baby steps are the way to go

[simplyn2deep]

It'd be great for once to have a supportive comment from my dad about something I was interested in. But no matter, I'm excited about going back to school. I need 8 classes and I'll be set to transfer to Dominguez Hills.

My visit with the counselor went well. Like I said above, I need 8 classes to transfer. I was surprised at how many of my previous grades were okay and that I didn't need to make up. I have to knock these 8 classes out of the park and keep a high GPA in hopes of being accepted to the university in 2-3 yrs.

I need to take Algebra on the gen ed side, which I was already planning on and the rest of the classes are for my major. Those classes are: Intro to Administration of Justice, Concepts of Criminal Law, Criminal Procedures, Criminal Evidence, Community Relations, Statistics, and Criminal Investigation.

Those classes alone would have me at 1 yr to 1 ½ years at the most. It would depend when the class is offered and how quickly it fills up (and potentially making me have to wait until the next time it's offered). The counselor said I was the most prepared student he worked with in a long time. He would have students, fresh out of high school and those returning after being away for years, come in with missing papers, crumpled/folded up papers and just generally not prepared for what was going to be done when they got to his office.

I should know the final results of my financial aid in 4 weeks (as the most). The lady I spoke with said it all depended on how many Financial Aid Education Plans (what I did today) they had to work on, but it could be as soon as 2 weeks. I'm hoping for 2 weeks so I won't have to worry about how I'm going to pay for classes when I register on July 30th at 7:30 pm. I need to Fall 2013 Course Schedule to be released soon too. I'd like to pick my classes (and backup classes) now and let N & J at the Self-Help Center know what my schedule will be when classes start August 19th.

At Cal State Dominguez Hills, I believe I'll have about 12 classes to take, but I won't be sure until I speak with a counselor when it gets close to that time. All of those classes will be for my major only and I'm looking at 1 ½ to 2 years.

My dad is saying that 2 ½ to 3 years is too long for to get my Bachelor's degree when someone with no classes can do it in 4 years. If I went right to the University, I'd have to take the same number of classes, therefore, the same amount of time, if not longer...so I don't know what he's bitching and grumbling under his breath about.

Next step is to go to career services to see their job listings. I would have gone today but it was just too hot and I wanted to be out of the sun and heat as soon as possible. I need to go in the morning before it gets too hot.

Also, I'll be looking forward to not having to dress professional when I go out in the mornings. I miss pulling on a pair of jeans and t-shirt and leaving.

Now to start the back to school shopping. Gonna try to not go overboard. LOL

Comments

[rocsfan.livejournal.com]

Sounds like you're doing a lot of work toward this! Yay, you! And, for what it's worth, I've heard that less than 50% of students actually complete their bachelor's degrees in 4 years. At least you are working on it, and that's what counts. The only real failure is to give up.

[azziria.livejournal.com]

I think it's absolutely fantastic that you're doing this, so don't let your Dad's lack of enthusiasm put you off. You show 'em, girl!

It took me 3 years to get my first Bachelors as a full-time student, and 7 years to get the second one, working around raising kids and doing a job. The time doesn't matter, what matters is you're doing it and moving forward :)

[simplyn2deep.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I've been hearing from a lot of people that it didn't take them the standard 4 years to get their bachelor's degree because family and work were also present. I guess my dad feels that since I'm not working (I guess having been church secretary for 12 and now volunteering at the courthouse for the last 17 months doesn't mean anything because one paid very little and the other doesn't pay at all, wasn't real work), it shouldn't take me that long. With my original plan, I was going to drag it out as long as I could, but when I went to see the counselor, he was like, these are the classes you need. if you drag it out, you won't finish. and the last thing I want is for my dad to throw this in my face like he has since I've gotten my paralegal certificate/degree.

[landrews.livejournal.com]

Good for you!! And no, the timing's about right- some major involve more credit hours thsn others and a lot of BA programs entail taking at least one summer session to get done in four years. FL now requires all students to take one summer session at some point. Two of the BAs that I know of at FSU have two or more mandatory summer sessions in addition to fall and spring. :highfives: It's really great that you made a decision and put it into action!

[simplyn2deep.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I think it's sad that my dad acts that way. It's become aware to me that in order to have a full time job in the field I want, I NEED to have my bachelor's degree, so I'm doing what it takes to get that. Unlike my sister. She's a teacher but doesn't have her credentials so she can't teach at public schools. She doesn't have her credentials because she can't pass the math part of the CBEST, I believe the same goes for why she doesn't have her Master's degree. I guess she barely passed to get her bachelor's degree. I've been telling her to find a tutor, I assume my dad has said the same thing. But she always comes up with excuses (much like I was doing).

I don't know what the transfer university is going to require, but at the minimum it will be 3 years (total). If it ends up being more than that, it will be because I found a full time job (and finally decided to be an adult).