straight from his Web site the cut will: “ensure that the first $4,000 of a college education is completely free for most Americans, and will cover two-thirds the cost of tuition at the average public college or university and make community college tuition completely free for most students.”
• Streamline the financial aid application process. Luckily my girlfriend, a recent college graduate, helped me with my FASFA, so I can’t comment on how difficult it was, but do know it was difficult enough for her to offer to do it for me. His process would allow families to apply by simply checking a box on tax forms.

Obama’s record, again from his own site:

One of Obama’s first bills in the U.S. Senate was to increase the Pell Grant to $5,100. He also worked to reform the Higher Education Act, a piece of national legislation regulating higher education signed in 1965.

Visit this OnTheIssues.org for more details about Obama’s record on higher education.