Homework? With kids? Eeeek!

[severine]

Just got the call from UCONN.... I am formally re-admitted! It's very last minute with the semester starting August 25th (and the Student Affairs Office at my local branch being closed next week for vacation ) but the director had no problem re-admitting me. She's forwarding the info to the Financial Aid Office (which, luckily, I completed my FAFSA back in February in anticipation of returning this Fall anyway) so I can get the ball rolling ASAP. I have a meeting on August 18th to select my classes.

EEEK! It's been 4 years since I've been in school last, and that was prior to having kids (and donating a good portion of my brain to them during pregnancy). I'm a little scared... not sure how I will get through the coursework with 2 maniac kids running around (last time I had to read 2 novels a week and write 2 8-page papers per week while working full-time just for the History and English courses I was taking while attending part-time). But I WILL do it! I'll find a way!

Now I just need to get part 2 of this plan taken care of... waiting on a call back from the local pizza place where I applied to waitress.....

 

[drjeff]

Way to go Carrie! Plus, now you can take advantage of the student rate lift tickets this winter!

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

congrats...oh and when you're at a frat party...be sure to keep an eye on your drink at all times..

 

[severine]

Way to go Carrie! Plus, now you can take advantage of the student rate lift tickets this winter!

I hadn't thought of that!

Though it doesn't appear that Sundown has a student rate... but good to know when I travel elsewhere.

 

[Warp Daddy]

Carrie that is just GREAT .

You WILL do just fine -- YOU HAVE the motivation to succeed --BELIEVE IN YOURSELF . YOU are ABLE

. In my mid-career as a Dean of Lifelong Learning and Non Traditional Studies i met many great folks like you who were re-entering education for the first time in several years . They too were full of anxiety about their ability to compete with "traditional aged" students . They were so wrong in that assumption

MOST if not all EXCEEDED their expectations and actually out performed their younger cohorts --BECAUSE they were EXCELLENT time managers , KNEW how to generate a LASER Focus on their studies and had the DESIRE to achieve and better their lot.

One of my first advisees a woman much like yourself except a single mom from really TUFF economic circumstances comes to mind . I actually hired her later on as an Asst. Dean ,. She was amazing and went on to University of Buffalo for her doctorate and has become a Vice President for Academic Affairs at several Universities

I have the utmost confidence that given this opportunity you will MAXIMIZE it and begin to leverage a new station in life ----


YOU GO and KEEP GOING and Don't stop till your finished !!!!

Best to ya
Warp

 

[Hawkshot99]

I'm a little scared... not sure how I will get through the coursework with 2 maniac kids running around (last time I had to read 2 novels a week and write 2 8-page papers per week while working full-time just for the History and English courses I was taking while attending part-time).

In my 4 years of college, I read maybe 3 novels, and I think maybe 3 papers over 8 pages......:lol:

 

[severine]

Yes, but what was your major? Mine is English with a minor in History.... LOTS of reading involved. :lol: It's likely I'll have to double up English courses at least one semester in order to graduate on the time table I've set for myself, too.

Warp - Thank you! You're also full of encouragement and kind words!

 

[Hawkshot99]

It was engineering then Criminal Justice. But I took several English classes and several History classes.

 

[Skier75]

You can do it! Good luck!

 

[wa-loaf]

Congrats! I'm sure it will be hard work, but you'll figure it out.

 

[hardline]

what are you going back to school for? i will one day go back to school the finish my degree in phyisics. i just want people to have to call me DR. Steve. it would piss my friends off to no end.

 

[severine]

I'm finishing my B.A. in English. I already have an A.S. in Liberal Arts & Sciences (+4 courses toward my B.A.) but it's been a long work in progress. Took 4 years after high school for the A.S. Then I didn't start working on the B.A. until 2003, which I stopped again 1 year later because we decided to start a family. I've mostly gone to school part-time and worked full-time (though at least 1 semester I did full-time while working full-time ), so this will be a new experience. Eventually, I'll have to get my Master's if I want to teach in public schools, and luckily, my school has a great new program for that at one of the branches (instead of having to travel 1.5 hrs to the main campus).

 

[Warp Daddy]

I'm finishing my B.A. in English. I already have an A.S. in Liberal Arts & Sciences (+4 courses toward my B.A.) but it's been a long work in progress. Took 4 years after high school for the A.S. Then I didn't start working on the B.A. until 2003, which I stopped again 1 year later because we decided to start a family. I've mostly gone to school part-time and worked full-time (though at least 1 semester I did full-time while working full-time ), so this will be a new experience. Eventually, I'll have to get my Master's if I want to teach in public schools, and luckily, my school has a great new program for that at one of the branches (instead of having to travel 1.5 hrs to the main campus).

Are there Any on line or distance learning or credirt for life experiences courses that are applicable to your degree ?

 

[severine]

Lucky me, UCONN does not offer any online courses that are of any use to me. Mostly career-oriented business classes (marketing, accounting, management, etc.). The local community college does offer a couple, one that I do need for my degree and was told by my former advisor that I should take it there to save a lot of money. BUT in order for me to be considered full-time, I need to be taking 12 credits at UCONN. And I want that full-time status because it makes me eligible for grants and scholarships - whereas with part-time status, you can only get student loans. Going part-time really killed me in the past with getting any money from the school for school.

Once I'm enrolled for this semester, I will look more into my options for online courses in the spring that I can transfer. I would have preferred 1 or 2 online classes this Fall, but there just aren't any. What's funny is that I'm having the opposite problem I used to have. I need day classes and many of the classes I'd like to take are at night. Figures, right? :lol: That is one nice thing about the branch though. It caters to lifetime learners.

 

[Warp Daddy]

Agree you need to stay AT or above 12 credit hrs AT YOUR DEGREE institution to max out aid.

. It also speeds up progress and keeps your EYE on the TARGET.

Do they have any day care assistance ? I used to get have grant $$( beyond Std Financial aid) that i could use to help qualified students with daycare books and mileage in extreme cases.

 

[severine]

I'm not really sure what's available for grants because I wasn't eligible before. The Director of Student Affairs said she'd be forwarding my formal re-admission letter to Financial Aid ASAP and they'd be contacting me once they've viewed my FAFSA and decided what I'm eligible for. It's really a small branch. I believe the last set of numbers showed about 400 students. Many of the students are fresh out of high school and are taking their core courses before transferring to the main campus at Storrs.

 

[Warp Daddy]

Several FA programs BEYOND STD FIN AID you may want to see if they have include :

Educ. Opportunity program
Special Services program
Any Local service club or community based grants or Foundation Grants
TRIO programs
Private scholarships
These should be listed on website under FINANCIAL AID programs or Admissions

Good luck-- it may seem bewildering but you usually find a friendly face and good advice from the Lifelong learning staff and advisors ---

 

[severine]

Financial Aid is very confusing, mainly because much of it is geared toward entering freshman/high school seniors. But the staff at my branch is phenomenal and I'm sure they'll help me decipher all of this.

 

[SkiDork]

remember - you'll be eligible for a student rate for season passes

 

[Swamp Dog]

remember - you'll be eligible for a student rate for season passes

only if they don't enforce age limits. But I digress......

Congrats Carrie!! I know how exciting it is to be going back to school. I went back at 39 and graduated at 43. Now I'm thinking about a self-designed Master's but not quite ready to take the plunge. Still dealing with the financial aid for my son who is a freshman this year.

So about those student passes.....I did that at Sunapee for the first 2 years and then they told me it was only for ages 24 and under.